Sufi singer Mir Mukhtiar Ali from Bikaner, Rajasthan, enthralled a houseful of audience in Roohi Rang — a marathon three-hour-long solo concert at Vanaranga in Kalamandira in city on Wednesday, December 9, singing the verses of philosopher - poet Kabir, Mirabai, Bulleshah and Badar Muni.
\He also presented a Ghazal in Qawwali style and some Shayaris, being applauded all along by the audience.
In a casual chat with Star of Mysore before commencing his programme at about 6 pm, Mukhtiar Ali, sipping a cup of hot lemon tea, said that the artistes born in Mysore were really lucky to have the love and affection of innumerable admirers of fine art in the Mysore city.
"My first public performance in Karnataka was in Mysore five years ago and that too, at the very same venue — Kalamandira," said Ali with a tinge of sincere pride in his voice and thanked his Mysore friends, especially Sachidananda, for providing him with second opportunity to "perform in the Heritage City where real music is held in high esteem."
Ali said he has been singing Rajasthani folk songs including poems of Amir Khusro, Shabahu and Kabir, whose lyrics have no language or religious barriers. He said he did not sing Ghazals or Qawwalis.
Asked about modern music and the latest remix culture, Ali said that they were short-lived pieces of music, produced in bulk every day and forgotten even faster. "Sufi poets' verses have been sung since the past 27 generations and are popular even to this day," he pointed out.
Before commencing the concert, he offered puja to the deities and performed arati before the music lovers, including several foreigners who thronged the semicircular amphitheatre in anticipation of a musical feast.
Ali began the concert with Hali alaap and a Kabir's verse; Jab main tha thab Hari nahin, Ab Hari hai, main nahin... which means that his ego 'Me, myself' was replaced with the name of Hari (God). Further he sang; Prem gali athi saankri, jo mein do na samaye. (The path of love is very narrow where two cannot pass at a time.)
The recitals were interspersed with meanings and explanations in Hindi provided by Ali for the audience’s understanding of the poetry, while the audience, thoroughly enjoying the rare musical treat, tapped their feet, clapped their hands and nodded their heads entranced.
Another popular Kabir's doha; Bura jo khojan main chala, bura na mileya koye, anthar khoja apno so mujhsa bura na koi (I went out in search of the most bad person and later, on searching my own soul, realised that none could be more bad than me, looking for badness in others) sung in the typical Sufiana Qalam style, evoked thunderous applause from the audience.
Bulle Shah's popular number Mera piya ghar aaya o laalni... had the audience swinging and clapping in gay abandon.
"The song composed by Bulle Shahji has been adopted in film songs and badly distorted," Ali said, eliciting laughter from the audience. "In the song, a lover desires that the night in the company of his dear one must not end ever.
This was followed by the song Ik pal chain na aaave, sajna tere bina... and a couple of Kabir's verses.
The deewani deewani... number had the audience literally going deewana (crazy), most of them breaking into a dance, youngsters hooting in mirth and elders clapping to the beats of the lilting song.
Explaining about Kabir's verse in which he likens the human life to a garment that passes through various phases of production from raw cotton to the tailor, Ali said that Kabir himself was a weaver by profession and propagated philosophy through easily understandable verses.
The shayari about a lover who becomes an alcoholic by merely looking at the eyes of his beloved; Yeh jo halka halka suroor hai, sab teri nazar ka kasoor hai, jo sharab peena sikha diya, mujhe ek sharabi bana diya... was truly intoxicating.
In another verse, Ali, citing himself as an example, sung; Gaoon bajaoon... sab ko rijhaoon... albeli mastani... deen dharam se begaani... (I sing and play instruments, entertain everyone, I am unaware of caste or religious barriers).
The melancholic strains of Sarangi, the Hindustani stringed instrument, throbbing beats of Dholak and Tabla, accompanied by a jingling Khanjira and soul-stirring harmoniums transported the listeners to a rustic Rajasthani folk music world.
The concert that began at 6.30 pm concluded at 9.30 pm — more than an hour beyond the scheduled time, owing to audience’s demands for their favourite songs.
A profile:
Mir Mukhtiyar Ali was born on Aug. 1, 1972 in a small village called Pugal in Rajasthan. He is from the semi - nomadic Mirasi Community which hails from Thar Desert. Ali represents 26th generation of this community which has successfully kept alive the oral tradition of Sufiana Qalam.
Despite economic hardships and the onslaught of globalisation which threatens to dilute much of folk traditions and music forms, Mukhtiyar has stood firm and kept alive the oral tradition of Sufiana Qalam.
His performances in festivals in Belgium and Sweden got overwhelming responses, as did his recital in New Delhi last year, as part of an international festival of arts. He has performed in most of the metros in India.
He has to his credit many performances and has cut three albums, two of which were brought out by Shristi School of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore. He has also lent his voice to a few film songs.
Mukhtiyar has a voice which can only be experienced and never expressed. In soulful Kabir he has preserved the ideology of Sufiana music which impels divine communion with an ecstasy created in total detachment. He pervades this very essence of Sufiana Qalam with his involvement not just in the music but also in its poetry.
K. M. Chengappa
Courtesy: Star of Mysore
