Cycle by Zia Mohyeddin

Manam Mehve Jamal - E-ouu, Ustad Bahauddin, Bou Ali Qalander, Translation - DASH

Balamwa Tum Kya Jano Preet - Thumri - Begum Akhtar

Seena E Hasti Roshan Roshan - Naat Syed Manzoor Ul Konain

Baju - Band Khul Khul Jaye. - Abida Parveen

The word gadi means "time", corresponding with the Koranic term, sa’a. During the Ancient times in India, day and night were measured in gadi instead of hours or minutes. Under this computation, the term "chogadiyu’n" represents a duration of 90 minutes. Clepsydras were regulated to measure the time and ghadiyal or gong to announce the hour to the people in principal towns. Generally, a day is also divided into 8 parts (not that of pahor), each part contains 1 hour and 30 minutes. The first part starting with the sunrise on that day, and last part ending on sunset on that day approximately for the day times. Similarly, there are 8 parts starting with sunset of current day and ending at sunrise next day.

In ancient time, during the proclamation of the new kingdom, the singers and poets were invited to sing songs to announce the new kingdom of the regions under his sway. From the palace or temple, a trumpet was blown at an interval of four gadis during the day to glorify the new kingdom. The first sound was blown at dawn and the last at dusk. The singing of the songs or blowing of the trumpet was also called the chogadia. Sometimes, the winding shell or horn, known as the shankh in Hindi, surah in Arabic or sped muhra in Persian was blown on the hilltop for this purpose.

In religious context, the broadcast of similar significance after every four gadis twice a day as reaffirmation of Spiritual Kingdom of the Imam on earth, seems to have sprang as the paramount importance and absolute necessity in the Indian Ismailis.

Reference: Article on Introduction of Chogadiya Ginans 
By Mumtaz Ali Tajudin, Sadiq Ali 
Scholar of The Shia Imami Ismaili Tariqah & Religious Education Board (ITREB), Pakistan

HANSPURI NAGRIMANHEN - AKBER ANDANI

Mataa - E-Loh - O-Qalam.. by Faiz Ahmed Faiz reading  Zia Mohyeddin

Wali Saaz

Chaap Tilak - Manzoor Niazi

1.	Sufi poetry is sung in multiple ways in India and the Sufi Kalam is one of the most common renditions as compared to the rare genres of Bheth and Waai that have very few living exponents. Also this style is less fervent than the Qawwali and can be sung in both classical Ragas or to folk rhythms. There are Sindhi and Muslim variants to the style that also acquires typical traits from region to region and in terms of the instruments employed in each case. The genre is thus identified more by the poetry that is sung and less by any particular style of music integral to its character.  ‘Kalam’ is a term for poetry and etymologically derives from the Arabic word for conversation. A poet gets into a communion with a muse and slowly unearths its character and the statement of this exchange is a work of poetry. The Sindhi and Mehar Sindhi communities that inhabit the extremities of the Barmer and Jaisalmer regions of Rajasthan on the border of India and Pakistan, are one of the many exponents of the Sufi Kalam style of music. Deriving from the words of Sufi poets like Shah Latif, Bulleh Shah and SachalSarmast, this music explores the meanings and modes of spirituality. Algoza, Kamyacha, Khartal, Dholak and Sindhi Sarangi are used in the performances that are conducted either on significant festive occasions or even upon invitations by patrons. 

Saleh Mohammad - Ratadli

From movie "Muhafiz (In Custody)"

aaj ek harf ko phir dhoondta phirta hai khayal
madh bhara harf koi, zeher bhara harf koi
dil-nashin harf koi, qeher bhara harf koi

aaj ek harf ko phir dhoondta phirta hai khayal...

~

harf-e-ulfat koi dildar-nazar ho jaise
jis se milti hai nazar bosa-e-lab ki surat
itna roshan ke sare-mauja-e-zar ho jaise
sohbat-e-yaar main aghaaz-e-tarab ki surat
harf-e-nafrat koi shamsheer-e-ghazab ho jaise,

aaj ek harf ko phir dhoondta phirta hai khayal...

~

ta abad shahre-sitam jis se tabah ho jayein
itna tareek ke shamshan ki shab ho jaise
lab pe laoon to mere honth siyah ho jayein

aaj ek harf ko phir dhoondta phirta hai khayal...


Aaj Ek Harf Ko Phir Dhoondta - Faiz Ahmed Faiz

Cycle by Zia Mohyeddin

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