Iqbal Bano: another loss for Pakistani Arts

Another sad loss for Pakistan’s artist fraternity this week was the sad demise of Iqbal Bano, renowned classical singer of Urdu ghazal. While the world remembers magical combinations of beautiful lyrics and her melodious voice that left an indelible mark on the hearts and souls of listeners there are many in Pakistan who view her as one of the last bastions of artistic resistance against dictatorships in Pakistan. Her best known works include renditions of poems of famous poet and revolutionary, Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

Like Habib Jaalib who never hesitated representing the oppressed in Pakistan, at a time when General Zia-ul-Haq’s military dictatorship was at its worst Iqbal Bano sang at a festival in Lahore to a crowd of 50,000. She became a cult figure under Zia regime in the 1980s when she sang songs banned by the government. Her rendition of Faiz's poem Hum Dekhenge caused quite a stir and landed her in trouble with the military authorities but made her an immensely popular singer. Classical Urdu singing has traditionally been for the pleasure of elites in the subcontinent, but Iqbal Bano’s singing of Faiz broke those boundaries and she became popular with the masses. Like Naheed Siddiqui and Habib Jaalib she faced the wrath of the military authorities who barred her from official concerts but she kept her music alive by singing at private parties.

To remember Iqbal Bano I am embedding this video courtesy YouTube. Below the video I have reproduced the famous poem by Faiz with an English translation by Ghazala.





Hum dekhenge

Lazim hai ke hum bhi dekhenge
Wo din ke jis ka wada hai
Jo lauh-e-azl mein likha hai

Jab zulm-o-sitam ke koh-e-garan
Rooi ki tarah ur jaenge
Hum mehkoomon ke paaon tale
Ye dharti dhar dhar dharkegi
Aur ahl-e-hakam ke sar oopar
Jab bijli kar kar karkegi

Jab arz-e-Khuda ke kaabe se
Sab but uthwae jaenge
Hum ahl-e-safa mardood-e-harm
Masnad pe bethae jaenge
Sab taaj uchale jaenge
Sab takht girae jaenge

Bas naam rahega Allah ka
Jo ghayab bhi hai hazir bhi
Jo manzar bhi hai nazir bhi
Utthega an-al-haq ka nara
Jo mai bhi hoon tum bhi ho
Aur raaj karegi Khalq-e-Khuda
Jo mai bhi hoon aur tum bhi ho

We shall Witness
We shall Witness
It is certain that we too, shall witness
the day that has been promised
of which has been written on the slate of eternity

When the enormous mountains of tyranny
blow away like cotton
Under our feet- the feet of the oppressed
- when the earth will pulsate deafeningly
and on the heads of our rulers
when lightning will strike.

From the abode of God
When icons of falsehood will be taken out,
When we- the faithful- who have been barred out of sacred places
will be seated on high cushions
When the crowns will be tossed,
When the thrones will be brought down.

Only The name will survive
Who cannot be seen but is also present
Who is the spectacle and the beholder, both
I am the Truth- the cry will rise,
Which is I, as well as you
And then God’s creation will rule
Which is I, as well as you

Pakistani poets in struggle for democracy - II: English translation of some of Habib Jalib's poems

In my hand I hold a pen,
in my heart the light of consciousness.
How can your forces of oppression ever win?

In response to my last post about Habib Jalib I was asked if there were any translations of his poetry available in English. Here is a small representative selection of English translations of his work.

I copy below a translation of one of his most mutinous (according to ruling dictators of the time in Pakistan) poems "Dastoor" also famous as "Main Nahin Maanta" - literally "I refuse to accept". You can also watch the great man reciting the poem in this video

I refuse to Accept

The light which shines only in palaces
Burns up the joy of the people in the shadows
Derives its strength from others’ weakness
That kind of system,
like dawn without light
I refuse to acknowledge,
I refuse to accept

I am not afraid of execution,
Tell the world that I am the martyr
How can you frighten me with prison walls?
This overhanging doom,
this night of ignorance,
I refuse to acknowledge,
I refuse to accept

“Flowers are budding on branches”, that’s what you say,
“Every cup overflows”, that’s what you say,
“Wounds are healing themselves”, that’s what you say,
These bare-faces lies,
this insult to the intelligence,
I refuse to acknowledge,
I refuse to accept

For centuries you have all stolen our peace of mind
But your power over us is coming to an end
Why do you pretend you can cure pain?
Even if some claim that you’ve healed them,
I refuse to acknowledge,
I refuse to accept.

Translation of another example of his revolutionary poems used sometimes very effectively by media during the struggle for democracy under General Musharaf's dictatorship is produced below. This video is an example of how media used his poetry for political messaging.

So I said this to him…

So I said this to him:
“Your 100 million people,
are ignorance personified,
Their minds have gone to sleep,
And every ray of hope,
Has been lost in the darkness,
It is completely true,
They are the living dead,
Completely unaware,
A disease of life itself,
And YOU hold in YOUR hands,
The cure for all their ills”

So I said this to him:
“You are the light of God,
Wisdom personified,
The Nation is with you,
And it is only through YOUR grace,
That the nation can be saved,
You are our morning bright,
After you there is only night,
The few who dare speak out,
Are simply mischied-makers,
You should tear out their tongues,
And throttle them on sight!”

So I said this to him:
“Those eloquent with pride,
Their tongues are silent now,
There is calm now in our land,
Oh what a difference there is!,
between today and yesterday,
People are in prison today,
At their very own expense”

So I said this to him:
“China is our friend,
We’d give our lives for her,
BUT the system that they have,
Let’s steer well clear of that,
From far off say ‘Salaam’,
The hundred million asses,
referred to as ‘the masses’,
How could they become rulers!,
Of this there is no doubt,
And my only prayer now is,
That you’ll always be our boss”

There are some more English translations of Jalib's poetry available at this site.