Mystic Music: Sufi, Bhakti, And Spiritual Folk

GeetaKashyap · Dec 2, 2018

@Gauri03,

You have started a very nice thread. Many of these songs are so sublimely melodious that without even bothering for lyrics or meanings I have enjoyed them for ages. Now through this thread I may get to understand the lyrics too.

Piya Haji Ali
Film: Fiza
Singer: A R Rahman.

khuda apne valiyon se hota hai raazi
God approves of the actions of His friends
milegi ye dar se hamein sarfarazi
from this door, we get empowerment to hold our head high
yaha dil se mango ye haji ali hain
ask from the depths of your heart, this is the place of haji ali
khuda ke vali hain
he is a friend of God
shah-e-samundar, ibn-e-haider
O king of oceans, O the son of haider
shah-e-samundar, ik nazar
O king of oceans, kindly cast your eyes towards me
piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya ho
O beloved haji ali
piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya ho
tum samundhar ke dhani,
you are the wealth of oceans
baba haji ali, baba haji ali, baba haji ali,
O sage haji ali
tum samundhar ke dhani,
baba haji ali, baba haji ali,
hai tumhara dar, dar mustafa, dar murtaza, marhaba,
your door is a pious and pure door, the desired door, what a great door
piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya ho
piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya ho
noor wale, noor wale,
O the one with light
bhole bhale, bhole bhale,
O the one who is simple and innocent
noor wale, bhole bhale,
saya sab pe daal de,
cast your shadow on all of us
piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya ho
piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya ho
piya haji ali, piya haji ali,
piya haji ali, piya haji ali,
yaha hindu muslim sikh issaae, faiz paate hain,
here hindus, muslims, sikhs, christians, all achieve bounty
yaha hindu muslim sikh issaae, faiz paate hain,
ye samundar roz dar pe deta hai pehra,
this ocean guards your door daily
hai saraapa noor wala aapka chehra,
your face is absolutely full of light
piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya ho
piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya ho
do mohammed mustafa ke naam ka sadka,
donate in the name of mohammed mustafa
de do naam ka sadka,
donate in his name
do mohammed mustafa ke naam ka sadka,
de do naam ka sadka,
koi bhi maayoos is dar se nahin lauta,
nobody ever returned disheartened from this door
baba koi nahin lauta,
O sage, nobody returned like that
kis ke dil mein kya chhupa hai sab tumhe maloom hai,
what is hidden in somebody's heart, everything is known to you
kis ke dil mein kya chhupa hai sab tumhe maloom hai,
aapke faiz-o-karam bhi arsh par bhi dhoom hai
owing to your glory and gifts, there is appreciation also on the sky
baba haji ali, baba haji ali,
suno ham garibo ki iltija ham par karam keeje
kindly heed to the request of us poor souls, and shower your gifts on us
piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya ho
piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya ho
aap par saari khudaae naaz karti hai,
entire universe is proud of you
baba naaz karti hai,
O sage, proud of you
bigdi kismat aapke dar par sanwarti hai
bad luck becomes good at your door
arey kismat sanwarti hai
Oh! luck becomes better
jab talak ummeed meri bar na aayegi,
as long as my desires are not fulfilled
jab talak ummeed meri bar na aayegi,
zindagi dahleez par aansoo bahayegi,
my life will shed tears at this door
baba haji ali, baba haji ali,
baba jo bhi aapka ho chuka use kya guma hoga,
O sage, whoever has become yours, he will not carry any misgivings
piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya ho
piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya ho
haji ali
piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya ho
piya
piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya ho
haji ali
piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya ho
piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya ho
haji ali
piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya ho
ali
piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya haji ali, piya ho

Cheeniya · Dec 2, 2018

@Gauri03
A great idea Gauri. Sufi music never fails to make me look inwards. Not just Sufi music but Sufi literature too. Aldous Huxley has written extensively about the Philosophy of Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī in his book 'The Perennial Philosophy' and I have made liberal use of them in my writings. AR Rehman is a great follower of Sufism and his Sufi songs are extremely popular. Here is my selection of Sufi songs:

AR Rahman live in Sydney

AR Rahman again

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

From the movie NETAJI BOSE-THE FORGOTTEN HERO by AR Rahman

Amulet · Dec 2, 2018

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is good for treadmill walking exercise.
I can put on the ear buds, walk slowly at the beginning of the song, and push the tread faster as they go into call-&-answer part of the song. And they go on for a good half an hour, and give you a nice work out, and you'd never realize that you are working at all. Without a song like that, it would be a hard slog.

kaniths · Dec 3, 2018

Gauri03 said: ↑

spiritual folk and related genres.
Click to expand...

Now playing Sami Yusuf, so thought to drop by and share. He is a beloved in the Middle East with his East-West fusion music that which he calls the 'Spiritique' style! I had a chance to listen to him while watching the Kite Runner movie. There is this song that plays when Amir, the lead character, enters the mosque and prepares to pray. Short but got me so hooked and high. I looked it up on the internet later, my first ever exploration into music of this genre (and still continuing).

That and ARR 's Sufi music triggered interest, inspiration, and excitement that I bugged my DH to take me to the Qawwali sessions that happened around in the N.Basti neighborhood, on Thursday and Friday evenings whenever.

Here are two other songs I like...

Thank you for the thread, hope to know about the legends and build a better playlist! Keep sharing!

Shanvy · Dec 3, 2018

@kaniths sami yusuf popped on my side bar when i was looking for a old version of mast qalandar.. and his music, reaches out along with his voice...

this one.. it is praise of Prophet..

kaniths · Dec 3, 2018

Shanvy said: ↑

@kaniths

this one.. it is praise of Prophet..
Click to expand...

It is a favorite! I just didn't want to overload that post with more dumps so kinda skipped it but I'm happy you shared and the song has found it's place in the thread! Agree about his voice, smooth and compassionate, I like too.

Shanvy · Dec 3, 2018

One rendition that has been in the list of almost all singers ..be it runa laila or lata ji or kailash kher..

Runa laila was the first i heard...

followed by younger abida parveen..

- nusrat fateh ali khan..th fervor..

- the qawali duo..sabri bros...

wow @Gauri03 if not for this thread, i would never realise i have been through a period of such wonderful music, thanks to a few friends who are into this sufi, rumi, bulleh shah..

kaniths · Dec 4, 2018

Gauri03 said: ↑

Baba Bulleh Shah, was a late 17th century Sufi poet.
Click to expand...

I liked this Bulleh Shah rendition by Kavitha Seth.

(Rough translation from the internet, hope it's correct!)
Ranjha is in me, I am in Ranjha
This is my only thought
There is no me, there is only him
He is the one who pays attention to himself
Whoever dwells within us determines who we are
I have become identical with the one I love.

Meta!

Cheeniya · Dec 4, 2018

Let me tell you the story of Sant Gora Kumbhar who was a potter by profession and a great devotee of Vittala (Lord Krishna) One day, his wife Tulsi Bai left her child playing near his father to go and buy milk. Sant Gora Kumbhat was ecstatically singing the praise Vittala and stamping the clay for making pots. The child moved near his father as a thunderstorm started and accidentally fell in the mud. Sant Gora was not even aware of this as he was singing the praise of Vittala. The child fell into the mud and the father stamped his only child to death without even being aware of the child's presence in the mud.
Watch this song:

Gauri03 · Dec 22, 2018

Shanvy said: ↑

so beautiful topic and something i love..

meri pehli peshkash..

yaar ko hamne ja ba ja dekha... (how beautifully described..)

Kahin Zaahir, kahi chupa dekha...
Click to expand...

Awesome! Thanks for sharing that. Lovely mix of Farsi and Urdu. Don't know how I'd missed it all this time. Starts with a nice prayer in Farsi, (from the Internets)

manum-maa nayaz-mandi ke be to nayyaazdaara
I am needy, who needs you

gham-e-choon to naaz-nini behzaar naaz-dara
I will take for granted very dearly the sorrow of a beloved like you

tuu-e- afataab, chashman wa jamaal tust roshan
You are the sun; my eye is alight with your beauty

agar ast-o-baazgeeram be ke chashm e aaz-daaram
if I give up you, to whom will I go

Song: (Source)

Yaar ko hamne ja ba ja dekha,
Kahin zaahir kahin chhupa dekha.

Nukta-e-imaan se waaqif ho,
Chehra-e-yaar ja ba ja dekha.

Kahin mumkin hua kahin waajib,
Kahin faani kahin baqa dekha.

Deed apne ki thi use khwahish,
Aap ko har tarah bana dekha.

Dekhta aap hai sune hai aap,
Na koi uska ma siwa dekha.

Soorat-e-gul mein khilkhila ke hansa,
Shakl-e-bulbul mein chahchaha dekha.

Shama ho kar ke aur parwana,
Aap ko aap mein jala dekha.

Kar ke daawa kahin anal haq ka,
Bar sare daar wo khincha dekha.

Tha woh bartar shuma-o-ma se ‘Niyaz’,
Phir wohi ab shuma-o-ma dekha.

Kahin begaanavash nazar aaya,
Kahin surat se aashna dekha.

Kahin hai badshah-e-takht nashin,
Kahin kaasa liye gada dekha.

Kahin aabid banaa kahin zahid,
Kahin rindon ka peshwa dekha.

Kahin woh dar libaas-e-mashooqaan,
Bar sare naaz aur ada dekha,

Kahin aashiq ‘Niyaz’ ki soorat,
Seena biryaan-o-dil jala dekha.

English Translation:

I saw my beloved in all I saw,
At times revealed, hidden at times.

Been familiar with the issue of faith,
I saw the face of my beloved in all I saw.

At times a possibility, at times imperative,
At times ephemeral, at times eternal.

Inspired by the wish to see Himself,
He made Himself into every form.

He is the one who sees and hears
I saw no one other then Him.

Laughed gleefully through blooming flowers,
Crooned in nightingale’s melodious songs.

He took the forms of the candle and the moth,
And annihilated Himself in flames of His own.

At times claiming “I am the Truth”,
Witnessed his head raised on the Cross.

O ‘Niyaz’ He was beyond the bounds of `You’ and `Me’,
And yet I see Him in every `You’ and `Me’.

At times he behaved like unfamiliar,
At timed I found him familiar with the face.

At times he is the emperor in power,
At times seen with a mendicant’s begging bowl.

At times, a devout worshipper,
Lord of rakes and drunkards at times.

At times in the beloved’s attire,
He was seen throwing up His charms.

At times a lover like ‘Niyaz’,
He was seen beating his breast and heart aflame.