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Going into Ghazals in a Big Way

A famous local ghazal exponent speaks on his forte

By Fayza Haq
MESBAH Uddin Ahmed who had a captive audience for an hour at the Alliance Fran^aise recently, says. "1 have always been into serious music with good lyrics go straight to your heart. Poetry’ Is my passion. I write ghazals in Bangla. some of which are being recorded at Music Man Studio to be used in different TV channels like 'I' and 'ETV’.“
Speaking about his entry into the domain of ghazal,Mesbah says. "I began learning classical music with Niaz Mohammed Chowdhury who is a famous subcontinent artiste and with whom 1 have studied for 10 years, but basically I was always interested in ghazals after 1 got a Mehdi Hassan cassette which included the songs Ranjish hi sahi dil he dukhaney ke llye aye. 1 was also strongly influenced by Jagjeet Singh whose songs are nonpareil in my opinion, and with whom I've performed on stage in Dhaka I also have accompanied Mehdi Hassan in ghar-ivana performances and have shown him my’ ly’rics for which he had good words. Jagjeet Singh is my praan purush shapna purush.
Tracing down his education in music he says. "1 began with Ustad Mlnhajuddin Khan and then leant under Hassan Ikra-mullah Saheb I was also influenced by cassettes of ghazals and 1 take pride In my own collections which include songs by Ahmed Hassan and Mohammed Hussain Khan. Hussain Bakhsh. Farida Khanum, Ablda Perveen, who are mostly’ from Pakistan have all influenced me. It is not enough to sing Rajta rajta or being able to imitate masters in Hindi or Urdu does not make one a ghazal singer, he she must know about sher and shaeri or the stanzas have to be maintained. Radiv' which is the Une of bridge such as Ranjish his sahi should be sung with passion and dedication.
You talk atoiil'biaatt things 1 in a ghazal but go back to the connecting line
"In TV and in radio, there is poor patronage of ghazal in Bangladesh, as you know. People do practice this genre and there are followers and students too. People will listen to private recitals but publicly show a tremendous refrain and contempt for it. This is hypocritical but ce'st la vie.”
Elaboratiing on the history of ghazals, Mesbah says. "Au-rangzeb brought in the word Urdi in his court cultural gath-
erings from which people got 'Urdu' a camp language for the whole of Pakistan. Emerging from the songs of Amir Khurao In the Middle Ages, ghazals tracked down to Hindustan. Our classical songs are not sung in Bangla on TV. Take raag yaman in Sakhi .. pia bi na in Uchchanga Sangeet is purely Hindi. If we are prepared to listen to them, what crime have ghazals done? I have great admiration for Bangla which has seen a renaissance of its own after the Liberation of Bangladesh. I don’t question its importance but side by side we shouldn’t shun other cultures any language^ jvbich Hafve prevailed here before. In the recent Fete de la Musique at L’AUiance Franchise, some spoke of music sems Jrontiers. and 1 think we should follow that. If one can watch Zee channel and PTV. ghazals shouldn’t be a 'no no'. Many TV producers have ghazal majlis all night but will not officially encourage it. and it s a pity. We require patronage to promote this genre of music.
Speaking more on ghazals. Mesbah says. "I've been professionally singing for 12 years. I tried to master the language and
accent. Basically I m an emotional person: when it rains or a breath of gentle breeze touches my cheeks iny heart leaps up'. 1 know people who don't know the language that well and yet they are deeply touched by the soul pitch of ghazals.”
Asked which were his favourites, Mesbah say’s. These are those of Jagjeet Singh as 1 like both his compositions and his voice, and of course. 1 adore those sung by Mehdi Hassan. Meri lanhiyon mujhkgo leylo-gey mercy seeney sey.Mai ghabra gaya hun is tarha ro ro kar jeeney sey written by Prem Warwartani. Another l^j^p^p haln Jeeney sey.. ( Ek roz tumhain dekhengey maang key Khuda sey.
Focusing on his favourite raags and taals, Mesbah says. "1 like raag darbari best and 1 have a great weakness for dadra in taals as they both convey intense emotional depths.
At this juncture. Mesbah adds. "Ghazal singers of my generation, I myself being 29. had eager to learn and know more about the genre. We need classical singing as basis for progress. Singers should master the language somewhat so that
s/he appreciates the Intensity of the emotions and thoughts expressed in these particular songs. When the singer can feel the Intensity of the thoughts expressed In ghazals only then can she/he convey the same feelings to the listeners. Ghazals are audience-related. When it began in the royal courts, (hey were meant to entertain, and today they have the same purpose as well."
"Here I would like to add that ghazals presented by the same singer, but at different times and occasion have diverse effect. Merely by organising a big sale of tickets and having large posters may draw an amazing number In the audience but that does not necessarily mean that vital wordings in ghazals have been pronounced well, I believe that ghazal singers are more emotional than other singers In the east. Again. I don't believe that Bangla ghazals can have the same impact as Urdu ones, as translations are difficult to handle even if you know both Bangla and Urdu quite well in order to share the poignant emotions presented in ghazals. If the singer understands the songs well, and as a consequence the presentations will be adequate as ghazals have direct communication with the audience. Music in the Moghul days was for entertainment and today too that is its ultimate purpose and it will remain so for years to come. The Dhaka audience does not necessarily detect the flaw in pronunciation. the lack of munshlana and the absence of containing the purity of ghazals in the mind of the performer. A singer in this genre must necessarily be more emotional and dedicated than those of parallel geets or sangeets. When you sing, Meri tanhaaiyon rnujh ko lagalo merey siney sey.. is larha ro ro keJiney sey, the poet's line should move your your heart. The tune also should move you. The singer must magically transform himself into a part of the ghazal that is presented.
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People here wish to here well-known ghazals but I do not present ditto copies but prefer to have some elements of my own my renderings. I do not enjoy singing like the cassette recordings for that would be 'old wine in a new bottle'. I cannot, for instance, sing better than Gho-lam All, so why attempt to do so? My rendition should be that of my own. Even when Jagjeet Singh performs his mood and presentation will vary with the place and time. Ghazal don't have notations."