"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent. "
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Victor Hugo
For the many things that I am thankful for having inherited from my parents, one is surely their taste in music - particular reference to Ghazals and Sufi music here. I was exposed to their culturally varied and rich taste in music at a very young age. My earliest memories of a typical Sunday afternoon in our household are not complete without the melodious voice of Jagjit Singh in the backdrop. Initially, I did not understand the intricacies and exact meaning of the Ghazals, but subconsciously developed a fondness for them. As I grew older, I began to fathom the meaning of the words and thus began appreciating them all the more. The only Urdu I know is thanks to the Ghazals I have given my ear to. Eventually I developed my own sense of and taste in Ghazals and Sufi music. Two diverse genres, the former chronicling the melancholy of love and the latter praising the Lord and love with utmost gusto.
This is the kind of music I find solace in. It's the perfect remedy to soothe an agitated mind. Most conducive for day dreaming and thus suits me fine! The more you dwell in it, the more it grows on you. In no time you will find it reverberating through your soul, leaving behind a strange lingering serenity. All said and done, this feeling is always better understood by a personal experience. So I will sign off with a list of my favourites in both genres. It may not be the finest pick - my father will be the best person to draw out a classier selection in Ghazals, and mother for the Sufi songs - but works for me, nevertheles. You will find ghazals, qawwalis and other sufi songs in multiple renditions. Every artist moulds the words in his or her own distinct way; that is why I have mentioned the singers' names too, clearly to indicate the rendition I like.
Ghazals
- Sarakti jaye rukh se by Jagjit Singh
- Humko dushman ki nigahon se by Chitra Singh
- Kaise sukoon paaun by Talat Aziz
- Kal chaudvin ki raat thi by Jagjit Singh
- Ranjish hi sahi by Mehndi Hasan
- Wo kagaz ki kashti by Jagjit Singh
- Hazaron khwahishein by Jagjit SIngh
- Jeevan kya hai by Jagjit Singh
- Desh mein nikla hoga chaand by Chitra & Jagjit Singh
- Hoshwalon ko khabar kya by Jagjit Singh
- Hothon se choo lo tum by Jagjit Singh
- Badi nazuk hai ye manzil by Jagjit Singh
- Tumko dekha to ye khayal aaya by Jagjit Singh
- Chupke Chupke Raat Din by Ghulam Ali
- Tum itna jo muskura rahe ho by Jagjit Singh
Sufi
- Mast Qalandar by Runa Laila & Abida Parveen (separate tracks)
- Ali More Angana by Shubha Mudgal
- Chaap Tilak sab cheeni Sabri brothers and Abida Parveen (separate tracks)
- Aaj rang hai by Abida Parveen & Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
- Tere Ishq Nachaya by Abida Parveen
- Tere bin by Rabbi Shergill
- Bulla ki jaana by Rabbi Shergill
- Chaandan mein by Kailash Kher
- Afreen Afreen by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
- Khwaja mere khwaja by A R Rehman
Happy listening (if at all) !!
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