I've just discovered this rather interesting collection of blogs discussing Bulleh Shah at some length. This community is abuzz with a new song by this sikh delhi dude [Rabbi Shergill] based on Bulleh's 'kee jana mein kaun'. I heard the last minute or so on the tv the other day, and I wasnt able to make my mind up whether I really liked it or not. Its currently being downloaded, thanks to coolgoose.
Its times like these when I dialup is just so painful. Here I am, on the verge of discovering what is perhaps the best thing to happen to Bulleh after i set my junoon albums ablaze, and the 5.0 KB/s is proving to be a unbearable pain.
So how DID i discover
Rabbi Shergill ?
Light Within
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DesiMediaDog
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Google
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Rambling on
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Update:
Having had some time to mull over this, i think i finally have an answer to what i think of this song. Since my posting though, Rabbi's song has been causing quite a stir in Pakistan, I even heard it on FM89 the other day.
First off, more than anything else what hits you is the lyrics, good old bulley shah cant be beat at that. In particular, it though the endearingly coy '
mein ta na koi hoor siiyaana' was conflicting with rest of the theme - but in a way that made it all the more meaningful and poignant.
About what Rabbi shergill has done, in the very least - it is a massive, massive improvement to the desecreation that Junoon came up with, and he holds truer to the poetry as well (not replacing bulla with bulleya - but thats just a detail), and going through the whole kafi, he obviously makes the whole exsersise much more meanigful that the two-bit popsy crap that ali azmat screeched out.
But while the composition is interesting, very different and simple, i dont think i can say i really like it. What makes this song a keeper for me is just the fact that its got bulleh shah's (i've just noticed how i spell his name differently each time) poetry in it, and not so much the music itself.
oh well..
Btw. should you be looking for the lyrics to bullah kee jana,
this site has it in the original punjabi (in arabic script).
the university blogger offers this translation:
Bulla Ki Jaana Main Kaun
Says Bulla,
who knows who I am!
I am not in the mosque of the believer,
Nor in false rites.
I am not in the pure or the impure.
Neither Moses nor Pharaoh.
Says Bulla, who knows who I am!
I am not in the vedas or holy books,
Not in drug or wine.
Not in the drunkards wasted intoxication,
Not in wakefulness or sleep.
Says Bulla, who knows who I am!
I am not in sorrow nor in joy,
Neither in clean nor unclean.
I am not water, I am not earth,
I am not fire, I am not air.
Says Bulla, who knows who I am!
I am not from Arabia or Lahore,
Nor from India or Nagaur.
Neither a hindu or muslim from Peshawar,
Nor do I live in Nadaun.
Says Bulla, who knows who I am!
I cannot be unearthed in the mysteries of religion.
I was not born of Adam and Eve.
I am not the name I assume.
I am not in stillness, not in movement.
Finally, I only know myself.
I cannot know any other.
Who could be wiser than I?
Bulla asks, who then, stands here?
Says Bulla, who knows who I am!
The whole Rabbi Shergill album 'rabbi' is also now online: RabbiIts been removed from the site, if you do know a place where album still is up - a comment might be helpful for many.