The soothing balm of music

Veteran singer Gurdas Maan tells us what made him sing shabad of Guru Gobind Singh

August 11, 2017 01:47 pm | Updated 01:47 pm IST

REALISTIC TAKE Gurdas Mann

REALISTIC TAKE Gurdas Mann

He was feeling miserable in the searing heat of Punjab but he chose to go ahead with the outdoor shooting of a short yet significant music video. For Gurdas Maan, veteran singer who likes mitigating the suffering of his people in his inimitable voice, pushing a lorry riddled with firewood while singing was a small sacrifice to pay for Mittar Pyare Nu , a music video from the album Punjab .

“The agony was akin to a roti being baked in tandoor. But hot weather was a small discomfort in comparison to the enormous pain which victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots had undergone. During shooting, I kept in mind the pain, suffering, wailing and turbulence faced by innocent lives. We could not have projected their sorrow, helplessness while sitting inside air conditioned studio. This is our tribute to martyrs. We have made the album as we want relatives of victims to get their dues,” says Maan, on the sidelines of screening of the video at Film Division Auditorium in Delhi.

Directed by his son Gurickk G.Maan, the emotional video released on YouTube shows the resilience of the Sikh community which has bounced back despite being targeted during the Partition and the riots that occurred in Delhi and other cities after the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Gurdas Mann with his son Gurickk G. Mann in New Delhi

Gurdas Mann with his son Gurickk G. Mann in New Delhi

Describing Mittar Pyare Nu as a Sikh religious hymn, he says, it is a shabad by the tenth guru Guru Gobind Singh, who recited it in the Machhiwara forest. “At that time, Guruji was in the middle of a battlefield. And he was without the company of his loved ones. Despite enduring such hardships, Guru Gobind Singhji yearned for Waheguru, as the connection with the guarding-spirit is the strongest of all.”

Any similarities? “In the video, I am also facing a similar situation as I see corpses lying around as people have been massacred. Despite the provocation, the message of this shabad is of peace and tolerance. It is not directed against any community. There is no negativity in the album as peace is the need of hour. We do not want such incidents to occur anywhere in the world. That is the reason why the small girl who after growing up tells the United Nations that such incidents should never be repeated anywhere in the world.”

First hand experience

Recounting his personal experience of being an eye witness to 1984 anti-Sikh riots where he had a close shave, he says: “My driver Tejpal and I were in a matador. He was driving quite fast as the riots had erupted. A police vehicle was closely following us. As soon as we entered the city, the police overtook us and put a revolver on the head of Tejpal asking him to come out. The cop inquired who was inside and from where we have been coming from. He took my name. Cops flung torch over my face and saw me. They said we have been over speeding. We said the situation was such that we wanted to reach early. It was a miracle that we survived as our matador created panic among the cops. During those days, order was to shoot anyone who was creating riot. Seeing such incidents, I had sung a song of my beloved Punjab being uprooted by mayhem. All the bitterness inside me translated into lyrics.”

Pointing out that music has no boundaries, Maan says: “If any song appeals to your senses, then you feel nice. Such is the power of music that it cuts across language, country and faith. When lyrics are written by the Almighty or those penned by spirituality blessed individuals it brings solace to everyone. Vani hamein suqoon deti hai .”

Noting that he grew up hearing heart rendering stories of the Partition, Maan says: “Stories that we have heard of the Partition were shown in my film Shaheed-e-Mohabbat Boota Singh . It was showed what happens in the lives of Boota Singh (played by Maan) and his beloved Zainab (Divya Dutta). It was based on a true story. Those who do not know about sacrifices of our heroes should study history and respect martyrs.”

Insisting that his latest musical video, which is grabbing eyeballs in India and Pakistan, should not be seen from the political prism, Maan says: “This has nothing to do with the government at the Centre. It is a historical fact which needs to be reiterated. It also reflects the 1947 holocaust. But I am looking for closure. The message that people irrespective of their faith need to live in peace with their neighbour is important for everyone.”

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