On Sundays, most Pakistanis will turn away from their usual Indian TV consumption and catch Coke Studios on one of the many Pakistani channels that have syndicated it. I blogged about the show last year.
I wanted to share a new song that was in the second episode of the new season. The song is called Moomal Rano. I'm not familiar with the Sindhi poets and singers, so here's the description from the Coke Studios website:
Shah Jo Raag fakirs from Bhit Shah take centre stage with 'Moomal Rano', a sur from Shah Jo Raag Risalo. As they sing and chant 'Moomal Rano', the fakirs also mark a monumental first of collaborating their unique five-stringed dhamboora with western instruments.
The singers are natives to Bhit Shah, an area in the Sindh province that is known for the great poet Abdul Latif Bhithai. The men singing the sur are known as fakirs. The term fakir means many things. In colloquial Urdu, it can be used as a derogatory term for a street beggar. In the best sense, a fakir is someone who dedicated his/her time for the worship of God and lives a fairly ascetic life. From what I'm told, you can catch the fakirs performing at the tomb of Abdul Latif Bhitai.
The sur and translation follow…
O mian, Allah mian…
O God, my Lord
(repeat)
Russ ma russan ghoryo
Even if you are upset with me, I am still willing to lay down my life for you
Chudd raana raida-ee
My lord, speak to me once again
Lapay tij latif chay, kamil khachaie
My lord, forgive your Latif for all his faults and mistakes
Oooooo kar maaf madai
Forgive all the mistakes
Ta sodha sukhiyani theeyaanm mian
I will only be at peace when my Lord will reciprocate my love
O Allah, kar maaf madai
My lord, forgive all my faults
Waee (Vai)
Ao rana ruh raat tunjhi chaangul khay chandan chariyaan
My lord, stay with me tonight and I'll make sure that the Beast (camel) you ride is taken care of as well
Raatiyaan deehaan rooh-a mein tann tunhinjhi taat
My lips move all the time remembering you, be it day or night
Waithi nit niharyaan
I sit, gazing into the distance waiting for your return
Acheen jay pirbhaat
Waiting till the wee hours of the morning
Mookhay aeen mehndra waee tuhjhi waat
It is only the song of your remembrance (waee) that I have on my lips, my Lord
Adyun, Abdul Latif chaee daatar deedum daat
O sisters, the Lord will be forgiving and will shower his blessings on Latif
(Shah Jo Risalo by Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai)
(Lyrics and translation by Mohammad Qasim Maka, professor and director Institute of Sindhology)
