SILENCE OF SITAR

Silence of the Sitars

 by Nader Khan

 

 September 29, 2017

 

in Features, Latest Issue, Sep 29 - Oct 05, 2017 Vol. XXIX, No. 34

 

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Shad Muhammad Ustad at a hujra gathering

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Once popular in the Hujra style of music in the Pashto language cultural sphere, the age-old stringed instrument Sitar has been disappearing from the stage. Instead, it has been widely replaced with another stringed musical instrument, the Rabab.

This long-necked stringed musical instrument is made of mulberry wood. The body is carved from a single block with a thin wooden table and a very low bridge about the height of a long stick. The strings pass over this bridge and are often fixed to a metal eye at the bottom of the body. The mulberry wood neck of the instrument is fixed to the body and there is a mulberry nut at the top leading to wooden winders for the strings.

Like the Rabab, the Sitar was a vital stringed instrument of Pashto Hujra music. It was played in the tea houses of Chitral to the accompaniment of beautiful poetry. The Chitrali sitar was a popular musical instrument, not only in Chitral itself but also in the Ghizar, Gilgit and Hunza regions, and more broadly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Afghanistan.

Though it is still popular in Chitral’s musical shows, the sitar is now rarely, if ever, used in the music enjoyed by Pakhtuns at gatherings today.

Zainullah, one of the prominent Sitar players of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Charsadda district – one of the last few to be found playing this instrument – tells me a possible reason why most music-lovers have now switched over to the Rabab. “It is because the Rabab produces around double the sound when compared to the more subtle Sitar. Those who still love the Sitar now exist in various rural areas.”

The Rabab has greatly outstripped the Sitar in terms of popularity amongst audiences in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

He continues: “There was a time when, without the Sitar, Hujra music was simply considered incomplete. But with the passage of time, as the Rabab began to take over from Sitar, experts of the latter have either passed away and or simply disappeared from the scene.” He goes on to name musicians like Wahab Gul of district Swabi and Shad Mohammad Ustad of district Mardan as having been among the more prominent Sitar players. In particular, Shad Muhammad Ustad was a big name in this field. Unfortunately much of his work has been lost. It was not preserved by the relevant cultural departments. Pakistan Television Peshawar station and Radio Pakistan are among those who ought to be considered responsible for that loss – it seems nobody cared enough to preserve his style of sitar-playing.”

Zainullah further tells me that the Deputy Director of the Culture Department had assured him that he would open an academy for him but so far no steps had been taken for the preservation of this musical instrument and that was the reason that it was dying in Pashtun cultural music.

Kirran Khan, a renowned Pashto singer, while commenting on the downward trend of Sitar in contemporary Pakhtun music, offers another reason for the decline of the sitar: “Experts with the Sitar are demanding high rewards. Such costs force singers to record their songs without the sounds of a Sitar. We have still some good Sitar players, like Gohar Jan, Waqar Attal, Zainullah and some others. But people have little interest in the music of Sitar now, and that is why it is disappearing from musical shows.”

Waqar is another Sitar expert, who is also running his own Academy. He says that he can teach both Sitar and Rabab, but most of his students are interested in the Rabab. This observation, of course, fits in with the general trends mentioned earlier. “For our part, we are struggling to revive this old stringed musical instrument alongside the Rabab. We do try to include it in every show but audiences have very clear preferences – and those are not in favour of the Sitar anymore!”

Project Director for Revival of Indigenous Cultural Heritage Arshad Hussain expresses his disappointment with such trends.

“We have a lot of talent when it comes to Sitar players and there are older people who still remember the golden age of the Sitar.”

He says that the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Culture Department has taken a number of steps when it comes to promotion of indigenous culture. His department has allocated some Rs. 100 million to arrange events in various parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa where expert players of the Sitar would be duly encouraged to revive the old glory of this instrument.

“Experts with the Sitar are demanding high rewards. Such costs force singers to record their songs without the sounds of a Sitar”

He goes so far as to say that together the Sitar and the Rabab are the soul of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. He also says that it is the topmost priority of the government to promote both the Sitar and Rabab in Olassi Tang Takoor programs and to set up an academy to help train a younger generation of musicians.

In this context, he refers to the RICH project – which, according to the the Cultural Department, was aimed at exploring local talent with the Sitar.

We are also told that the Cultural Department would arrange some 1,600 activities in 25 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in which Olassi Music would be a major theme. For this purpose, tasks have been handed out to over 33 cultural organisations.

Tags: Culture

RELICS OF BIBI JAN GRAVE LOOTED BY ROBBERS

by Nader Khan

 

 September 21, 2018

 

in Features, Latest Issue, Sep 21-27, 2018 Vol. XXX, No. 33

 

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Once popular for its beauty, the 200-year-old tomb of Bibi Jan, a beloved consort of King Timur Shah of the Durrani Empire, is now merely restricted to its ramshackle mausoleum, in the outskirts of Peshawar. And here, some unknown robbers of heritage have dug deep into her grave – all in an effort to spirit away the relics of her body.

Bibi Jan’s grave is also known as Beejo Qabar in Pashto and is located inside the Durrani Graveyard near Wazir Bagh, just outside the walled city of Peshawar. Bibi Jan was a royal consort at the court of Timur Shah Durrani, who ruled the Durrani Empire from 1772 till his death in 1793.

Local cultural activist and expert Dr Sallah-ud-din, referring to several books on the heritage of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, tells me that there are several historical graveyards in and around Peshawar – harking back to various noble and influential houses of the past. Amongst these, the Durrani Graveyard is one of the most well-known.

Dr. Sallah-ud-din tells me that this site was probably near the summer capital of Timur Shah Durrani and later, most of his family members had been buried in this graveyard. The most visible and popular mausoleum in this graveyard is the mausoleum of Bibi Jan, beloved of the Durrani ruler.

It is deeply shocking when one sees a deep ditch inside the tomb which was built by Timur Shah Durrani in honour of his beloved consort

I walk inside the tomb to see the damaged portion. The mausoleum has two doors, which have been permanently sealed with a mud wall. A set of steps stand towards one of the windows on the north side.

Inside the mausoleum there is nothing and the grave has been dug up by robbers in search of valuable remains.

It is deeply shocking when one sees a deep ditch inside the tomb which was built by Timur Shah Durrani in honour of his beloved consort.

Amjad Hussain, US-based cardiovascular surgeon and notable historian, narrates in his book Culture of Peshawar that Bibi Jan lived near Wazir Bagh more than two hundred years ago and that, moreover, she was much loved by Timur Shah Durrani. According to him, Bibi Jan and King Timur were in love, something the first queen strongly opposed. It is said that the first queen of the King was extremely jealous towards the lovely Bibi Jan, who was going to become the second wife of Timur Shah Durrani.

The first queen referred to Bibi Jan as Beejo (Monkey) in hatred. Hence her grave later came to be known as Beejo’s Grave by her opponents.

When Timur Shah was out in the gardens (now Shahi Bagh) in Peshawar, the queen ordered Bibi Jan to drink a special drink, which was poisoned by the queen. When Bibi Jan approached Timur Shah outside, there were visible symptoms of poison on her face and eyes. Timur Shah was devastated and after Bibi Jan’s demise, he buried her in his ancestral burial grounds.

Amjad Hussain states that King Timur was the one who had the mausoleum constructed over her grave out of love. “The reason it was not decorated or even plastered by the king could be either the death of the king or something which will never be known,” he writes.

The recent horrific vandalisation of Bibi Jan’s last resting place is not the first time that such activities have happened here. In fact, the Durrani Graveyard also holds the desecrated grave of Sardar Muhammad Ayub Khan, the victor of the famed Battle of Maiwand. A number of relics were stolen from Ayub Khan’s grave in 2010.

Locals move about freely in the family graveyard and Bibi’s burial site. Upon asking, they narrate the love story of Bibi and the king much like a favourite bedtime tale – easy to read and taking on each person’s tenor.

The archaeology department is responsible for the preservation of this historical site. But on the surface it seems all but abandoned.

Local people say that a large number of visitors come here to see this graveyard and one old mosque, that of Sheikh Habib Baba. They say that they used to offer prayers in the mosque built in the Durrani era within the graveyard and most of the elders of this area are familiar with the story of Bibi Jan – narrated to them by their forefathers.

The locals tell me, also, that Bibi Jan’s mausoleum was in a better state once, and that it used to be visited by foreign tourists in the past.

When I ask Abdul Samad, Director of the Archeology and Museums Department in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa regarding renovation and repair work, he says that they hope to complete the renovation work at the earliest but that unfortunately this land belongs to the Auqaf (Religious affairs) department. He indicates that any hurdles are from that side. He goes on to inform me that his department have conveyed to them the need to hire experts from the Archeology Department and complete the work at its expense. But still the work has not been started, and he puts this down to “delay tactics”. He says that if the Auqaf Department issues a NOC (No Objection Certificate) to them, they will complete the work in the upcoming ADP.

As I inspect the desecrated grave of Bibi Jan, I notice that there were two small monuments inside the grave, reportedly for Bibi Jan’s beloved birds – which she asked at the time of her to death were to be buried near to her grave.

Kabuli Polao

Cooked in a large rice pot mixed with dry fruit, raisins and red meat, the special ‘Kabuli’ Polow (Afghan Rice) is one of the most important types of Central Asian and Afghan food that is widely loved in Peshawar and other parts of Pakistan’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. For a while now, this dish has been attracting large number of customers to Peshawar’s Qissa Khwani Bazaar and Saddar areas.

The name of the dish is derived from the Turkish Pilaf, which later became ‘Polow’ in the Persian language. The dish was loved by the former Turkic rulers who ruled vast swathes of Central Asia. In more modern times, the term changed to Kabuli Polow, which is now considered Afghanistan’s national dish. The dish requires a variety of Basmati rice and, often, a special pot. It has retained its traditional popularity in the Central Asian republics of today, not just in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It was also known to have been favoured by Mughal ruler Babur. It is said that even on his arrival in India, he was served such a Polow.

The meat component of the dish may consist of lamb, chicken, or beef. Once the rice and meat have been cooked in the large pot known as a ‘Deg’ in Pashto, it may be topped with fried sliced carrots, raisins, orange zest, and chopped nuts like pistachios or almonds. The meat is presented in a variety of ways: it may be on top, covered by the rice or completely buried in the rice mixture.

The owner of an old establishment serving the Polow, Haji Nader Khan, tells me that this is the oldest rice dish of the Pakhtun belt. He speaks with pride of the distances that people cover in order to reach his restaurant. He adds that it is quite normal for orders to reach some 100 kg of the Kabuli Polow on wedding ceremonies. And, he points out, his is not the only business to do such a roaring trade in Polow.

Serving the rice in Peshawar

On a daily basis, he can ‘save’ some Rs. 2-3,000 off each 15-kg pot of rice that his establishment preprares – and he receives hundreds of patrons each day. To his delight, an average daily sale at his restaurant is around Rs. 10,000 – of which anywhere from one-third to almost half is his daily profit.

He offers Kabuli Pulow in both the chicken and beef versions, but admits that his clientele prefers the beef whenever possible.

I ask him for an outline of the cooking process. The first step, as is often the case, involves caramelising some onion in a hot pan in oil – followed by the addition of chunks of lamb, beef or chicken. Once the meat component is lightly seared, into the pot go salt, seasonings – like cumin, saffron and cardamom – and enough water to submerge the meat. “It should boil until the meat is soaked through with flavour and tenderness!” he emphasises.

I am told that various blends of seasonings are possible, leading to any number of flavourful spices being employed. Aside from the seasonings mentioned earlier, common additions can include cloves and ‘masala’ – a local blend of ginger, garlic, onion and chilies.

Kabuli polow

He says that as soon as the meat is cooked to the chef’s satisfaction, it is removed from the stock to avoid being overcooked. Then, the basmati rice and lentils go into the pot, as they take about the same amount of time to cook. None of the rice should stick out of the broth – which will be completely absorbed by the rice and beans after the pot is covered and left over medium-low heat.

The dish is topped off with nuts, raisins, orange peel and many other items. Some people also like adding a sugar flavour to the Polow, especially on wedding ceremonies, which is known as ‘Zarda’. However the Polow with sugar added is, of course, less common as compared to ordinary Kabuli Polow.

“I frequently used to visit Qissa Khwani and Shoba Bazaar as Kabuli Polow is one of my favourite dishes. Mostly I preferred it over a number of other possible meals!” a student at Peshawar University, Salman, tells this scribe.

He adds: “Another popular place to get this dish is ‘Shinwari Polow’ situated on University Road, where you are just as likely to encounter a throng of clients.”

Once the meat component is lightly seared, into the pot go salt, seasonings – like cumin, saffron and cardamom – and enough water to submerge the meat

Gul Afzal is locally known as a popular cook for this type of rice. He says that it sometimes becomes difficult to accommodate customers for wedding ceremonies, given the effort that goes in – people love his hand-cooked Polow. He says that he charges Rs 400 per rice pot (Deg) that he cooks at wedding ceremonies and other events.

“We cannot make it to every function – and sometimes people get quite annoyed about that!” he observes.

Several times the PTI-led provincial government and local authorities have pledged to establish a ‘Food Street’ for such traditional foods of Peshawar. But so far, they have been unable to establish anything like that. Cooks and clients have their own particular spots where one may dine as Emperor Babur once would have!

Nader Khan Freedom of expression

I am agree with section three and section four of the  Frank La Rue framework which guarantee freedom of expression and freedom of opinion, but freedom of expression and opinion have also some limitations, why some of the Islamic country blocked You-Tube and some pages of face book, what were the factors which forced government to take this extreme steps to felt the material and block some websites. Every democracy knows the basic principle of freedom expression and speech as well as opinion but the international community should also put some limitations to stop those people who are damaging interfaith harmony and spreading such material and sacrilegious caricatures, which harm sentiments of the believer of Islam and any other religion.

I think that it will be not bad to stop those websites who are involved in spreading blasphemous caricatures as it is matter of serious concern and may cause severe damage to international peace and brotherhood.

i think that limitation are needed and it is in the interest of all communities to have a respect of the religious personalities and all prophets who preached to stop the people from bad things and bring evil force to on right track.

Nader Khan
Exercise three