Adil Najam
Readers already know how much I like Arieb Azhar’s music. In some way’s I think of him as Pakistan’s Woody Guthrie. Adding a contemporary edge to folk, modern folk if you will, although I think Arieb himself prefers to call it Sufi-folk. But it is the humanism in his songs that always pull at my heartstrings.
This piece is profound. No, its not about what you might think from the title. This is not self-flagellation. This is an appreciation of self. Take a listen. I should confess it is no match for Arieb’s Husn-i-Haqiqi. But it is matchless nonetheless.
Dr. Najam, as always your selection is immaculate. Although a few people cannot seem to go beyond the title, songs like this show that not only music but also poetry is thriving in Pakistan today.
This young man is quite amazing. One of his other new songs is even better: Aaj tou keh dey alal ailaan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R85Sl1h-Jzg
A deep song with layers of meaning. Just hope people do not misunderstand it and use it for their own twisted meanings.