Be taught Extra About Miraculous Kashmiri Music and Ustaad Ramzan Joo
Sufiana music arrived within the Kashmir valley with Islam. Initially, musicians from Iran and Central Asia have been patronized by Sultan Zain ul Abdin, a liberal and tolerant ruler of Kashmir. These musicians introduced new musical devices to Kashmir, then modified current ones to make them appropriate with the brand new Sufiana Music within the Kashmir valley.
At its core, Sufiana music is a Central Asian musical custom influenced by Indian classical music. Like Hindustani classical music, Kashmiri Sufiana music additionally developed by a gharana system. The principle idea in Sufiana is that of maqam, a counterpart of the Indian raga system. The thematic content material of the compositions is generally mystical, non secular, or centered on divine love. Sufiana music is sung by a gaggle of musicians led by the chief, who usually performs the santoor—the principal instrument in Sufiana singing. There are 100 strings (Shat-tantric Veena) within the Sufiana santoor stretched over twenty-five bridges. Every bridge has 4 strings for every word. It’s performed with two wood hammers often known as kalam.
Within the not-so-distant previous, there was additionally a feminine dance kind related to Sufiana music known as Hafiz Nagma. On this dance kind, a feminine dancer often known as Hafiza expressedthe which means of Maqam compositions by varied actions and physique gestures. The Hafiza Nagma was banned by the Maharaja within the early a part of the twentieth century because it turned related to prostitution.
Right now’s Sufiana Traditions
At current, we’ve solely 4 surviving gharanas situated within the three districts of Jammu and Kashmir: Budgam, Srinagar, and Anantnag. There have been additionally two Kashmiri Pandit gharanas of Sufiana music. Of those two, one was from Sopore city and the opposite from Srinagar metropolis. The Sopore gharana was represented by Pandit Shankar Nath Sopori. He used to play Sufiana music on the Kashmiri Sitar (Sehtar).
The opposite gharana belonged to Pandit Khera Kak Munshi. Pandit Khera Kak was one of many main Sufiana musicians of Kashmir who held common Sufiana Mehfils at his dwelling. Aside from this, Pandit Ved Lal Dhar Vakil of Tankipora (Srinagar) was additionally a Santoor participant who taught Sufiana music to his daughters Rageshwari and Jaijaiwanti.
Ramzan Joo, a father of Sufiana music and a deeply non secular man, was the patriarch of the Saaznawaz gharana of Daan Mazaar, Safa Kadal Srinagar. After he died in 1971, this gharana was carried ahead by his in a position son and disciple Ustad Ghulam Muhammad Saaznawaz. Ustaad Ghulam Muhammad Saaznawaz was awarded India’s fourth highest civilian honour the Padma-shri in 2013. He was additionally awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1998 for his contribution to the Sufiana music of Kashmir.
Ustaad Ramzan Joo might sing and play many devices like Santoor, Kashmiri Sitar ( Sehtar), Tabla, Saz-e-Kashmir and Madham. All these devices are important within the Kashmiri Sufiyana orchestra. The mixture of all these 5 devices is called ‘Panjhatheyari’. Ustaad Ramzan Joo was into spirituality concurrently other than being a beautiful Sufiana singer and instrumentalist.
Born at Dana Mazaar, Safa Kadal, Srinagar, his ancestors (who have been additionally musicians) are believed to have come to the Kashmir valley from Iran. Music was in his blood. He discovered it from his elders since his childhood. He was identified to be a perfectionist who by no means compromised with Sur (word), Taal (time) and Lai (rhythm). He most popular singing to Sufi saints and disliked utilizing Sufiana music for Hafiz Nagma. Ustaad Ramzan Joo discovered Sufiana music from his father, uncle, elder brother and Ustaad Abdullah Shah. Very often, each his brother and Ustaad Ramzan Joo would carry out collectively.
Ramzan Joo and his brother, Ustaad Sidh Joo, would sing within the darbar (court docket) of Maharaja Hari Singh—the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir until 1947—who was a patron of music. They might additionally sing for saints and Sufis. It’s stated that Saint Gopinath Ji was additionally a lover of Sufiana music and as such Ustaad Ramzan Joo additionally carried out earlier than the saint. The ustaad and his brother have been probably dropped at Saint Gopi Nath Ji’s Ashram by Pandit Ved Lal Dhar Vakil, an ardent admirer of Ramzan Joo and his brother.
A religious Muslim, Ramzan Joo is on document as having refused to sing in marriages. It’s stated that if he was satisfied that the gathering had actual connoisseurs of music, then and solely then he would conform to carry out. Ramzan Joo had a novel type of enjoying Shakal (the graduation of the efficiency) and singing Nasr (a brief poem with out rhythm sung after the Shakal).
Syed Zeeshan Fazil writes this about Ustaad Ramzan Joo in his ebook “Falcons of Paradise”:-
Ramzan Joo was effectively versed with essentially the most tough Maqams of Sufiana music like Nawroz e Arab, Dev-Gandhar, Jazvanti, and Sindhuri. He had a melodious voice and he would play the Tabla, Kashmiri Sitar and santoor professionally. Whereas enjoying the Tabla, he might additionally sing freely with the perfection of Taal.
Prof Jaya Parimu, who taught music in varied diploma schools of Jammu and Kashmir, has this to say about Ramzan Joo and the Sufiana music of Kashmir:
Like Hindustani classical music, Kashmir’s Sufiana music can be primarily based on taals, ragas and the time idea of ragas.To me, it’s extra akin to dhrupad than khayal gayaki. That method it’s a type of Hindustani Classical music. Like Hindustani Classical music, it has Taraana, Ek-Taal, Teen-Taal, Duyaktaal, Neem-dore, Chapandaz and so forth. Sidh Joo and Ramzan Joo, each brothers have been ace musicians of the Kashmiri Sufiana style. Sidh Joo –Ramzan Joo gharana scores over all different music gharanas of Kashmir. As I perceive, this gharana had a particular edge over others when it comes to type, Baaj, melody and Santoor accompaniment. By the point digital media help and radio patronization arrived, Sidh Joo had expired. Ramzan Joo did broadcast his music over the radio however age had overtaken him although he nonetheless retained his distinctive magical contact. He was an ace Santoor participant. His music and Maqams had depth. He had a beautiful type of reaching the crescendo. One might really feel as if honey bees have been dancing across the honeycombs. As soon as my father had engaged Ramzan Joo for a month in a Doonga anchored at Naseem Bagh. I vividly bear in mind the Sufiana Musical Mehfils that occurred in our dwelling in Kashmir.
Some Listening Suggestions
To get a soulful really feel of the music created by Saaznawaz gharana of Kashmir, hearken to Padam-shri Ghulam Mohammad Saaznawaz’s two compositions listed under:
Bozu myan zaar,
Zaarai paar,
Awaara karthas
(Hearken to my woes,
Hearken to the agony,
An aimless wanderer
I’ve been rendered on this love)
And the second:
Baeti na ye dooreyr
Chonuyi zaraai
Baal maraai yo
(I can’t face up to this separation
My love, I’ll die in youth)
[Bella Bible edited this piece.]
The views expressed on this article are the creator’s personal and don’t essentially mirror Truthful Observer’s editorial coverage.
