A new voice on TV
There is a new channel on cable called AVT Khyber. With this channel, now we have two major regional languages covering cultural and current issues with Khyber covering Pushtu and KTN, a Sindhi channel already running successfully for the past 2 years. KTN also covers interviews in Urdu if the situation demands and today they had an English current affairs program. This is an excellent development. Already the coverage of these channels is reaching every corner of the world and the expat community can get closer to the language.
Similar success awaits Khyber because any successful business venture that targets a population spread through out the world can generate (a) immediate sponsorship and (b) license fee or coverage fee from international viewers. Khyber can basically emulate the success story of KTN.
So more power to the regional languages I say. These channels provide a vehicle for indigenous cultures to thrive and make the national integration a reality because as I mentioned these channels are multi-lingual with major emphasis on either Pushtu or Sindhi but interviews and programs in Urdu given coverage if the audience is multi-lingual. So the Sindhi newscaster would be reading the news in the regional language but when she goes live to Islamabad and speaks online with Chory Shujat the conversation shifts to Urdu, that is if you can understand what the good Chory is saying.
One can now pick up the words and learn these languages.
I do hope that some investor in the Punjab would take a leaf from this book. For far too long, there has been a need to have a Pakistani Punjabi channel. Mind you there is an ETC Punjabi already being beamed from India but mainly sikh religious songs are played along with the omnipresent bhangra. I would much rather have these Pakistani regional channels than the Indian films that are a complete waste of time and increasingly vulgar indian remix songs have made parental control necessary.
Oh an example of an indian remix song to let you know what pisses me off. For those of us who know the oldies, there is a song from the 50's by Suraiya Begum that goes "kabhee aar kabhee paar laaga teeray nazar". Now the Indian remix version is "khabee aar kabhee paar ....come on and get me babe, come on and give it to me babe' and there is this dancer who is giving a lap-dance to a guy and while the song goes 'aar paar aar paar', this lady simulates not the nazar that was supposed to be going aar paar through the jigar (liver) but her pelvic movements simulate a phallic fantasy. And I swear I am not exagerating that the last shot of the video shows the same guy looking totally spent on his couch as he wakes up from this fantasy/dream that he had had of this girl greasing his pole.
4 Comments:
Mekaal Hasan Band is just awesome. Since, I have been listening more instrumentals than anything else in the past one year, these guys are just fabulous. On top of that the flute and great classical vocals - come on, guys, they are just fabulous. If you want some more food for thought on them, read on Jibran Mirza's equally awesome Review of Mekaal Hasan Band's Sampooran at Erudition Online.
Hey, Naveed, you don't like remixes or other current generation of bands? isn't that one more amazing thing about you? :)
I love every type of music. It is the only thing I spend money on. That and books. I can go extravagant sometimes but I suppose the rewards are all worth it. I did not say that I do not like remix. I just hate crappy videos like the one I mentioned. When I am working late in the evenings, I have mostly Indus Music or STN (that plays semi classical) on. Some of the new Pak bands are pretty good. BTW, I do notice that you enjoy instrumental and mentioned Ravi Shankar. There is a tape that an Indian friend gave to me in exchange for Pathanay Khan. I have had it for the past 12 years only (now on CD which is available in Pakistan with some select stores) It is called "Call of the Valley". It has santoor by Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, flute by Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia and some tracks have Ravi Shankar. I looked up the link at google and I am amazed to learn that this was released in the 60's.
Google took me to amazon and you can listen to the clips but these 10 second clips do not do justice to the album. The sample of track 5 and 6 is still better. So give it a listen and it you like these two tracks, I will let you know where to get the album. (I have a feeling that it is out of stock with the music stores that previously carried it so it needs to be ordered, I can help if you need it) The link on amazon is http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000005H0H/104-0525507-1519950?v=glance#product-details. Ignore track 1. It gives the impression that the album is gloomy but in reality it is not.
Oh that album sounds great enough. Ravi's music in 60's could have been as good as it's now. I'd be out of town for a week and as I return shall visit some of the stores here at Clifton or else would let you know :)
I will have to say that I love music. I do listen to remixes if someone else has put them on but I would rather not put them on myself.
About the song ... I will try my best to catch the video (sorry for being a bad bad bad human being!).
Also I think that regional languages and cultures should be given a push and they should be portrayed in the media because it is our heritage, and it is colourful and diverse.
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