Tu Mane ya na Mane Dildara Wadali Brothers

What a wonderfully spirited performance by the Wadali brothers. One of them was a wrestler and the other a nautanki performer before they adopted the world of music. Their repertoire consists primarily of Sufiyana poetry.

Tujh bin jeena bhi kya jeena
Teri chaukhat mera madeena

Kahin aur na sajda gawara
Asaan ne tennu Rab manya

Tu mane ya na mane dildara
 Assan te tainu Rab manneya

 Das hor keda rab da dwara
Assan te tainu Rab manaya

 Apne tan ki khaak urdai
Tab ye ishq ki manzil paayi

 Meri saanson ka bolae ik tara
Assan te tainu Rab manaya

Raat bhar deeda-e-nam naak ~ Makhdoom Mohiuddin

 Raat bhar deeda-e-nam naak mein lehraatay rahe
saans ki tarha se aap aate rahe, jaate rahe

 Khush thae hum apni tamaannaon ka, khwaab aaye ga
apna armaan barafganda naqaab aaye ga

 Nazrein niichi kiye sharmaye huwe aaye ga
kakule chehre pe bikhraye huwe aaye ga

 Aa gayee thii dil-e-muztar mein shakee-bayi si
baj rahi thi mere ghamkhaane mein shehnaayi si

 Pattiyan khaedkin to samjha ke lo aap aa hi gaye
sajday masroor ke, masjood ko ham pa hi gaye

 Shab ki jaage huwe, taaron ko bhi neend aane lagi
aap ke aane ki ik aas thi, ab jaane lagi

 Suboh ne sej se uthte huwe li angrdai
O saba tu bhee jo aayee to akaili aayee

 Mere mehboob, meri neend urdaanein waley,
 mere masjood meri rooh pe chhane waley
 Aa bhi jaa, taa ke mere sajdon ka armaan nikley,
 aa bhi jaa taa ke tere qadmon pe meri jaan nikley

 ~ Makhdoom Mohiuddin (مخدوم محی الدین)

Tu Reh Naward-e-Shauq Hai Manzil Na Kar Qabool - Iqbal

Sultan Tipu Ki Wasiyat
The Testament Of Tipu Sultan

Tu Reh Naward-e-Shauq Hai, Manzil Na Kar Qabool
Laila Bhi Hum-Nasheen Ho To Mehmil Na Kar Qabool

If you traverse the road of love, Donʹt yearn to seek repose or rest:
If Layla be your companion close that litter shun with great contempt.

Ae Jooye Aab Barh Ke Ho Darya-e-Tund-o-Taiz
Sahil Tujhe Atta Ho To Sahil Na Kar Qabool

O streamlet, onward flow and get transformed to torrent strong and deep:
If bank is eʹer on you bestowed, Abstain, flow on with mighty sweep.

Khoya Na Ja Sanamkada-e-Kainat Mein
Mehfil Gudaz! Garmi-e-Mehfil Na Kar Qabool

Donʹt lose your bearings in this world because with idols it is full:
The assemblage here can cast a spell, disdain, or strings of heart shall pull.

Subah-e-Azal Ye Mujh Se Kaha Jibreel Ne
Jo Aqal Ka Ghulam Ho, Woh Dil Na Kar Qabool

Gabriel on Creationʹs Early Morn, a piece of useful counsel gave:
He bade me not accept a heart enchained by mind of man like slave.

Batil Dooyi Pasand Hai, Haq La-Shareek Hai
Shirkat Mayana-e-Haq-o-Batil Na Kar Qabool

Untruth conceals in various masks but Truth and God are both unique:

There canʹt be pool ʹtwixt good and bad—
This fact is known from times antique.

Aarezoo Daram ke Mehmanat Kunam - Hazrat Shamsuddin Tabrezi

Aarezoo daram ke mahmanat kunam
Jaan o dil, aye dost, qurbanat kunam

Gar yaqeen danam ke bar man asheqi
Az jamal e khwesh hairanat kunam

Gar tu aflatoon o loqmani ba ilm
man ba yak deedar (talim) nadanat konam

Tomb of Shams-i-Tabrizi

Gar Sar e ganj e tu maare khuftayi
ham cho maare khufta , bejaanat konam

Gar qamar bandi ba khidmat ham cho moh
mulk ha ba shams sulemanat kunam

Khosh begufti dilbarii mah-ro sokhan 

namayea asraar e diwanat konam

Shams e Tabrezi ba Moalana bi go
daftar e asraar diwanat konam


~  Hazrat Shamsuddin Tabrezi
Shams-i-Tabrīzī or Shams al-Din Mohammad (1185-1248)

Ishq Di Naviyon Naveen Bahar - Baba Bulleh Shah

This amazing recital by Ustad Bakshi Salamat Qawwal and party is from a Radio Pakistan collection posted by Pedro Ferrari on NaadSaagar. Bulleh Shah's Kaafi "Ishq di Navinyon Navin Bahar" is of course best appreciated in its original Punjabi, however I am taking the liberty of adding a short English translation for those who have difficulty understanding all the words. The singers obviously have a particularly strong foundation in classical singing as becomes obvious from their emotive taankari. Also noteworthy is the sargam in places such as at 2.00 and 3.45 :-). A true gem from the archives....



Ishq di navinyon navin bahar 
ishq di navinyon navin bahar 

Ever new, ever fresh is the spring of love!

Jaañ main sabak ishq da parhya

Ustad Bakshi Salamat Qawwal Party

Masjid koloñ jheoda darya

Puch puch thakur daware warya
Jithe wajde naad hazar

When I learnt the lesson of love,
My heart dreaded the sight of mosques.
I then entered the abode of the Lord,
Where resounded a thousand melodies 

Ishq di navinyon navin bahar 
ishq di navinyon navin bahar 

Ever new, ever fresh is the spring of love!

Vaid quranañ parh parh thakke
Sajde kardiañ khass gayañ mathe
Na rubb teerath na rub makke
Jis paya tis noor anwar

Sick of reading the Vedas and the Qurans,
My forehead is worn by constant obeisance.
God is not found at shrines or mosques,
Whoever found, found Him as Light of lights

Ishq di navinyon navin bahar 
ishq di navinyon navin bahar 

Ever new, ever fresh is the spring of love!

Phook massala bhan sit lota
Na phar tasbi aasa sota
Aashiq kehnde dende hoka
Tarak halaloñ kha murdar

Burn the mat, break the lota
Touch not the rosary, nor the staff.
The lovers proclaim at the top of their voice
Give up halal and eat murdar

Ishq di navinyon navin bahar 
ishq di navinyon navin bahar 

Ever new, ever fresh is the spring of love!

Ranjhe Heer de ho gaye mele
Bhulli Heer dhoondendi bele
Ranjhan yaar bagal vich khele
Surt rahya na surat sawar

Heer and Ranjha are united at last!
Deluded Heer had sought him in woods
While beloved Ranjha played in her veil,
Before Him I lost my senses and wits.

Ishq di navinyon navin bahar 
ishq di navinyon navin bahar 

Ever new, ever fresh is the spring of love!

~ Baba Bulleh Shah (1680 - 1758)

Bulleh Shah - The Love-intoxicated Iconoclast

Na Falak Na Chand, Taray - Zaki Taji Qawwal

Na falak, na chand taray, na serh, na raat hoti

Zaki Taji Qawwal

na tera jamal hota, na ye kayenaat hoti

mein tumhara aayena tha, mein tumhara aayina hun
mujhay daikh ker sanvartay, to kuchh aur baat hoti

ye khulay khulay se gaesu, inhein laakh tum sanvaaro
merey haath se sanvartay, to kuchh aur baat hoti

ye majaal bijliyon ki,  mere ashiyaan ko phoonkein
mere par na tum katartay, to kuchh aur baat hoti

go haram ke rastay se bhi ponhonch gaye khuda tak
teri rehguzar se jaatey, to kuchh aur baat hoti

mujhay apni moat ka to, koi gham nahin hai laikin
tere aastan pe martey to kuchh aur baat hoti

sar e raah rok ker unhein, dil mein sochta hun
ye qadam jo khud thehertey, to kuchh aur baat hoti

Shamaan pae Gaiyaan - Mehr Ali Sher Ali Qawwals

Such a beautifully soulful and soothing recital.

O Mahiya, O Dhola, O Soneya

Aa Ve Mahi, Je tu naraz theo nai, tede lakh ehsan manesaan

Aa ve, aa ve, aunda vekh ke, te manevan sajde, o tede bhaj bhaj qadm chumaesaan

Aa ja Shama Pe Gaiyaan 

Mein tak ni aan raah ve, ve mahiya, ve biba, 

Tu aanvi ya na aavin, Tak ni aan rahaan ve

Ve mein mahiya, mein roz azal di, Tak ni aan rahaan ve

Cheti cheti aa ve, Cheti cheti aa ve, hun aa vi jaa
Ve ankhiyan ni ro gaiyan, ve nabzaan khlo gaiyan
Meinu tere vaikh ne da chaah, Sanvla tu cheti cheti aa......

Ve aa jaa shamaan pae gaiyan.........O Aa ja Shama Pe Gaiyaan ...

Mehr Ali & Sher Ali Qawwal

The magic of Shanti Hiranand (Padma Shri)

The first time that I heard Shanti Hiranand sing she swept me off my feet. The warmth of her voice, the subtle emphasis of expressions, the attention to impeccable pronunciation of the beautiful Urdu poetry she sings, and finally the unhurried andaaz, all reached out and touched me. She makes me proud to simply know that there are the likes of her out there today paying attention to such details and keeping the art alive and well. I hope and wish that she has similar disciples whom she is training to become future Shanti Hiranands and Begum Akhtars with their very own unique twist. Enjoy!