Pinjar (2003) - Part 1/19

Yves Saint Laurent

Yves Saint Laurent

He's considered by many to be the greatest designer of the last century, changing the way women dressed and creating a role model business for the fashion industry.

Yves Saint Laurent

He died on June 1, 2008 at 11:10 p.m. Paris time from the effects of brain cancer, at his residence in Paris. According to The New York Times, a few days before he died, Saint Laurent and Bergé were joined in a same-sex civil union known as a "civil pact of solidarity" in France.

One of the greatest fashion designers ever has passed away six years after his last “historical” Haute Couture runway show, and the world of fashion worldwide is in mourning.

Born on: 01-08-1936
Birth place: Oran, Algeria

The son of an insurance company manager, Yves Henri Donat Mathieu Saint Laurent left home at the age of 17 to work for the French designer Christian Dior. He believes that:

"Dressing is a way of life."

“Fashions fade, style is eternal.”

“I have often said that I wish I had invented blue jeans: the most spectacular, the most practical, the most relaxed and nonchalant. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity - all I hope for in my clothes.”

After winning first prize in the International Wool Secretariat contest for his cocktail dress design in 1954, Yves Saint Laurent landed the job of Haute Couture designer when Dior died in 1957. Saint Laurent got his big break when he was only 17 years old. The shy young designer began to work for fashion legend, Christian Dior, and by the time he was 21 years old, Saint Laurent was in charge of Dior's empire.

In 1960, he was conscripted into the French Army. His spell in the service was short-lived however, and he was transferred into a French mental hospital suffering from stress, where he underwent psychiatric treatment, including electroshock therapy, for a nervous breakdown.

In 1962, in the wake of his nervous breakdown, Saint Laurent was released from Dior and started his own label, YSL, financed by his companion, Pierre Bergé. The Rive Gauche boutiques for women were established in 1966, and men's wear followed in the 1970s.

- His muse has long been Catherine Deneuve.

- YSL's partner, Pierre Berge, was fined 1 million Francs for insider-trading in 1996. In 1992, he sold Yves Saint Laurent shares right before alarming economic figures about the company were published.

- Although his sexuality was hardly a secret in the fashion world, YSL did not publicly acknowledge his homosexuality until 1991, in an interview in the French newspaper, Le Figaro.

'YSL' is perhaps most famous for "Le Smoking" tuxedo jacket, see-through blouses, peasant blouses, bolero jackets, pantsuits and smocks. By feminising the basic shapes of the male wardrobe, YSL set new standards for world fashion. He not only adapted the male tuxedo for women, but also safari jackets, pea jackets and flying suits.

An important source of inspiration for both his clothing and his choice of runway models was his childhood in Africa. He was also the first major designer to use models from a variety of different ethnic backgrounds.

His 1971 radical ‘40s’ collection shocked critics, as did the advertising campaign for the first YSL men’s fragrance, ‘Pour Homme’ which featured Yves himself posing nude for his own perfume ads. This was shocking to many people. He did it to raise this question: Why is it more socially acceptable when a woman poses nude for an advertisement than when a man does?

In 1977, YSL launched the very popular ‘Opium’ perfume.

In 1993, the Saint Laurent fashion house was sold to the pharmaceuticals company, Sanofi, for approximately $600,000,000.

YSL held a 300-model fashion extravaganza at the final match of the 1998 World Cup football tournament in the Stade de France, and the following year he was awarded a 'Lifetime Achievement’ award from The Council of Fashion Designers of America.

Since his retirement, Saint Laurent had become increasingly reclusive and spent much of his time at his house in Marrakech, Morocco.

YSL- No more

The Gucci Group, which acquired the Yves Saint Laurent fashion house in 1999, said the designer's death "leaves a great emptiness but also a sublime inheritance."
"This genius of creation shattered the codes to create French elegance which today makes Paris a grand capital of fashion," Gucci said.

President Nicolas Sarkozy praised Saint Laurent for "putting his mark on a half-century of creation, in luxury as well as ready-to-wear." First lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, who graced Saint Laurent's runway during her modeling career, said she had a "heavy heart" on learning of his death.

Today Yves Saint Laurent's collections include women's and men's ready-to-wear, shoes, handbags, small leather goods, jewellery, scarves, ties and eyewear. They are designed for both modern women who have a keen sense of freedom and follow their instincts with assurance, captivating others with their elegance, as well as men who prefer a nonconformist look and assert the different facets of their personality in a modern and sensitive way.

The Yves Saint Laurent network currently has 63 directly-operated stores, including flagship stores in Paris, New York, London, Milan, Hong Kong and Tokyo. The brand is also present in the most prestigious multi-brand boutiques and department stores in the world.

Gibran Khalil Gibran
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Artist, poet, novelist, and philosopher, Gibran Khalil Gibran emigrated from Lebanon to the United States in 1895. In 1904, he had his first exhibit in Boston and by 1908 he was attending the Académie Julian in Paris, where he exhibited his work in the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts. During that time, he also studied with the sculptor Auguste Rodin. In 1912, Gibran settled in New York, where he would remain until his death. His drawings and paintings are mystical, with lyrical movements of ethereal figures or portraits that enter a landscape like apparitions. His work often explores the symbols and elements of nature, time, and space while pushing the boundaries between physicality and spirituality. Gibran is best known for his writings, specifically The Prophet, which has been translated into more than twenty languages.

Sketch for Jesus the Son of Man, ca. 1923
Gibran Khalil Gibran (American, born Lebanon, 1883–1931)

“The reality of the other person lies not in what he reveals to you, but what he cannot reveal to you.
Therefore, if you would understand him, listen not to what he says, but rather to what he does not say.”

“ I was dead. I was a woman who had divorced her soul”

• If you reveal your secrets to the wind, you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees.

• I have learned silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strange, I am ungrateful to these teachers.

• Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children.

• Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair but manifestations of strength and resolution.

• The reality of the other person lies not in what he reveals to you, but what he cannot reveal to you. Therefore, if you would understand him, listen not to what he says, but rather to what he does not say.

• If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. And if they don't, they never were.

• Safeguarding the rights of others is the most noble and beautiful end of a human being.

• Strange that creatures without backbones have the hardest shells.

• Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity.

• There must be something strangely sacred about salt. It is in our tears and in the sea.

• When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

• For Kahlil Gibran no single religious tradition revealed the whole truth about life so he wove together insights from Eastern Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, American Transcendentalism, and the folklore of his native Lebanon to create his own universal "Anthem of Humanity" ... he attacks narrow-mindedness, clerical hypocrisy and political injustice, and issues a declaration of faith in life itself.
• Editorial synopsis on the back jacket of the Penguin edition of The Vision: Reflections on the Way of the Soul (1994) as translated by Juan R. I. Cole

• In truth, The Prophet is a work of such universal appeal that there is little to be gained from speculating on the identity of persons or places represented in it. For Gibran's purpose was a lofty one, and his belief in the 'unity of being', which led him to call for universal fellowship and the unification of the human race, is a message which retains its potency today as do the messages of all great poets. Inspired by his experiences in a country far from the land of his origins, he strove to resolve cultural and human conflict, in the process developing a unique genre of writing, and transcending the barriers of East and West as few have done before or since. He became not only Gibran of Lebanon, but Gibran of America, indeed Gibran the voice of global consciousness: a voice which increasingly demands to be heard in the continuing Age of Anxiety.
• Dr. Suheil Bashrui, editor of Kahlil Gibran: A Spiritual Treasury, as quoted in "Khalil Gibran (1883-1931) - A Voice of Consciousness" by Manbir Singh Chowdhary in SikhSpectrum.com Quarterly No.16 (May 2004)

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Amrita Pritam

Amrita Pritam ji is considered the first prominent woman Punjabi poet, novelist, and essayist. She was born in Guranwala, (Punjab) Pakistan on August 31 1919. She died on 31st October 2005 at the age of 86 in Hauz Khas (New Delhi), after a long illness, survived by her daughter, son and grandson. Amrita's mother died when she was eleven and the only child of her parents. Soon after, she and her father moved to Lahore. Confronting adult responsibilities, she began to write at an early age. Her first collection was published when she was only sixteen years old, the year she married Pritam Singh, an editor to whom she was engaged in early childhood.

When the former British India was partitioned into the independent states of India and Pakistan, she migrated to New Delhi, India in 1947.Like many others; she lived the agony of partition when millions of people from all religions died due to communal violence. She expressed her agony in this poem, "Aaj Aakhaan Waris Shah Noo", addressed to the Sufi poet Waris Shah, author of the tragic saga of Heer and Ranjah, the Punjabi national epic. This poem is my personal favorite one, screening her tenderness of pain caused due to the flames of fire of partition 1947, and I think this is one of the signature poems where she challenges the literature of Punjab,

Utth dard-mandaan dey dardiyaa tak apna Punjab
Beyley laashaan vichhiyaan
Teh lahoo da bharya Chenab

(Sharer of stricken hearts,
Look at your Punjab,
Corpses are strewn in the field
Blood flows in the Chenab.)

Her story cannot be completed without the name of Sahir Ludhianvi. She was involved with him when she asked her husband for divorce. But Sahir then found a new woman in his life. The journey of life of Amrita ji would not be completed without even conversing about Sahir ji. A bachelor to the end, Sahir fell in love with writer Amrita Pritam and singer Sudha Malhotra, relationships that never fructified in the conventional sense and left him sad. Ironically, the two ladies' fathers wouldn't accept Sahir, an atheist, because of his perceived religion. A young Amrita Pritam, madly in love with Sahir, wrote his name hundreds of times on a sheet of paper while addressing a press conference. They would meet without exchanging a word, Sahir would puff away; after Sahir's departure, Amrita would smoke the cigarette butts left behind by him. After his death, Amrita said she hoped the air mixed with the smoke of the butts would travel to the other world and meet Sahir! Such was their obsession and intensity.

There was a grief I smoked
in silence, like a cigarette

only a few poems fell
out of the ash I flicked from it.

Amrita grew closer to Imroz whom she had known for many years. Amrita Pritam lived the last forty years of her life with the renowned artist, Imroz. The eminent Punjabi poet and novelist is worthy of much more than what she has been given the acknowledgment. This beautiful young woman has a audacious story, she began her literary voyage in Lahore in 1935 when she penned her first book of verse in Punjabi called Thandian Kirnan. She considered being pioneer woman writing in Punjabi, portraying Punjabi culture, thoughts, literature, and comptemprary art of living.

Professionally she worked for All India Radio. From 1960, after her divorce she worked primarily for woman society. Some of her stories and poems depicted clearly the unhappy incidents of her marriage. A number of her works have been translated into English, French, Japanese and other languages from Punjabi and Urdu, including her autobiographical works Black Rose and Revenue Stamp (Raseedi Tikkat in Punjabi).

Also wrote many books which were filmed later i.g. Daaku (Dacoit), Pinjar (The Skeleton) a novel based on the torments of partition. She received many awards including Padma Vibhushan (India's second highest civilian award), Sahitya Akademi Award etc.

Since childhood, we are reading her work. During my stays in Punjab, her name was taken with great respect and her literature found the place in Schools and Universities and so do in the hearts of many people, bookshelves used to be filled with books, magazines and her fine oeuvre. One poem I remember very well “Main kal tak nahi rehna,” was sung by many folk artists of Punjab and get in touch with masses.

Recently, Gulzar (Famous Indian poet and Film maker) released an album (Gulzar presents Amrita Pritam), rendering himself dozens of her poems and his poetic views. Gulzar says “Amrita ji, Amrita Pritam ji has travelled whole 20^th century on pages of Punjabi poetry. Once crossed the threshold of 20^th century, her body fatigued, soul was fresh even then. Perhaps she got up to walk and Imroz held her hand, who was her travel companion from last century. She turned back, but his hand was not moved away, not even his fingers and she said “Main tenu phir milangi” (I will meet you again)”

Mein tainu pher milan gi (I will meet you yet again)

I will meet you yet again
How and where? I know not.
Perhaps I will become a
figment of your imagination
and maybe, spreading myself
in a mysterious line
on your canvas,
I will keep gazing at you.

Perhaps I will become a ray
of sunshine, to be
embraced by your colours.
I will paint myself on your canvas
I know not how and where –
but I will meet you for sure.

Maybe I will turn into a spring,
and rub the foaming
drops of water on your body,
and rest my coolness on
your burning chest.
I know nothing else
but that this life
will walk along with me.

When the body perishes,
all perishes;
but the threads of memory
are woven with enduring specks.
I will pick these particles,
weave the threads,
and I will meet you yet again.

-Amrita Pritam.

(Translated by Nirupama Dutt and published in The Little Magazine2005)

The Album follows her other beautiful poems as O Sai Tere Charkhe Ne, Rang De Dupatta Mera, Channa De Phulkari, Rishte Ghadde Da Pani, Kufr which is on the pains of Partition, Aye Mere Dost, Mere Ajbabi and the famous Akkha Waris Shah that has immortalised her. The last part begins with Amrita promising Imroz again that she will come back to him. It concludes with a poem by Imroz Beej on Amrita that dawned on him after she died.

Courtesy- Amrita Pritam recited by Gulzar

PHOTO

Amrita Pritam and Imroz

The Story So Far

No one can really judge the real relationship of Amrita Pritam ji with Imroz. Imroz by profession is a painter and is less knowned than Amrita Ji. The married life of Amrita ji with her husband was not in good health, she was a great admirer of well know poet and lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi. She divorced her husband to seek love shelter from Sahir, but relationship ruptured with Sahir too. At this time (1960s) Imroz, who was previously a friend of Amritaji, provided emotional hold and their liaison began growing. Being younger to Amrita ji and living in Indian high values society, Imroz still gave her soul companionship. Amrita ji and Imroz were great soul mates never lived but they shared the floors of same house in Delhi along with children. She used to write very long letters, poetic, full of emotions and pathos to Imroz. She used to address Imroz as “Mere Mehboob” (My beloved) and discuss many themes of the social order and society. Their love remained a ‘sacred hymn’ and became a pure platonic saga of love.

When I wrapped myself with your being

Our bodies turned inwards in contemplation

Our limbs intertwined

Like blossoms in a garland

Like an offering at the altar of the spirit

Our names, slipping out of our lips,

Became a sacred hymn . . .

Their influences

Amritaji never lived life sadly, contrary she was pensive and thoughtful person and so do Imroz, both the artistes filled their gloomy emotions in their work (Nazms, poems and Canvases) but never in their lives. I am a great admirer of both the artistes, and about their handling of delicate sort of relationship. Their love was never bound of physical terms of limits but it went beyond that in the form of words, canvas, poems, colours, ideas, thoughts etc. I feel like that their love for each other is complementary and paired to each other. When Amrita ji writes a poem, it shows the different images and insights of Punjabi cultures and satires. The same way when Imroz lays emotion on canvas, metamorphic scenes and words ponders through mind and senses. I remember very well the renowned portrait of One of the great poets of Punjab Shiv Kumar Batalvi (King of Sorrow) made by Imroz. You can see here

PHOTO

When Mr Jagjit Singh was recording this album, Shiv Kumar Batalvi was in hospital in Shimla and later he died on May 7 1973 at the age of 37. Shiv was apparently deeply in love with a girl who passed away suddenly. Shiv's phenomenal approach towards the meaning of solitude makes him stand at the top of all those poets who have ever described loneliness. Shiv as the traditional poetical phenomenon was born out of the literary conjugation (kalmi sanjog) of Amrita Pritam and Professor Mohan Singh, to whom he appropriately dedicated his most important creation, Birha Toon Sultan (which means Separation thou art The King).

During the same period Jagjit Singh wanted his photo for the cover of Album but could not find any so he approached Imroz for the same. As you can see this portrait has been done by Imroz and forward has been written by Amrita Pritam for this Album.

Here is an article written by Amrita Pritam ji admiring Shiv kumar Batalvi for the album cover of Jagjit Singh and Chitra Singh’s Album called Birha da Sultan released in 1976.

“Shiv kumar Batalvi is the only modern Punjabi poet who sung like a phoenix and his own fire eventually consumed him.

One day while taking to me he asked, “Who has sown the seeds of sigh in my chest? Who has transplanted sorrows in my thoughts? I am a sigh escaping from a woman’s womb, moist with cold sweat…I am a shrill cry of a lonely bird in the sky of her womb. I am a falling star in the ocean of her milk… like a dying ember in her hearth.”

And he added, “I shoved the sigh in the pocket of my life, which gradually rusted, a coloured sigh has a thousand names – broken promises, agonising pains… one day the coloured lips get burnt, the death of my first love quietened them, my sigh tried to commit suicide, but there were a few friends – a few commitments – a few dreams held it back, probably the unfulfilled dreams were reaching out for fulfilment. They were drenched in the spring of pain and flowers of hope blossomed… the hope did not die, nor did the life. These, my songs, are the wounded birds and their painful moans are my poetry.”

And he started living intensely, in a breathless haste. He embraced the whole Punjab in his tender arms and held tight the land, the trees and even the thorny cactus.

And now when he is no more with us, I feel the ‘king of sorrow’ has gone to god to borrow some fresh and virgin pains.

HMV offers this magnificent Long Play Record as its humble tribute to the great poet.”

(-Amrita Pritam)

Her Poetry

Waris Shah— Ajj Akhan Waris Shah Nu ( Her best-known work is a classic poem, addressed to the great eighteenth-century Sufi poet Waris Shah, in which she laments the carnage of Partition and calls on him to give voice from his grave.)

Poem [PUNJABI]

Ajj aakhan waaris shah noo kiton qabran vichon bol!
te aj kitab-e-ishq da koi agla varka phol!

ik roi si dhee punjab dee tuu likh-likh mare vain
aj lakkhan dheeyan rondian tainuun waaris shah noon kahan

uth darmandan diaa dardiaa uth tak apna punjaab!
aj bele laashaan vichiiaan te lahu dii bharii chenaab!

kise ne panja paanian vich dittii zahir rala!
te unhaan paaniaan dharat nun dittaa paanii laa!

jitthe vajdii phuuk pyaar di ve oh vanjhli gayi guaach
ranjhe de sab veer aj bhul gaye usdi jaach

dharti te lahu vasiya, qabran payiyan chon
preet diyan shaahazaadiiaan aj vich mazaaraan ron

aj sab ‘qaido’ ban gaye, husn ishq de chor
aj kithon liaaiie labbh ke waaris shah ik hor

aj aakhan waaris shah noon kiton qabran vichon bol!
te aj kitab-e-ishq da koi agla varka phol!

Poem [ENGLISH TRANSLATION]

I say to Waris Shah today, speak from your grave
And add a new page to your book of love

Once one daughter of Punjab wept, and you wrote your long saga;
Today thousands weep, calling to you Waris Shah:

Arise, o friend of the afflicted; arise and see the state of Punjab,
Corpses strewn on fields, and the Chenaab flowing with much blood.

Someone filled the five rivers with poison,
And this same water now irrigates our soil.

Where was lost the flute, where the songs of love sounded?
And all Ranjha’s brothers forgotten to play the flute.

Blood has rained on the soil, graves are oozing with blood,
The princesses of love cry their hearts out in the graveyards.

Today all the Quaido’ns have become the thieves of love and beauty,
Where can we find another one like Waris Shah?

Waris Shah! I say to you, speak from your grave
And add a new page to your book of love.

(This translation is taken from book in English by Darshan Singh Maini called STUDIES IN PUNJABI POETRY)

Poem [FRENCH TRANSLATION]

J'invoque aujourd'hui Varis Shah

J'invoque aujourd'hui Varis Shah : « Parle, de n'importe où, de ta tombe,
et du livre de l'amour aujourd'hui tourne encore une page !
Une fille avait pleuré, une enfant du Panjab, et tu écrivis une élégie.
Les filles sont aujourd'hui des milliers à pleurer, qui te disent, Varis Shah :

"Lève-toi, sympathisant des malheureux, lève-toi, regarde ton Panjab !
Le marais est aujourd'hui jonché de cadavres et pleine de sang la Chenab.
Quelqu'un aux cinq rivières a mêlé du poison
et la terre a été arrosée de leur eau.
Du poison a germé dans chaque parcelle de cette terre fertile,
qui s'est un peu partout couverte de taches rouges et de calamités.

Un vent vénéneux alors a soufflé sur les forêts,
de chaque flûte en roseau il a fait un serpent
et voici que les serpents ont hypnotisé les gens et mordu, mordu ;
en tout lieu le corps du Panjab a bleui.

Les chants ont rompu avec les gorges, les fils avec les fuseaux,
les compagnes avec les parties de filage; les rouets se sont tus.
Luddan a fait couler le bateau-lit,
la balançoire aujourd'hui a cassé les branches du pipal.
Elle est perdue cette flûte où chantait le souffle de l'amour
et les frères de Ranjha ont tous oublié comment il en jouait.

Le sang s'est épanché sur le sol, il s'écoule des tombes.
Les princesses de l'amour pleurent dans les sanctuaires.

Tous aujourd'hui sont devenus des Kaido, voleurs d'amour et de beauté.
Où trouver aujourd'hui un autre Varis Shah ?" »

J'invoque aujourd'hui Varis Shah : "Parle, de n'importe où, de ta tombe,
et du livre de l'amour aujourd'hui tourne encore une page !"

(Translated in French by Denis Matringe from PunjabiTraduits du panjabi par Denis Matringe /"La Vérité" - Traduit du panjabi par Denis Matringe (135 p.) - 1989, Editions des femmes)

Amrita Pritam never woke up on the afternoon of October 31, 2005 and the world is emptier without her musings. She embodied the fullness of poetic expression, creativity and the intensity of a woman in the perpetual state of love. Amrita’s voice was rooted in the South Asian idiom with all its contradictions, diversity and a faint recognition of fate. Her remarkable affinity with the depths of the Punjabi language adds to her iconoclastic status in India, Pakistan and wherever Punjabi is spoken and appreciated. Yet her audience has been global as well: her work was translated into dozens of world languages.

Amrita Pritam is not dead; her dreams of peace, universal love and triumph of humanism will continue to shape our collective memories. This is not a time to mourn but to acknowledge that Amrita has crossed another milestone in her quest for self-knowledge and love. Au revoir, Amrita!

One of her poems makes the following confession:

Today I have erased the number of my house
And removed the stain of identity on my street’s forehead
And I have wiped the direction on each road
But if you really want to meet me
Then knock at the doors of every country
Every city, every street
And wherever a glimpse of a free spirit exists
That will be my home

(Translation found from Outlook India)

Presenting you her extract from an article Visions of Divinity for a magazine called Life Positive, published on April 1996. She expresses her visions over spiritualities

“This happened in 1999, in the early hours of March 14. When I woke, I was astonished, but happy. And for almost a year, I was under the spell of this question—that Sai had been concerned with my well-being. Almost a year passed and much later,one day, I was lighting some incense in front of Sai Baba when I sensed that I was not the one holding the stick of incense, but had myself become the incense, the incense that wanted to burn at the shrine of Sai. And this whole experience came to life, word by word, and set itself down on paper. Sai, please give me a little bit of fire from your chillum...

I am your incense and for a little while will burn at your shrine.
I have kneaded your passion into my own clay.
When this body smolders, smoke will rise.
This body's smoke will flicker and will say only this much-
Whatever breezes pass through' these touch your breath, I want to become one with those breezes.

Sai, please give me a little bit of fire from your chillum.....
I am your incense and for a little while will burn at your shrine.
No, I won't say anything.
When the incense burns a delicate fragrance will say something in a whisper and then my body, turning to ashes, will touch your feet. It must become one with the earth of your shrine.

Sai, Please give me a little bit of fire from your chillum....
I am your incense and for a little while will burn at your shrine.”

I hope you liked this exhaustive editorial on the legendary Amrita Pritam ji which I wanted to write since long, I feel she is the only lady from Punjab who overturned the pages of history in her own ways and many great writers like Mr Khushwant Singh still believes that she is the most influential Indian woman from Punjab . I welcome you to leave your comments and notes.

Thank you

Anil Vohra

Paris France

Jagjit Singh on Surabhi

A really good video showing him in relaxed and informal way in his daily life.

Voice of God- Jagjit Singh

Many people in Western cultures believe that profession of the Devil is not other than that of Musician. Some says “Devil has the magic and holds invisible powers, so do a musician who strings waves in the air and creates a magic.” I strongly believe with lot of evident experience the similar kind of magic in the music of Mr Jagjit Singh. Myself have been sacred of such an artiste who surpassed the magic of God in his own given vicinity of music.

I’ve learnt that Mr Singh is creating this magic aesthetically contrasting from classes to masses. He strongly does believe in great public’s emotion and making connections with mass audiences, understanding the emotional mechanism of humankind. Appealing to large number of audiences from young to elder ones, touching the maximum number of people and connecting to them compassionately. I am listening to this legend since my childhood and grown up feeling and living his music. Whenever I used to shop for some music I used to locate many excuses or reasons to buy his music, sometimes awkwardly starts appreciating his art among friends who don’t even know about what music stands for. I do agree that I don’t call myself one and only connoisseur for this art, but do have some knacks and good nose for it.

Being an outstanding singer who constantly use in-depth knowledge of music, ragas, khyals and take care of all kind of parameters not to adulterate the soul of the song or thought of the poet. He has rendered all the leading poet of all times and in many languages, to name a few Mirja Ghalib, Shiv kumar Batalvi (Punjabi), Bulleh Shah, Ghulam Farid, Kabir, Saint Nanak, Meera, Kalidas, Soordas, Sudarshan Faakir, Qateel Shifai, Muzaffar Warsi, Meer Taqi Meer, Zauq, Ameer Minai, Jigar Moradabadi, Maulana Hasrat Mohani, Ibn-e-insha, Gulzar, Javed Akhtar and list goes on and on. Singing from the Traditional, conventional poets to modern, contemporary poets, hymning the sufi writings of bhakti rass saints and nobles. Compassing in every manner of traditional and sophisticated music, including some foot taping Punjabi songs, classical renditions in various ragas etc. He became such a unique artiste who never cared about the trends of the outside world, created his own world of music apart. Reckoning millions of listeners, fans, lovers from across the globe falling in that world of music where he is the only creator (God). What astonishes is that, artiste who is enjoying his early works, never paused or laidback but appeared sincere, incessant creator of innumerable melodies.

Nowadays when technology has been flawlessly adapted daily lives and people come up with virtual communities and fan clubs makes easier to discuss, share tête-à-tête beliefs, thoughts and ideas. Priorydejs.com is one of the examples of such phenomena reaching to the excellence of creating an event for widespread people with uncommon savours of music.

Pleas leave your comments on this article and I welcome you all to visit my blog also anilvohra.blogspot.com

Anil Vohra

Paris, France
Dated 04/06/2008