Namak | Film song | Radhika Sood Nayak

Sunn jind ni (O dear life!) 

Poetry by Sufi poet Shah Hussein,  a weaver by profession, these words come to us from the 16th century. Just as this 'kaafi' (poetic form) is about the weave of life, this song and its video also have their own weave which extends from Mumbai to Lahore and back.

I first met Lahore-based Artist Huma Safdar in a poetry group ‘Sangat’ over Zoom, which I joined from Mumbai last year during the lockdown. This was a group of poetry lovers from different professions spanning different cities, countries and continents, who were all in love with Shah Hussein’s poetry. Every week, a new ‘kaafi’ would be unravelled, followed by singing and occasionally even dancing. This tune for Sunn jind ni was born in one of those ‘Sangats’.  Once I composed this ‘kaafi’, I couldn’t think of anyone but Huma ji to interpret it visually. I was fortunate she agreed! She created the visual metaphor of boat-shaped ‘shuttles’ ('nalli' in Punjabi) moving silently as she painted this canvas of life, which you see unfurling in the music video

This Sufi ‘kaafi’ gripped me for several reasons, one of the most compelling being Shah Hussein’s unabashed, fearless urge to ‘Stop doing vain talk and instead, focus our mind on ‘Ram bhajan’. A 16th century Sufi poet could see the larger picture without getting stuck in man-made boundaries. I salute him!

VIDEO https://youtu.be/wjRWWoeSn_w

CREDITS
Vocals & Composition | Radhika Sood Nayak
Guitars | Neil Mukherjee
Poetry | Shah Hussein (Traditional)
Album cover Design | Desi Design Co.
Picture Courtesy | Northern Lights

Radhika Sood Nayak | Vocals & Composition
FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/rsoodnayak
INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/radhikasoodnayak/
WEBSITE www.radhikasoodnayak.com

Neil Mukherjee | Guitars
FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/neilmukherjeeguitar
INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/neilmukherjeeguitar/
YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/user/neilmukho

Desi Design Company | Video
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ddc-desidesigncompany/

Northern Lights | Picture Courtesy
https://www.instagram.com/northern__lights22/

Sunn Jind Ni | Shah Hussein | Sufi | Radhika Sood Nayak

Hindu nahiN na Musalmaan | Kalaam Baba Bulleh Shah | 1680-1758

Bulleh Shah brings together the essence of our being into this poetry. Negating man-made dualities, embracing the path of ‘sulha kul’ (amity towards all), this song traces the journey from becoming to being, from accumulating to shedding, from everything to nothing, shunya

Lyrics
Hindu nahiN na Musalmaan
Bhaye Niranjan taj abhimaan

Sunni na nahiN hum Shia
Sulah kul ka maarag liya

Bhukhhe na nahiN hum rajje
Nange na nahiN hum kajje

Ronde na nahiN hum hassde
UjjDe na nahiN hum vassde

Paapi na sudharmi na
Punn paap ki raah na jaa

Bullha Shauh jo Har chitt laage
Hindu Turak duee jan tyaage

TRANSLATION
I am not a Hindu, nor a Muslim 
I have forsaken pride, become unsullied

I am not a Sunni, nor a Shia
I take the path of amity for all

I am not hungry, nor sated
I am not naked, nor covered

I do not weep, nor laugh
I am not homeless, nor settled

I am not a sinner, nor a saint 
I know not the path of vice and virtue

O Bullah, once the heart connects with the Lord,
I leave behind the duality of Hindu and Turk

Youtube Video
https://youtu.be/viiCHHrh7HU

CREDITS
Vocals & Composition | Radhika Sood Nayak
Guitars | Neil Mukherjee
Lyrics | Baba Bulleh Shah (Traditional)
Album cover | Rajen Joshi
Picture Courtesy | Nandan Vartak
Video Animation | Pavel Paul
Gratitude | Najm Hosain Syed & Sangat

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Neil Mukherjee 
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Rajen Joshi 
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Nandan Vartak 
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Pavel Paul
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Hindu Nahin Na Musalmaan | Baba Bulleh Shah | Sufi | Radhika Sood Nayak

When I recorded this song a few months back, I knew Abuzar Madhu was the ‘Albeli’ of this song.  Abuzar Madhu, whom I had met in our weekly ‘Sangat’, an online group of poetry lovers, lives in Lahore. This song travelled the distance between Mumbai and Lahore seamlessly, across man-made borders. It is a symbol of our ‘saanjha’ cultures, it carries the ‘khushbu’ of our soil, the humility of a 'faqeer nimaana' poet, the ‘ishq’ that fills our hearts!

Hope you enjoy it! 
Please share with any ‘Albelis’ you know
  
Lyrics | Shah Hussein

Meri te Maahi di preet charoki,
JaaN siri aahe na chhatte

KyoN Albeli katte
Jinha ishq tinha kattNa keha
KyoN Albeli katte

Lagga Ishq chukki maslaahat
VissariyaaN panje satte 

Ghaayil maayil phire deewani
Charkhe tand na katte

Kahe Hussein Faqeer SaeeN da
Nain nainaaN naal ratte


Translation | Radhika Sood Nayak 

My beloved and I are in love
Way before my tresses grew, before this body was born

O carefree lass, why spin the loom,
Your love is enough! You need no dowry!

You fall in love, you rise above opinions
you forget all your calculations, 
you go beyond your five senses

Wounded and dazed roams the mad girl
leaving her loom untended

Says Hussein, the Lord’s faqeer,
Eyes mine and yours, coloured with oneness!

MUSIC & VIDEO CREDITS
Lyrics ~ Shah Hussein (1538-99)

Composition & Vocals ~ Radhika Sood Nayak

Music Producer & Guitars ~ Neil Mukherjee

Mixing & Mastering ~ Satyanarayan Dubey

Album cover ~ Rajen Joshi

Picture Courtesy ~ Elizabeth George Portraits

Video Director ~ Salman Alam Khan

Performance
Abuzar Madhu & Sana Jafri

Assistant Director
Natasha Javed

Camera Team
Khawaja Meeran 
Abdul Moiz

Editor
Awais Ahmad
Madhubrata Mohanty

Colorist
Awais Ahmad

Choreography, Costume & Styling
Huma Safdar
Abuzar Madhu
Sana Jafri

Deepest Gratitude 
Jasmine Kaur Roy
Huma Safdar

Kyon Albeli Katte | Sufi kalaam Shah Hussein | Radhika Sood Nayak

Tribute to Farooq Shaikh. Performed with Ustad Ghulam Ahmed Khan at a private concert at Fort William Club, Kolkata. Composed by one of my favourite music directors Khaiyyam for the film Bazaar, this song also happens to be filmed on one of my favourite actors, the classic Farooq Shaikh. May his soul rest in peace!

Phir Chhidi Raat | Tribute to Farooq Shaikh| Radhika Sood Nayak

Aaj Rang Hai! A burst of love & colour dissolving borders both outside and within us. 
The Story of this song...
Last year, Sumbul Arshi, a data science professional, theatre artiste and student of ‘Sagar Veena’ based in Lahore, reached out to me with a poem she had written on domestic violence, sharing her journey in verse.  Sumbul wanted to make her poem into a short film on domestic violence, and she envisaged Amir Khusrau’s kalaam, Aaj Rang Hai, to be the climax, when the protagonist finds her ‘voice’, rejoicing in her self in song and dance!

This film project could not be completed for reasons beyond us.  But in its journey, beautiful bonds were made.  In Mumbai, we made an all women ensemble, with Aparna Deodhar on Sitar, Mukta Raste on tabla and I on vocals. My co-artiste and tabla exponent Vinayak Netke worked on the music production and arrangement, sound recording, mixing, mastering. 
And our ‘Aaj Rang Hai’ was born!

12th century mystic Amir Khusrau's poetry ‘Aaj Rang Hai’ continues to be a colourful burst of love & freedom. Dedicated to all women this International Women's day!
8th March 2024

LYRICS
Maati ke tum deeware
Jo suno hamaari baat
Aaj milaavara piya ka
Tum jagiyo saari raat

Aaj Rang hai ri maa rang hai ri, aaj rang hai
Mere mehbub ke ghar rang hai ri

Sajan milaavara, anat badhaavara
Sajan milaavara more angana main

Khusrau Nadiya prem ki, ulati vaaki dhaar
Jo ubhara so doob gaya, Jo dooba so paar

Main toh aiso rang aur nahin dekhi sakheeri
Mehbub e Ilaahi aiso rang nahin dekhi

Des bides main dhoondh Phiri hoon
Tora rang mann bhaayo ji tora rang
Tora rang mann bhayo main tora rang

Aaj rang hai ri maa rang hai ri
Aaj rang hai

TRANSLATION
O lamps of clay
Listen to my plea
Tonight I meet my beloved
keep vigil and burn bright all night

Today there is jubilant colour, O mother!
Jubilant colour!
In my beloved’s home, there is jubilant colour!

I have met my beloved, abundant congratulations
Today, my beloved has come to my courtyard.

O Khusrau, the river of love
Runs in strange directions.
One who stays afloat, drowns in it,
The one who drowns, gets across.

Such colour as this, I have never seen before, my friend
the colour of my beloved, I have never seen before

I have wandered far and wide in search
Yours is the colour that has captivated my heart.

Today there is jubilant colour, O mother!
Jubilant colour!

CREDITS
LYRICS | Amir Khusrau (Traditional)
VOCALS | Radhika Sood Nayak
SITAR  | Aparna Deodhar 
TABLA  | Mukta Raste
MUSIC PRODUCTION & ARRANGEMENT | Vinayak Netke
RECORDING, MIXING & MASTERING | Vinayak Netke
COVER DESIGN | Ankit Vora
ALBUM ART | Sanjay Panchal

Special Thanks
Sumbul Arshi
Ruchi Bhimani
Richa Gupta Kala
Rupa Khetarpal

Aaj Rang Hai | Amir Khusrau | Radhika Sood Nayak | International Women's Day

Meera Bai, 16th century Bhakti poet, is known for her fearless proclamation of love  and surrender to Krishna. She invited much wrath and disapproval, but remained steadfast in her devotion. 

'Chala Vaahi des' is her quest to travel to the land of her beloved Giridhar

Chala vaahi des, O pritam

Kaho kusumal saari rangaavaa'n
Kaho toh bhagwa bhes

Kaho motiyan maang bharaavaa'n
Kaho chhitkaavaa'n kes

Meera ke prabhu Giridhar naagar
SuNjo biDad nares

Available on all Audio platforms
SPOTIFY
https://open.spotify.com/track/0kSBV2...

CREDITS
Lyrics | Meera Bai (traditional)
Composition | Gaanasaraswati Kishori Amonkar
Vocals | Radhika Sood Nayak
Guitar | Neil Mukherjee
Tabla | Shruteendra Katgade
Audio Recording & mixing | Atanu Sinha
Album art | Ankit S Vora

ARTISTE PROFILES
NEIL MUKHERJEE | GUITAR
YouTube
https://www.instagram.com/neilmukherj...

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/neilmukherj...

SHRUTEENDRA KATGADE | TABLA
YouTube
https://youtube.com/@tinshru?si=YDlca...

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/shrukata?ig...

Chala Vaahi Des | Meera bai | Radhika Sood Nayak | Neil Mukherjee | Shruteendra Katgade

DR SUSHILA RANI PATEL (1918-2014)
It's been 10 years since my Guru passed on. One of the Sanskrit verses I learnt from her was the NIRVANA SHATKAM, which I offer as my tribute to her cherished memory🌺

A young boy of 8 years wandering in the Himalayas seeking a ‘Guru’  met Seer Gaudapada who asked him ‘WHO ARE YOU?’ Adi Shankara answered with the NIRVANA SHATKAM, delving into the essence of ‘Advaita’, non-duality. Hearing it, Seer Gaudapada accepted him as his disciple. This was around 800 CE. 

NIRVANA is complete equanimity, SHATKAM is six stanzas, these verses speak of the unattached, infinite soul.

"Chidaananda Rupah Shivoham Shivoham...."
I am bliss Supreme, not born to die
I am Shiva, the Lord of Eternal joy.

Composed in Raga Pilu by my Guru Dr Sushila Rani Patel.

LYRICS & TRANSLATION
मनोबुद्ध्यहङ्कार चित्तानि नाहं
न च श्रोत्रजिह्वे न च घ्राणनेत्रे ।
न च व्योम भूमिर्न तेजो न वायुः
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥१॥

Neither the mind nor the intellect am I,
Unconscious of self, beyond life’s what and why.
I am not the ear nor the tongue’s little cry,
Nor the nose that smells, not the sight of the eye.
Land I am not nor the blue vault of the sky,
Neither light nor even the blowing wind am I.
For I am bliss supreme and not born to die,
I am Shiva, the Lord of Eternal Joy and Sigh


न च प्राणसंज्ञो न वै पञ्चवायुः
न वा सप्तधातुः न वा पञ्चकोशः ।
न वाक्पाणिपादं न चोपस्थपायु
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥२॥

Neither the breath of life nor the five vital airs am I,
The seven elements and five sheaths do not me signify.
I am neither sound nor speech nor even a cry,
Nor am I hand or feet or anything nigh,
For I am bliss supreme and not born to die,
I am Shiva, the Lord of Eternal Joy and Sigh

न मे द्वेषरागौ न मे लोभमोहौ
मदो नैव मे नैव मात्सर्यभावः ।
न धर्मो न चार्थो न कामो न मोक्षः
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥३॥

Neither love nor hatred can live in my eye,
Nor can greed or temptation make me vie,
Pride and jealousy I have learnt to decry,
And riches and religion I have sought to deny.
Desire does not tempt me as honey does the fly,
Salvation has no charm to soul without a sigh.
For I am bliss supreme and not born to die,
I am Shiva, the Lord of Eternal Joy and Sigh

न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दुःखं
न मन्त्रो न तीर्थं न वेदा न यज्ञाः ।
अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥४॥


To merit and demerit I do not testify,
Pain and pleasure leave me cold and dry.
Neither prayer nor pilgrimage I need to purify,
I chant not the Veda or with sacrifice gratify.
I am not the food which home and altar sanctify,
Nor do I have any hunger left now to satisfy.
For I am bliss supreme and not born to die,
I am Shiva, the Lord of Eternal Joy and Sigh


न मृत्युर्न शङ्का न मे जातिभेदः
पिता नैव मे नैव माता न जन्मः ।
न बन्धुर्न मित्रं गुरुर्नैव शिष्यं
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥५॥


Death has no dread nor doubts my mind terrify,
Distinctions that separate man from man within me die.
Neither father have I nor for a mother do I cry,
Nor even for another birth do I care to vie.
Brother and friend I have none left to deny,
Neither teacher nor pupil have I to identify.
For I am bliss supreme and not born to die,
I am Shiva, the Lord of Eternal Joy and Sigh


अहं निर्विकल्पो निराकाररूपो
विभुत्वाच्च सर्वत्र सर्वेन्द्रियाणाम् ।
न चासङ्गतं नैव मुक्तिर्न मेयः
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥६॥

Neither mind nor thought now casts a die,
The fetters of forms leave me free to fly.
I am the master of the senses which often lie,
They fail to tempt me whenever they care to try.
Shedding all attachment there is nothing left to cry,
Or to vie for salvation to become an angel in the sky.
For I am bliss supreme and not born to die,
I am Shiva, the Lord of Eternal Joy and Sigh

Nirvana Shatkam | Adi Shankaracharya | Radhika Sood Nayak ft Anand Kashikar on Flute

Sharing a recording from our Musical Narrative on Shah Hussain - MELA CHIRAAGAA'N - Madho Lal Hussain. A poet whose every word dissolves divisions, binaries, duality, separateness, as does this kaafi. He ends it with complete subsuming of the self with the beloved..."Mai'n naahi'n sab Tu"

Venue ‪@RoyalOperaHouseMumbai‬ 
Vocals ‪@RadhikaSoodNayak‬ 
Guitar ‪@NeilMukho‬ ‪@neilmukherjee3101‬ 
Tabla ‪@vinayaknetketabla‬ 

LYRICS
Rabba mere haal da Mehram Tu

Andar tu hai’n baahar tu hai’n
Rom rom vich Tu

Tu hai’n taana tu hai’n baana
Sab kichh mera Tu

Kahe Hussain Faqeer Nimaana
Mai’n naahin’n sab Tu
 
TRANSLATION
Rabba, my beloved ! 
You are the confidante of my condition

You are inside,
You are outside
In every pore it is You

You the warp
You the weft
Everything is You

Says Hussain, the lowly Faqeer
I am nothing,
All is You

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Rabba mere haal da | Shah Hussain | Sufi | Radhika Sood Nayak | Neil Mukherjee | Vinayak Netke

Shah Hussein, a Sufi mystic from 16th century Punjab was a weaver poet. Saloo, a bride's wedding shawl, is the journey of us, our body, of life

The new bride has many women coming over to admire her 'Saloo'. Her neighbours even ask for it, but it is not something she can lend. Perhaps, the 'Saloo' has travelled from Kashmir, from Multan, from Gujarat, from Bengal, across the length and breadth of land, connecting people across geographies, blurring boundaries and distances. Saloo is the landscape of equality, of life. 

The bride seeks a confidante who she can share her feelings with. Only the Lord, the ‘Rab’ knows the depths of her heart as she embraces her 'Shauh' (beloved, her deepest core ). There are many who wear the Saloo, all branches of the same tree, but she is unique, she is imcomparable! 

‘Sehej’  a ‘nizam’, a system, deeply connected with ‘kudrat’, nature. ‘Sehej’ thrives on equality, connectedness. The bride in ‘Saloo’ is wedded to her ‘Shauh’, her deepest core, she is one with nature, the universe, the cosmos. She is one with the creation

Lyrics with Translation
Saloo sehej handa lae ni
(Wear the bridal shawl ‘Saloo’ of ease, of ‘sehej’) 

Saloo mera keemti, 
koi vekhaN aaiaan tareemati
Gaiaan sab salaah

(My ‘Saloo’ is precious,
many women came to see it,
and left full of praise)

Saloo paya tangNe
GuaandaN aai mangNe
Ditta kahi na jaah

(I left the ‘Saloo’ hanging,
my neighbour came asking for it,
 it can’t be lent)

Saloo dhur Kashmir da,
Koi aaya barfaan cheerda,
jaaNa kar ke raah

(The Saloo is from Kashmir,
Piercing through the snow,
making its way)

Saloo dhur Gujarat da
Koi main bhau pehli raat da
Kitey dhang vihaae

(The Saloo is from Gujarat,
I fear the first night,
will I wear it right)

Saloo dhur Multan da, 
Koi Rab dilaan diaan jaaNda
Sutti Shauh gal laai

(The Saloo is from Multaan,
only the Lord knows my heart’s depths,
I sleep embracing my beloved, my ‘Shauh’, my deepest core)


Saloo mera aal da 
Koi mehram naahin haal da,
Kis pae akhaan jaai

(My Saloo is dyed red,
no confidante I find,
who do I share with)


Sabbe Saloo waaliaan
Koi ik birakh diaan daaliaan
Tere tul na kaai

(Every bride has a ‘Saloo’
all branches of the same tree,
yet you are incomparable)

Saloo da rang jaavNa
Koi pher na is jag aavNa
Challe ghum ghumaai

(The Saloo will fade away,
never to return to this world,
we leave after this sojourn)

Saloo mera ooNida
Koi shaam Brindaaban suNeeda
JaaNa bikhhDe raah

(My Saloo is being woven,
while Krishna plays by the forest,
the path ahead steep and rugged)

Kahae Hussain gadaaiaa
Koi raat jungal vich aaiaa
Rab beparwaah
Daaddha beparwaah

(Says Hussain, the mendicant,
the night descends upon the wilderness,
the Almighty remains indifferent)


CREDITS
Lyrics | Shah Hussain (Traditional)
Vocals & Composition | Radhika Sood Nayak
Guitar | Neil Mukherjee
Music Producer | Neil Mukherjee
Translation | Huma Safdar

SALOO | Sufi Kalaam Shah Hussain | Radhika Sood Nayak | Music Neil Mukherjee

Ahir Bhairav bandish | Guru bin gyaan nahin | Radhika Sood Nayak

DESCRIPTION
AsāN | असां means I, मैं, us, हम 

SONG CREDITS
Composition & Vocals | RADHIKA SOOD NAYAK
Guitar | HITESH DHUTIA
Tabla & Duff | VINAYAK NETKE
Bass | ADI MISTRY
Lyrics | SHAH HUSSEIN (Traditional)
Music Production | HITESH DHUTIA & VINAYAK NETKE
Recording & Mixing | JAINIL NAYAK
Album Art | RAJEN JOSHI
Photography | ALLEYAH ASGHAR & IHJAZ AZIZ
Recording & Mastering | EMSQUARE STUDIOS

In Gratitude 
Late Ankit Chadha
Sanjukta Wagh
Neil Mukherjee

AsāN / असां Lyrics 
AsāN KitkuN Sheikh Sadaavana
Ghar BaitheyaN Mangal Gaavana
AsāN Tukar Mang Mang Khaavana
AsāN Aiho Kamm Kamaavana

Ishq FaqeeraN Di Tohni
Ae Vast Agochar Hai Johni
AsāN Talab Teri Hai Sohni
AsāN Har Dum Rabb Dhiyaavana

AsāN Andar Baahar Laal Hai
AsāN Murshid Naal Pyaar Hai
AsāN Aeho Vanaj Vapaar Hai
AsāN JeevandeyaN Marr Jaawana

Koi Mureed Koi Peer Hai
Ae Duniya Sab Zaheer Hai
Ik Shah Hussain Faqeer Hai
AsāN Ral Mil Jhurmut Paavana

Lyrics : Shah Hussain (Traditional)
____________ 
AsāN (TRANSLATION)
Why call me a learned scholar
I sit in my home and commune with the divine
I beg for bread to fill my stomach
These are my deeds

Passion is the faqeer’s walking stick
It is beyond the perception of the senses
I pine for you, my beloved
Every moment, I meditate upon God

Lal is both inside and outside of me
My murshid is my beloved
My only occupation is 
To die while still alive

Some are seekers, some the master
We are all allies in this world
Shah Hussain is a faqeer
Together we dance in this ‘jhurmut’ (dance of the universe)
__________

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AsaN | असां – Sufi | Radhika Sood Nayak | Kalaam Shah Hussain

CREDITS
Vocals & Composition | RADHIKA SOOD NAYAK
Music Production| NEIL MUKHERJEE
Guitar, Oud & Programming | NEIL MUKHERJEE
Tabla, Duff & Percussion | SWARUPA SAWKAR
Dholak & Percussion | SADANAND MULIK
Sound Engineer | JAINIL NAYAK
Mixing & Mastering | JAINIL NAYAK
Recording Studio | EMSQUARE, MUMBAI
Album Art | KSHITIJ PRASAD VERMA
Photos courtesy | ELIZABETH GEORGE PORTRAITS
Lyrics | BABA BULLEH SHAH (TRADITIONAL)
Special thanks |ALLEYAH ASGHAR SINGH
_____________

ISHQ KAMAAL 
LYRICS | BULLEH SHAH (TRADITIONAL)

Jis tann lageya Ishq kamaal
Naache besur te betaal

Jis de andar vasseya yaar
Uthheya yaar o yaar pukaar
Na o chaahe raag na taar
Ainven baithha khede haal

Bulla Shauh nagar sach paaya
Jhoothha raula sab mukaaya
Sacheyaan kaaran sach sunaaya
Paaya uss da paak Jamaal
_____________

ISHQ KAMAAL | TRANSLATION
Whoever is stung by perfect love, 
He dances out of tune!
He dances out of step!

In whose heart the Beloved dwells
He loudly proclaims, “Beloved! O Beloved!”
He needs neither a musical string nor a melody
He revels in ecstasy of his own accord

O Bullah, I have found the Lord’s true abode,
All false uproar, all religious disputes have come to an end.
For the truthful, I proclaim the Truth
I’ve had the vision of His pristine glory
_____________

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Ishq Kamaal | Sufi | Radhika Sood Nayak | Kalaam Bulleh Shah

This song describes the plight of the common man through the words of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, one of the most incisive and celebrated poets of Pakistan. In this Punjabi 'nazm', he questions the Creator in the voice of a common man and finally exhorts Him to fulfil just one wish of his-'a morsel of respect'. 

I composed this piece during the lockdown. Little did I know then that it would become a mirror of the farmers' movement in India. This song and its music video is dedicated to the farmers!  

Vocals & Composition | Radhika Sood Nayak
Music Production & Guitar | Neil Mukherjee
Lyrics | Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Album cover | Gurjeet Singh Designs
Picture courtesy | Jaskaran Singh (JK Photography)
Music Video | The Project Punjab & Rajveer Kaur

RABBA SACHEYA
Lyrics | Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Rabba Sacheya tuN te aakheya si
Ja oye bandeya jag da Shah aeN tuN
SaddiyaaN nemataaN teriyaaN daulataaN ne
Sadda naib te aalijaaN aeN tuN

Aes laare te tor kad puchheya ee
Ki aes nimaane te beetiyaaN ne
Kadi saar vi layi O Rab saeeyaaN
Tere Shah naal jag ki keetiyaaN ne

Kitey dhauns police Sarkar di ae
Kitey dhaandali maal patwaar di ae
ainveiN haddaaaN ch kalpe jaan meri
jiveiN phahi ch koonj kurlaavandi ae

Changa Shah banaaya ae Rab SaeeyaaN
Pole khaandeyaN vaar na aavandi ae
Mainu Shahi nahiN chahidi Rab mere
Mein te izzat da tukkar mangna haaN
Mainu taang nahiN mehlaaN maadiyaaN di
MaiN te jeeveeN di naggar manganaa haaN

Meri manne te teriyaaN meiN mannaaN
Teri sauN je ik vi gal modaaN
Je eh mang nai pujhdi teiN Rabba
Pher meiN jaavaaN  te Rab koi hor lodaaN

TRANSLATION
True Lord
My true Lord, you had said
Go man, you are the master of the world
My bounties on earth are your treasure
You are the viceroy of your Creator

You set me out on this false promise,
did You ever find out what became of this humble one 
did you ever enquire about my well being
about what the world did with your ‘master’

The police and the Government bully me,
There is mess around property and land
I am tormented right through to my bones
Like a bird shrieking when it is being strangulated

You made a fine king, my sweet Lord,
All I have gotten are endless beatings,
I do not desire kingship, Lord,
All I need is a morsel of respect
I have no desire to live in palaces
I just want a small nook to live my life

If you agree with me, I will agree with you,
I won’t decline any of your demands, no matter how unreasonable.
But, Lord, if this request is too much for You,
Then I shall go and seek for myself another God

Radhika Sood Nayak

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