Sufi in the Heart of Punjab
In Punjab, apart from Sikhism, the history of Punjab has Sufism playing a very important role. The western part of Punjab is majorly influenced by Sufi Saints and Sufi Pirs. With time the trend of Sufi singing has certainly increased as people have started to like it but still, the condition of the artists remain the same. The shrines in this region of Punjab is called as ‘low’ caste Dalits. Since then the Dalit community takes care of the Sufi shrines. Ali is a Punjabi Sufi singer and has a versatile group of people who are very talented. Ali himself is a music teacher and Head of Department in Patiala University, Punjab.
Rabba mere haal da mehram tu”
(You are the only one who understands my feelings)
“Jo Kuchh baab mere dukh darde, hai kee khabar kise nun”
(No one knows how much pain my sorrows give)
So yo jane kadar mohammad tanman lagdi jaenoon”
(Only the one who experiences it, understands the pain)
“Mula Jithay baajh preet lagaee”
(Lord, where u have fixed my living)
“Hoga jis hoorna”
(Things that have to occur will happen)
“Hasan kheedan yaad na rha piya omer da rona”
(forgot how to laugh and play and sorrow)
“Ander toon hia bahir too hai”
(You are inside me you outside of me)
Ali wants to spend all his life singing the Sufi songs and making people hear them. He and his group want to surrender themselves to the one Almighty and wish to stay like that always. He loves to sing Qawaali of Abida, the song of Nusrat Fateh Ali, Ghulam Ali, etc. Sufism spreads the message of spiritual harmony in society and there can be no other better medium than music to carry forward this philosophy. Ali and his group love to sing songs inspired by the works of legendary Sufi poets like Bulle Shah, Mirza Ghalib, Rumi, Kabir and Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Sufi has different forms like Qawwali, Kafi and Ghazal.
“Ochee jah dil noo lagaya”
(I fall in love with the ultimate lover, which is my LORD)
“Paree mosibat bharee”
(and this is immensely difficult)
“Yaaran baaj mohammad bakhsha kaun kare damkhari
“(God is kind, my friends are around me who share my grief and sympathise with me)
“Wichoo attish baharoo khaki”
(fire from within dust from outside)
“Jee aik aah dard jee maran hoda mulak weranee”
(The pain of desire has rendered me alone in the country)
“Khokhafa tay sabzay sarday nade rahay naa pane”
(all seasons, green, snow, river have no value to me)
“Kahe hussain faqir nimmana main nahin sub tu”
(Helpless Hussain can only say All this is your energy, not mine)