dancing for love

had been trying to find a way to upload link to a youtube clip but could not figure it out earlier and shared with you the link in a primitive way by hardcoding the link.

Just managed to find the way to do this. Life is a lot simpler this way. You can teach this old dog new tricks afterall



[this is part of fantastic list of uploads on youtube by ssaqi; a messiah in more ways than one]

this is Abida at her very best; this is a remarkable remake of a kafi attributed to Bhagat Kanwar Ram, most revered bhagtee of Sindh, killed by extremists in the pre-partition days

as is common with remakes, abida has improvised by adding two verses of Shah Latif that is the most moving description of the Lord's compassion

these two verses are given below with a poor attempt at translation

sahib tuhinjee sahibee
ajab dithee soo-n
pan-a boreen pataar main
pahan tareen toon
jay razee thee toon
ta mairyaee man-a lahaan

lord, your splendor is unfathomable
mesmerized in sheer wonder
I see that when you so desire
leaves sink deep
and when you wish
pebbles stay afloat
with your majesty so grand
if i am blessed with your acceptance
a soul as sinful as i,
earns your forgiveness

jayseen jyaraeen tayseen
hadee rakh-j hifz main
mohtajee makhlooqa jee
qadir maan karee
arabee, abdul lateef khay,
hik vayl ma visareen
pur-kash pyareen
bharay jaam janat ma-on

lord, so long as you permit me to live
keep my wellbeing into consideration
your creation,
ows it salvation to to you,
not even for one moment,
praise the Prophet,
must you forget to bless Abdul Latif
& bless him with goblets drawn from heaven

(at this stage, the 2 verses of Shah Latif end and the actual kafi by Suleman Faquir which is what was made popular by Kanwar Bhagat Ram begins; Qasim Maka has made a video homage to Kanwar Bhagat Ram that can be found at the following



kafi starts at 4:11 in the above track after an intro to Kanwar Bhagat Ram. I suggest you first listen to the Abida remake and then the original)

keyayain reejhayan
kafi by sulemaan faquir
originally sung by Bhagat Kanwar Ram

keyayain reejhayan tokhay
keyain parchayan
das ko daa-n

how do I gain your favor
In what manner do I plead with you
show me the way
the way to your love

ya the-yan momin paak nimaazee
jehn main, janib-a,toon theen raazee
jamee jora-yan kina siraro nimayaan
das ko daa-n

I could become a momin,
purity personified
Which ever way, love,
I can earn your favor
i could be in constant prayer
build a place of worship
to bow my head to you
how do I gain your favor
in what manner do I plead with you,
show me the waythe way to your love

ya the-yan hindu
ya the-yan hindu maan
pojaan but-khanay
kashee dyaray
ganga ashnan-ay
jareeyon payan
kina tilak lagayaan
das ko daa-n

I could become a hindu
head towards a mandir
amidst holy statues in varanasee,
i could bathe in the holy ganges
to rid myself of sins
put a tilak on my forehead
and proclaim my devotion to you
how do I gain your favor

in what manner do I plead with you
show me the way
The way to your love

ya the-yan naachoo
payaan peshwazee
dhukhar, dhamchaar
sazee avaazee
phair-ree payaan
kina chair chimkayan
das ko daa-n

Or I could become a dancer
Put on peshwaz for you
whirling to the beat of music
dancing round in esctasy
to the tune of drums
how do I gain your favor
in what manner do I plead with you
show me the way
the way to your love

Ach-u ta pyar-ala
karyoon parchaoo
sarn-a Suleman-a jay
karyoon sarchayoo
laiq nayhaan poay bi
toon jaree ahyaan
das ko daa-n

come Love
help me seek the way
the way to your Love
i am full of sins and blemishes
but it is only to you, that I belong

show me the way
the way to your love

this is one track that you will find the sindhi diaspora plus local Sindhis totally captivated in remembrance of this great artist. if you want to see a grown man cry, this is the one to amuse yourself with

The track that I have referred to above has a loree in Seraiki on 2:33 of the track.

this loree originally covered by Bhagat Kanwar Ram, was replayed a couple of years ago on Rohi TV during its test transmission; the artist was introduced as Mohan Bhagat, a young lad sitting in the desert with his yak-tara and singing this song of the desert dwellers.

If anyone is familiar with the work of Mohan Bhagat, let me know.

There is a Mohan Bhagat of Tharparkar that I am familiar with but it performs as a group & comprises of senior thari artists. I need a link or any information about the younger Mohan Bhagat]