washerman's dog: ghazals

Showing posts with label ghazals. Show all posts

Monday, June 25, 2012

Let's Praise Beer from Murree: Pankaj Udhas

Drinking beer in Pakistan is hard and easy. Depending on your status vis a vis religion and how reliable your bootlegger is. Put it this way I never lacked for a cold beer in my many years of living in the land of the Pure. But then again I had connections who could deliver a case of San Miguel or Heineken for only slightly outrageous prices.

If you wanted to get your hands on some of the local brew, Murree Beer, you had to have a 'permit' and sheepishly meet up with an angry looking flunky at the (then) Marriott hotel who would disgustingly issue you a hand written chit to take to another room where you could get your 6 or 12 bottles a month.

I was tickled to find this article in the local Melbourne paper today about the invisible much maligned but essential Murree Brewery.

A Raj-era oddity in a Muslim country of non-drinkers is

hoping to sell its prized beer to foreigners.

In the land of shifting contradictions that is Pakistan, there are few more unusual or enduring than the Murree Brewery.

In an Islamic nation growing steadily more conservative, and where 97 per cent of the population cannot drink legally, Murree Brewery thrives and Pakistanis are proud of their Raj-era oddity.

This is the oldest continuing industrial enterprise in Pakistan, and one of the subcontinent's first public companies. The brewery was founded in the northern hill station town of Murree in 1860 by two Englishmen. Brewed to slake the thirst of British soldiers, the beer found a grateful market and won its first award, a medal of excellence at the Philadelphia Exhibition, in 1876.

The brewery moved to the garrison city of Rawalpindi in 1910 and business boomed until 1977, when prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto banned alcohol in an effort to court Pakistan's conservative Muslim vote.

Two years later, a court ruled Bhutto's law breached the rights of minorities and the production line clinked into life again.

This year, Murree has gained an export licence. But the brewer has been sent into the international beer market with a serious handicap: it can export to non-Muslim countries only. Iran and Afghanistan were its likeliest markets but it is seeking a foothold in India and China.

''It can be lonely being a brewer in Pakistan,'' said chief executive Isphanyar Bhandara. ''We are excluded from international trade, because people are afraid to do business in a country associated with the Taliban, and the people here in Pakistan, they don't like to have business with us, because of the [religious] extremist situation.''

Only foreigners with a permit, those with a medical certificate and Pakistan's tiny non-Muslim population (about 3 per cent of 190 million people) are allowed to drink alcohol.

Religious hardliners use alcohol as a powerful political weapon. Before he was assassinated last year, Punjab governor Salman Taseer was condemned for his lifestyle after pictures of him drinking wine at dinner were circulated.

But that 97 per cent figure is not set in stone. Most Pakistanis, particularly those who speak English and live in the major cities, are regular drinkers. In rural villages, spirits brewed from tree bark or sugar cane are popular.

The country's leaders, too, are known to enjoy a tipple. President Asif Ali Zardari is said to be fond of a drink. His predecessor, military dictator Pervez Musharraf, drank blue-label whiskey.

Tucked in behind the heavily fortified house of Pakistan's chief of army, parts of Murree Brewery appear transported from Edwardian England and in one building, stacked neatly against a whitewashed wall, are about 100 bags of barley, each stamped ''Produce of Western Australia''.

''Murree Brewery's desire is to show the international community that Pakistan doesn't have to be known as a country that exports terrorism,'' Mr Bhandara says, ''that this can be a country that exports beer.''

( http://www.theage.com.au/world/pakistans-only-brew-gets-the-drop-on-foreign-trade-bar-20120624-20wcn.html#ixzz1ylJ7dRd9)

And so in happy recollection I've attached a nice collection of the ultimate sharabi ghazals by Pankaj Udhas, the King of popular ghazals, who though from across the border in India, is well loved by all beer drinking Pakistanis. For those of you who are not yet familiar with Pankaj Udhas, this man's music is the ultimate South Asian party music. If you are a middle aged man who is stressed out at home, a frustrated poet, a failed Romeo or all three. No hip hop here. Just a strong voice, lively arrangements and heartfelt lamentations on the cruelty of women and the loveliness of wine!

Track Listing (disc 1)

01 Chandi Jaisa Rang

02 Hasta Chehra

03 Jheel Mein Chaand Nazar Aaye

04 Oh Saahiba

05 Ahista

06 Ankhon Mein

07 Aap Jinke Qareeb Hote Hain

08 Thodi Thodi Piya Karo

09 Deewaron Se Milkar Rona

10 Niklo Na Benaqab

here

Track Listing (disc 2)

01 Ek Taraf Uska Ghar

02 La Pila De Saqiya

03 Ishq Insaan Ki Zaroorat Hai

04 Sharab Cheez Hi Aisi

05 Karvaten Badal Badal

06 Sabko Maloom Hai

07 Paimane Toot Gaye

08 Kabhi Maikhane Tak

09 Sach Bolta Hoon Main

10 Ghungroo Toot Gaye

here

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

The King is Dead: Mehdi Hassan

Shahenshah-e-ghazal

In the West there are many who dread the day when the headlines read, “Bob Dylan Passes Away”. Will the world be the same after that? Pop stars come and go and many of them are indeed deeply mourned by millions of fans. But few artists are in that superior rank of cultural icons, whose work defined a generation or a genre. Or whose contribution ripples far beyond the shore of their particular artistic calling, and becomes part of the way the people hear or see or think.

Pakistan lost such a figure today: Mehdi Hassan, the Shahenshah-e-ghazal. And not only Pakistanis are grieving, but South Asians and lovers of sophisticated refined musical art are all feeling the loss.

Mohabbat karne wale kam na honge

teri mehfil mein lekin ham na honge

Here is an obituary from Pakistan’s Nation newspaper.

Pakistan's legendary classical singer Mehdi Hassan, who captivated millions of music fans across South Asia, died on Wednesday after a long illness, his family said. He was 84.

Hassan, known as Shahenshah-e-Ghazal, or the king of classical singing among Urdu speakers across the world, died in a private hospital in Karachi.

His son Asif told reporters outside the hospital that his father had been suffering from multiple lung, chest and urinary tract conditions.

Mehdi Hassan was born in 1927 in a village called Luna in Rajasthan‚ undivided India in a family of traditional musicians. He had his musical grooming from his father Ustad Azeem Khan and uncle Ustad Ismail Khan who were both traditional dhrupad singers.

After the independence‚ 20 years old Mehdi Hassan and his family migrated to Pakistan and settled in Cheecha Watni‚ district Sahiwal.

Mehdi Hassan was given an opportunity to sing on Radio Pakistan in 1957‚ primarily as a thumri singer‚ which earned him recognition within the musical fraternity. At that time‚ Mehdi Hassan also had a passion for Urdu poetry and began to experiment by singing ghazals on part-time basis.

Mehdi Hassan ruled Pakistani film industry for a long time. 1962 was a lucky year for him when his three songs were a hit. His all time hit ghazal Gullon mein rang bharay... in film Farangi in 1964 gave him breakthrough as playback singer. His peak period was in the 1970s.

Following a severe illness in the late 80s‚ Mehdi Hassan stepped down from playback singing. Later due to severity of his illness he completely departed from music.

Mehdi Hassan received numerous awards and recognitions. These include the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz ; the Pride of Performance ; and the Hilal-i-Imtiaz . Besides Nigar Film and Graduate Awards from Pakistan‚ he was recipient of the Saigal Award in Jalandhar‚ India‚ in 1979 and the Gorkha Dakshina Bahu Award in Nepal in 1983.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani expressed his condolences, calling Hassan "an icon who mesmerised music lovers" in Pakistan and the sub-continent for decades.

Indian singing legend Lata Mangeshkar told a private TV channel that his death was a "big loss".

Hassan also won awards and accolades in India and Nepal, as well as Pakistan. He was born in India and migrated to Pakistan after partition and independence from British rule in 1947.

Track Listing:

01 Baat Karni Mujhay

02 Chaltay Ho To Chaman

03 Hum Per Jafa

04 Mohabhat Karne Walay

05 Patta Patta Boota Boota

06 Gulon Main Rang Bharay

07 Ghuncha-E-Shauq

08 Go Zara Si Baat

09 Woh Dil Nawaz Hain Laikin

10 Nanak Andaz Jidhar

11 Tum Aaye Ho Na

12 Ulti Ho Gaeen Sab Tadbeerain

here

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Elder and Young Slaves: Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and Ghulam Ali

Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and Ghulam Ali

I once knew a guy in Pakistan. He was an American like me at the time. And I was jealous of his ability to speak Urdu and knowledge of the country. He had grown up there, no doubt, like I had in India but it just didn't seem fair!

Anyway, he had this predilection to always ask people, "Bada ya chota?" (Large or small). If we were ordering a karhdai for lunch and the waiter said they had chicken or meat, this guy would ask, "Bada ghosht ya chota ghost?" Which meant, "cow (large) or goat (small) meat?"

And if someone mentioned he loved the voice of Ghulam Ali he would ask, "Bade Ghulam Ali ya Chote Ghulam Ali?" I used to wince at that, after hearing the question in reference to the lunch menu.

But it did serve its purpose for it introduced me to the fact that there is more than one Ghulam Ali in the world of South Asian music. To that point my only compass point had been the ghazal artiste Ghulam Ali. I had no idea whatsoever that there was another pair of Ghulam Ali's one of whom was Big and the other Small.

Thankfully I have since discovered the wonders of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, definitely one of the top three classical vocalists to come out of the sub-continent in the past 150 years. His first LP on which he renders two moody ragas, Goonkali and Malkauns, is stupendous and I share it today with you. His melancholy but vigorous renditions meet my own wintry mood just perfectly.

The other collection is the original (for me) Ghulam Ali, master of the popular Ghazal and probably Pakistan's best known export to other parts of South Asia. This collection of ghazals includes some interesting versions of his more popular hits and is a nice complement to the majesty of the Big guy.