Dasht-e-Tanhai

So In between my WCM (Western Classical Music) craze I suddenly remembered this song.

By an absolutely phenomenal poet- Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

His command over the language and the sheer feelings he invokes are amazing.

Some of his poems have been sung by some of the best Women Ghazal singers ever.

This one that I have included here was sung by Iqbal Bano. This is just so romantic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXy8D9Qvw04

The Lyrics: 

By Faiz Ahmed Faiz (Translated by Ayesha Kaljuvee- whoever she is!- She did a fabulous job though!)

dasht-e-tanhaai mein, ai jaan-e-jahaan, larzaan hain 

In the desert of my solitude, oh love of my life, quiver
teri avaaz ke saaye, 
the shadows of your voice,
tere honthon ke saraab 
the mirage of your lips

dasht-e-tanhaai mein, 
In the desert of my solitude,
duri ke khas-o-khaak tale
beneath the dust and ashes of distance
khil rahe hain tere pehlu ke saman aur gulaab
bloom the jasmines and roses of your proximity

uht rahi hai kahin qurbat se 
From somewhere very close,
teri saans ki aanch 
rises the warmth of your breath
apani khushbuu mein sulagti hui 
smouldering in its own aroma,
maddham maddham 
slowly, bit by bit.

dur ufaq par chamakati hui 
far away, across the horizon, glistens
qatra qatra
drop by drop
gir rahi hai teri dil daar nazar ki shabnam 
the falling dew of your beguiling glance

is qadar pyaar se hai jaan-e jahaan rakkhaa hai 
With such tenderness, O love of my life,
dil ke rukhsaar pe 
on the cheek of my heart,
is vaqt teri yaad ne haath
has your memory placed its hand right now

yun guman hota hai 
that it looks as if
garche hai abhi subah-e-firaaq
(though it's still the dawn of adieu)
dhal gaya hijr ka din 
the sun of separation has set
aa bhi gaye vasl ki raat 
and the night of union has arrived.

 I am going to put just the english verses together so you can read it as a poem to get the true meaning of it.

In the desert of my solitude, oh love of my life,

Quiver, the shadows of your voice,
the mirage of your lips.

In the desert of my solitude,
beneath the dust and ashes of distance,
bloom the jasmines and roses of your proximity

From somewhere very close,
rises the warmth of your breath,
smoldering in its own aroma,
slowly, bit by bit.

Far away, across the horizon, glistens
drop by drop
the falling dew of your beguiling glance

With such tenderness, O love of my life,
on the cheek of my heart,
has your memory placed its hand right now

that it looks as if
(though it's still the dawn of adieu)
the sun of separation has set
and the night of union has arrived.

Some of the other Ghazals I like from him are

Hum ke thehre ajnabi itni madaraton ke baad (Nayyara Noor)

(We have stayed strangers after so many interactions)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB7aZ8RYTD4

It's really funny- when I was a kid-I used to think this was a song written by a prostitute for a loved patron but actually it's actually about the Pakistan Bangladesh Partition!!!!

Tum Mere Pass Raho... Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Nayyara Noor.

 (Stay close to me)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5W-f9PWz_4

Nothing quite like love and depression to get the creative juices and emotions flowing!!!!

Ave Maria

So this is a highly unusual post for me given it's about a prayer and I'm strongly atheistic!

So my whole fascination for Western Classical Music (WCM) caught fire after I heard this song - it was in a bunch of Music I took from my sister- and it just said Ave Maria- Schubert.

No identifications of any sort.

Before this I never understood the fascination for the high women Soprano voices in the  WCM world - but this changed my mind.

To understand how crazy I am about it- I actually heard a million renditions of Ave Maria by Schubert by any WCM singer I could find on YouTube till I managed to identify the voice! And here it is- I hope you enjoy it. 



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDyiYEdTp-U

On thinking about it- it's possible I like it so much despite the prayer aspect of it for a couple of reasons

1. It's in German so I can't understand the words! J

2. The Music is BEAUTIFUL

3. Despite being an atheist - I almost envy people who have faith as I think it really empowers them and gives them a sense of being loved and looked after unconditionally that atheists just don’t have! And in hearing the singer you really get the feeling she means this prayer with all her heart.


I find  anything that is shared with the outside world and is so heartfelt is always moving even if you don't agree with it.

It's like putting yourself out there- never an easy job. But I think artists do it the most- in varying degrees.

Creativity is so inherent- like something bubbling inside you that you just need to get out somehow- some means.

Not to take away from others but I find painters and writers as some of the most exposed creators- especially writers. So much of what they write exposes their life experiences and really how and what they think to the whole world (and I don't mean like this blog- duh- I mean unwittingly though the characters in their fiction)

One of the Authors I feel most about this Jhumpa Lahiri.

I've read most of her books (except Lowland) and appreciated them- I am not sure I would say enjoyed as despite being very engrossing and well written they have such a strong strain of depression through them that they never invoked a feeling of enjoyment in me.

The last I read her was when " the Unaccustomed earth" came out.




Halfway  through- I went to such a dark place that I refused to read anything of hers again- the feelings her characters share are so raw and so real it's like you are going through it yourself and they all have many issues and things depressing them!!!

It may not be true but I definitely get the feeling Ms. Lahiri has and maybe is battling depression. But then so many artists do.

I don't know if it makes me shallow but I really have to grit my teeth to read/ watch something depressing- which (who knows why) I still do. Maybe because the voice of the author or director is sometimes just so good- it would be a shame to miss it.

So one such movie is  Incendies



This is a Canadian - Middle Eastern movie.

I saw it without knowing the plot other than it was based in Canada and the Middle East and was fabulous, as it was recommended to me by a sister. When it played in a nearby movie theater  I saw it, came out of the theater and called my sister to say "Whatever possessed you to recommend I see it? And then a " Thank you"


It was one of the better made movies I have seen and definitely one of the most disturbing!

Realistic enough that a lot of what they show has obviously and unfortunately been taken from the world today and strange enough that you know this is not true.

If you are strong of heart and think you can handle it- give it a try!

Anyway- this is getting very dark. I will leave you with a another singer I have discovered too- Bernarda Fink. The song I wanted to embed here doesn't have a YouTube link so here's a different piece by her


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRhzSh2bEcI

Enjoy!