On a boring sunday I rummaged through my bhaiyu's cd collection & was surprised to find one of Gulzar's album! My bhaiyu is a techno-trance freak so what in the world is he listening to Gulzar for? When I checked the cd it read Gulzar's Ishqa Ishqa...hmmm I thot, someone maybe in love! Before I could ask him about that I decided to check the songs, being a huge Gulzar fan that I am & as usual was not disappointed with what I heard!
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Sufi music
Sufi Music is a religious form of singing which can be called as the devotional music of submission & surrender to God. This is based on Sufi mystical poetry which speaks of the longing of the soul for God & the search for God in the heart. They express the mystical states & a responsive listener can easily understand the meaning behind poetic terms. I first heard this when someone gifted me a Sufi album by a pakistani singer Abida Parveen & immediately took to this music which instantly connects to the listener's heart. Since then I have also listened to other singers like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Shubha Mudgal who have beautifully contributed to the Sufi music. This music is not limited to any religion & can be enjoyed by one n all.
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The album:
Ishqa Ishqa... is the new album of Gulzar-Vishal Bharadwaj combo, who have in the past worked in film like Maachis & some music albums. Here they get together for an album on Sufi Music featuring eight soul-stirring songs which have been beautifully rendered by Rekha Bharadwaj.
Introducing Gulzar or praising him is like showing light to the sun! who would not know his contribution to hte music world? This is Gulzar's first attempt at Sufi music & in his usual inimitable style he has penned some beautiful lyrics portraying the love & worship of the divine. After his album ''Marasim'' [with Jagjit Singh] this is another gem from Gulzar.
In her first solo album, Rekha Bharadwaj a trained classical singer captivates the listener with her refreshing voice, especially in the song Tere Ishq Mein. Sadly, I have no sense of the raagas but am simply in love with her voice. She cannot be compared to Abida or Mudgal but she would soon have a class of her own as her love for singing is pretty obvious from the other songs which require different tones, a job which she has performed well.
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As this is a devotional album some of the 8 songs are slow paced, which are enhanced by the lyrics & Vishal's soft melodious music.
tere ishq mein:
Awesome lyrics, voice & music is what I have to say for this song! Anyone who has been in love would understand the heartache & meaning of this song where a lover compares the seperation night with ash or being black as the koyal & how she/he comforts the heart all the while waiting & dying for a glimpse of their loved one. [This song is worth dying for.....it makes one want to fall in love again...... sigh sigh!!]
raakh se rukhi, koyal se kaali, raat karte na hijaraa wali....
tere ishq mein tanhai, hamne bahot behlaiya tanhai tere ishq mein...
teri jusju karte rahe, tere rubru baithe hue, marte rahe tere isha mein...
ishqa ishqa:
This is a more happy in love kinda song where the lover doesn't mind trodding the difficult path or even melting like a candle, just to be in ishq!
chaave chaave yeh parchaave, chunte chunte chalte rahiye, moam ke jaame pehne pehne dhup lage toh galte rahiye...
teri razaa:
A beautiful devotional song surrending oneself to God.
meri umar toh ek miyaad hain tere karz ki jo chuka nahi, meri ruh mein jalta hua ek chirag hain jo bujaa nahi...
roshni:
This song has to be heard to get the actual feel of it. Lovely inspirational words with beautiful music, it motivates one to keep the flame burning.... come what may.
jaa atki pai daal pe, patjad bheje koe, preet pake naa dhup se kaise kundan hoye..
chingari
What is this love? This song explains the pain/heartache one feels when in love but away from the desired one.
kaisi laagi yaari, chingari chingari ude chingari, phank bina parawaq dikhawe, palak japak chup jaawe..
raat ki jogan
The singer wonders about jogan who night after night looks forward to return of her lover.
kyu udata hain roj dhua, kya yeh roj pakati hain, tarron ki chingari se suraj ko sulgati hain, bawari raat ki jogan..
rahoo rahoo
Another birah [separation] song where the lover sings out while waiting to hear from his/her beloved.
yeh birah kaatiya, palchien peeda chatiya, aadhi raat ghan roj jagawe, dastak de aur koi na aawe...
jogiya
This is a song I'd probably sing in my old age [bahot time hain abhi].... a typical mast-maula type song, lost in the love of God.
choga pehen jogi sa, dard sehan jogi da, dard bahbut maili main, rang tere rang gaya...
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My Word:
Until recently the one-n-only non-filmi song for me was Pyar ke pal sung by KK but now that has been replaced with Tere Ishq Mein, which going by the way I hum it whole day.....will stay for a long time. Usually, such music has a select class who genuinely appreciate poetry but if you ever bought a album for just one song then do get a copy of this for Tere Ishq Mein song, its worth all the money spent n more. Aur waise bhi, kabhi kabhi bhagwaan ko bhi yaad karna chahiye! lolz :o)
