Arieb Azhar, Yet Again: Meray Des Mein Hain Imkaan Bohat; Aas, Umeed, Armaan Bohat

Adil Najam

Music is on my mind again. Literally. This song has been playing non-stop in my mind as well as in my headphones for two weeks now (ever since I did my last post on Arieb Azhar’s music). I thought it would be overkill to write, yet again, about him and his music, but the lyrics of this song are just not letting go of me. Not right now. Not with all that I am thinking on Pakistan right now. Not with all that is happening in Pakistan right now.

I had thought I could shake this off, but on my computer, in my car, and on a (very) long journey to Africa and back, this song has become the soundtrack of my thoughts – even when there was not a contraption to digitally play it. It really is the words that get to me.

These are not my words, but they are my thoughts. All the more so today when the only thing more troubling than the events besetting Pakistan is the sense of disdain, despondency and dejection that seem to have gripped even the most resolute of us and everyone seems to be giving up. I am not just ready to do so. Nor is this song. And that is why I write yet another post on Arieb Azhar and his ‘Sufi Folk.’

For those who seek more information on Arieb Azhar, I did figure out that he has his own website, and there are plenty of recordings of his new songs online. There are actually many versions of this very song – Mairey Des Mein hain Imkaan Buhat, Aas, Umeed, Armaan Buhat – including one official video of this song and some in higher sound quality. However, for some reason this version gets to me the most. Maybe because you can see him perform, and perform with passion. (I did wonder if there was a political manifesto or choice behind this song; if there is, I do not know of it; nor would I care, since the words speak to you irrespective of your politics). There are other songs that are also extremely powerful: my favorite amongst them is Aaj tou keh dey, aaj tou keh dey, aaj alal-ailaan. This recording from The Guitar School is mesmerizing despite its rickety sound quality.