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From music to gun and then back from gun to Coke Studio
KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 7/13/2018 5:26:41 PM
Mir-A big star with instant hit of ‘Ha Galu’
SRINAGAR, Jul 12: It has been a long journey from music to gun and then back from gun to music for Altaf Ahmad Mir of Janglat Mandi in Anantnag, now based in Muzzafarbad in PAK.
Mir became an overnight star on internet on Wednesday when Coke Studio Pakistan released a song written by popular poet of Kashmir Ghulam Ahmad Mehjoor.
Written almost 70 years back the song Ha Gulo (oh flower), a traditional folk song of love and separation is a big hit particularly among the youth.
In less than 24 hours, it was viewed on the Youtube channel by thousands of music lovers throughout the world and being shared on social networking sites.
Till 1990 Altaf Mir was living a normal life as an artisan with expertise in aari work. Because of his sweet voice he would sing at marriage and sufiyana function. In the autumn of 1990 he decided to become a militant and crossed over LoC to reach PAK to militant training but returned to Anantnag in 1995. By that time the ground situation had completely changed with renegade Ikhwan in total control with the hell of security and intelligence. Militancy was largely crushed.
Altaf Mir reached home and spent two hours there interacting with family members. Due to fear of Ikhwanis, he left his home. Mir did not take part in militancy during his one year under ground in Kashmir and went back to Muzaffarabad in 1996. He completely gave up militancy and married a local girl.
Mir was associated as a broadcaster with Radio Pakistan for a long time and these days he leads a band called 'Qasamir'. Coke Studio picked him up for singing a Kashmiri song for it.
Mir sang "Ha Gulo" to the accompaniment of the traditional 'Sarangi' and the Kashmiri 'Tumbaknari' -- two prominent musical instruments.
Kashmiris of all age groups are enthused by "Ha Gulo"-revisited as it combines nostalgia and modern trends in music.
Noted Kashmiri singer, Munir Ahmad Mir told media, "I saw it yesterday. It has a global appeal because of its folk music that is part of Kashmir's lofty culture. I am sure it will be admired by all those who love and know something about traditional music."
The song has also caught the imagination of the commoners in Jammu and Kashmir in a big way.
"This song being re-released almost 70 years after it was written by Mehjoor proves that tradition and music always have lovers provided it is done in its original form.
"I simply love it", said Abdul Gani Mir, 51, who is known as an ardent lover of Kashmiri music.
There are still others who believe the song and its video should have been restricted to only the singer and the musicians.
"The video has a little distraction," said Tariq Ahmad, 29, who belongs to north Kashmir's Ganderbal district.
The younger generation of Kashmiris who are generally seen as lovers of high voltage modern music, has also been impressed by the sheer nostalgia that the song generates.
"The song is simply mesmerising. It cuts across borders and generations as it stands out to prove that genuine music and singing have no dearth of admirers," said Irfan Ahmad, 24, who belongs to Srinagar city.
Asmat Ashai, president of US-based Funkar International, who has been closely associated with the preparations and the release of this song, said on her Facebook page on Thursday, "Kashmiri music taken to new heights by Coke Studio, Pakistan".
Ashai told media, "I am literally over the moon today. For five long years I planned to have it done by Coke Studio. The intention was to promote and introduce Kashmiri music on this prestigious platform.
"I happened to meet the CEO of Coke Studio through a friend in Lahore. I requested him to have a closer look at our music. It took five years of hard work and preparation that finally materialised in what you see today.
"I had originally planned to have the song sung by artists from both sides of the border. That, however, did not mature due to the prevailing situation between the two countries.
"Anyway, let us hope tradition and music gets us closer to each other breaking all man-made borders".