Adil Najam
A whole new generation has rediscovered Bulleh Shah. That is good.
Much of the credit for this rediscovery goes to the ‘sufi rock’ band Junoon and, more recently to the New Delhi singer Rabbi Shergill, and most importantly to the magnetic simplicity of ‘Bulla, ki jaanan mein koun.’ (I guess, Abida Parveen did for our generation what these guys are doing in interpreting Bulleh Shah for a new generation).
I must confess that I am a traditionalist and prefer more classical renditions of this timeless piece. My own sense, much like Deevan’s (of the blog ‘Rambling On’), is that Rabbi Shergill does a far superior job than Ali Azmat did. At least for me, Rabbi seems to ‘gets it’ more than Junoon did. But, in honesty, I am grateful to both; I also think that both should be grateful to Bulleh Shah.
So, why not judge for yourself. Here is the rendition by Rabbi Shergill. If you are new to Bulleh Shah, listen to it a couple of times before giving up on it. You can view it here by clicking on the play (arrow) button on the image below, or go to video.google.
For those who may want it, here is a version of the original and a translation by Kartar Singh Duggal:
I know not who I am
I am neither a believer going to the mosque
Nor given to non-believing ways
Neither clean, nor unclean
Neither Moses not Pharoah
I know not who I am
I am neither among sinners nor among saints
Neither happy, nor unhappy
I belong neither to water not to earth
I am neither fire, not air
I know not who I am
Neither do I know the secret of religion
Nor am I born of Adam and Eve
I have given myself no name
I belong neither to those who squat and pray
Nor to those who have gone astray
I know not who I am
I was in the beginning, I’d be there in the end
I know not any one other than the One
Who could be wiser than Bulleh Shah
Whose Master is ever there to tend?
I know not who I am.
‘Ki jaanan mein koun’ is the best known and most elegant of Bulleh Shah’s work and is itself an adaptation/translation from the works of earlier Persian philosophers. I wish that more people and singers will start looking at the rest of Bulleh Shah’s repertoire. Some have. For example, Shoaib Mansoor has already done a wonderful rendition of ‘Teray ishq nachaya kar thai-ya thai-ya’ as part of the Supreme Ishq series. And Noori has a song that seems inspired by ‘Kuttey tain-to uttay’.
If others also paid Bulleh Shah more attention, they might find that in terms of his themes Bulleh Shah may be the most contemporary poet in South Asia today. Try looking at ‘Bass kar ji’ (Enough is enough) or ‘Moun aayee baat na rehndi hai’ (I must utter what comes to my lips) and you will find them resonating with your most contemporary political and social preoccupations.
Followup post on Bulleh, Jugni, Shergill & Junoon, here.
I think Rabbi has done much better job in singing Baba’s Kafi than Junoon. But I like the music composition of Junoon too. It is nice to listen too. Many here mentioned that Abida Parveen and Pathanay Khan have sung Bulleh Shah, that is true and I am a big fan of Abida Parveen and like her music, but it was sad to see that there was no mention of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. I think almost half (not necessarily exactly half) of his music is based on Bulldh Shah’s poetry. And most of the Kafis are sung in traditional Qawali style and not with modern instruments. May be people should listen more of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
By the way on a much lighter note, I came across this parody of this Rabbi’s song . Please watch this is hilarious.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=z_MAKKZ6Yg4&mode=relate d&search=
Don’t mean any disrespect to Rabbi from my side and I am sure the ones who made this parody also didn’t mean any disrespect. I think Rabbi is a very good singer.
I’m shamed to say it but I have heard about Bulleh Shah for a first time. Anyway, it was very interesting to read about him.
and its lovely that there are such sites to help. beautiful it is to be helped at the time of a great need. the person who is actually betting me is useing false meaning on the poems of bulleh shah jan which i can’t use hear but have got few mails of him and says he is a deep malang of bulleh shah. i want the answers from the one who could actually have the same mind and thoughts pluse knows the correct translation inorder to make my heart come to light and happy. after reading the poems of BULLEH SHAH JAN i smile and every day feel so happy and cry some times too like dieing ..pls help me kulsumali@yahoo.com is my id but keep it clean in useage pls pls pls..thanks.
i love my BULLEH SHAH JAN as well. gone made in his words of truth, but need the translations on many of his poems actually there is a person who says about his kalam with the negative meanings and bets me and i know for sure the truth wins and the false falls looses. pls help me fight the liers but yes i’ve gotta see my self first and then fight shaitan, says BULLEH SHAH JAN who can help me among humans …get me the translations of all the poems of my BULLEH SHAH JAN
Bulle noun samjhavan aayiean is also a beautiful rendition of one of Bulle Shah’s qafis in Shoaib Mansoor’s movie Khuda k liay.