Yaron Mera Shikwa hi Bhala Kijiye os se - Khwaja Meer Dard

Ustad Manzoor Ahmed Khan Niazi Qawwal was the original leader of the Qawwal Bachay gharana that migrated to Karachi from Delhi. In the early years the party consisted of vigorous stalwarts including Ustad Bahauddin Khan and Munshi Raziuddin. By the time of this recital, his primary companion was his able son Abdullah Niazi who soon after succeeded the father in leading the qawwal party. The robust voice here is that of Abdullah, however the gentler atmosphere is created more by the older voice of Manzoor saheb who keeps dropping in and leading.

Yaron mera shikwa hi bhala kijiye os se
Mazkoor kisi se ja kijiye os se

Joon joon vo rooke hein to yaheen aven hein jeenein
Bas chherdiye aur baatein suna kijiye os se

Sao baar ye hi thehr chun ki ab se na miliye
Yun bhi to nahin banti hai, kya kijiye os se

Beyzaar agar mujh se ho, mukhtar ho sahab
Dil jiss se miley apna, mila dijiye os se

Ham kehta na thae Dard, mian chord ye baatein
Paayi na saza, aur wafaa kijiye os se

~ Khwaja Meer Dard

beautiful girahs:

Bhulata laakh hun, laikin barabar yaad aate hein
Ilahi tark-e-ulfat per vo kyonker yaad aate hein

Haqeeqat khul gayi Hasrat, terey tark-e-muhabbat ki
Tujhe vo ab to pehle se bhi bardh ker yaad aate hein

Nahi aati to yaad un ki mahino tak nahin aati
Magar jab yaad aate hein, to aksar yaad aate hein
~ Moalana Hasrat Mohani
---

Ye keh ker os but-e-kaafir ne nazrein pher leen mujh se
Muhabbat kerne wala reham ke qabil nahin hota

----

Justa hai hum se dur, hamara qusoor hai
Kyon chand keh ker tujh ko falak par chardha diya
Ker ker key minnatein teri aadat bigaard di
Daanista ham ne tujh ko sitamgar bana diya

----

Ham ishq mein musarrat o gham daikhte nahin
Dil de chukey, to dil ka bharam daikhte nahin
Ponhchi hai iss maqaam pe manzil ki aarzoo
Murd ker ke bhi apna naqsh-e-qadam daikhte nahin

----

Tori Surat Ke Balhari Nizam - Amir Khusrau

Today on the demise of Qawwal Manzoor Niazi, I'd like to honour him by posting this beautiful Khusrau poem sung by his party some 40 years ago. Niazi saheb was one of  the old stalwarts of the world of qawwali and brought with him the treasures of Dilli Gharana to Karachi, Pakistan soon after partition. Not only did he bring the words of sufi poets and saints but also some of the most fabulous qawwals that Pakistanis witnessed over the next five decades. Among the original party were the likes of Bahauddin saheb, Iftekhar Ahmed Khan Nizami, Munshi Raziuddin and the then junior Ustad Naseeruddin Saami who continues to enthrall audiences with his khayal singing today.

In 2010, at the request of Musaf Bin Noor, I searched my collection and found this interesting old recording of Khusrau's kalam "Tori Surat Ke Balhari" which includes the old party from Karachi.
While the lead is Manzoor Ahmed Niazi Qawwal from 1975 the prominent voices of Munshi Raziudding and Naseeruddin Saami are distinct. I am a little skeptical about the date of the recording as this group was apparently singing together prior to 1966. It is also possible that the recording is simply labelled incorrectly and does not include the complete old qawwal party of Manzoor saheb. Nonetheless if Asif bhai, Munsaf or anyone else like Abu Muhammad or Abdullah Niazi wish to comment on this, you are quite welcome. Probably the rest of you can recognize the other voices quite easily. I only request you all to be respectful toward all involved in your comments. Many thanks.



Beholding your countenance, I offer myself in sacrifice (balhari)
All the other girls saw my soiled chundar,
And together they laughed at me.
This springtime, dye my chundar for me (rang do)
O protect my honour(laj) (Nijam, Beloved)! ...
Who can win against mother-in-law or sister-in-law?
I pine for your support.
Everyone knows how you and I are linked:
Is my honour different from yours, (Nijam, Beloved?)

"These lines from Tori surat, also by Amir Khusrau (Repertoire No3), express mystical love through a young woman longing to offer herself up in utter devotion, depending for her very existence, her honour (laf), on the Beloved's protection. Her soiled garment, covering her head and chest ..." 
Regula Qureshi - Sufi Music from India and Pakistan

عدم سے لاٗئ ھے ھستی میں

عدم سے لائی ھے ہستی میں آرزوئے رسولؐ ۔ حضرت بےدم شاہ وارثیؒ