Happy Birthday, Arundhati!

All Crowns Tossed, All Thrones Toppled – The Words of Faiz Ahmed Faiz

Over in the blog that I devote to classic Indian films and related topics (such as Pakistani films), I did a post on November 20 about the 25th Death Anniversary of Faiz Ahmed Faiz.  Faiz had a few connections to some of my favorite people from classic and vintage South Asian films.  The most significant connection was his friendship with Noor Jehan (whom I talk about plenty in my other blog, because she is now my favorite singer/actress ever to be connected to old Bollywood – as well as Lollywood), but Faiz also inspired other singers (who also contributed playback singing to old films) such as Iqbal Bano.  Like Noor Jehan, Iqbal Bano sang Faiz’s songs in defiance of a ban by a right-wing government in Pakistan.  (By the way, for those who don’t know this, Faiz was a committed socialist and he did at one point participate in a conspiracy to overthrow the Paksitani government, but I think those actions didn’t present nearly as much of threat as the poetry itself.) 

I included both Noor and Iqbal in my post at the other blog, but I’ve picked Iqbal Bano’s performance as the one to repost here, not only because she was a very compelling singer in her own right, but also because I felt that this poem’s lyrics about all thrones being toppled, crowns tossed, cruetly and torture ended, and truth reigning would fit particularly nicely here. 

Hum Dekhain Gay
We shall see
Lazim Hai ke hum Bhi Dekhain Gay
It is necessary that we shall also see
Woh Din ke Jis ka Wadah Hai
That day which has been promised
Jo Loh-e-Azl pe Likha hai
Which is written with God’s ink
Hum Dekhain Gay
We shall see

Jab Zulm-o-Sitam ke Koh-e-garaan
When the mountains of cruelty and torture
Ruii ki Tarah Urd Jain Gay
Will fly like pieces of cotton
Hum Mehkumoon ke Paun Talay
Under the feet of the governed
Yeh Dharti Dhard Dhard Dhardkay gi
This earth will quake
Aur Ehl-e-Hukum ke Sar Uper
And over the head of the ruler
Jab Bijli kard Kard Kardke gi
When lightning will thunder
Hum Dekhain Gay
We shall see

Jab Arz-e-Khuda ke kabay se
When from God’s Mecca
Sab but Uthwaaiy Jain gay
All the idols will be shattered
Hum Ehl-e-Safa Mardood-e-Haram
Us people standing in the mosque
Masnad pe Bithaaiy jain gay
Will be elevated to a higher platform
Sab Taaj Uchalay jain gay
All the crowns will be tossed
Sab Takht Giraaiy Jain gay
All the thrones will be toppled

Bas Naam rahay Ga Allah ka
Then only God’s name will remain
Jo Ghayab Bhi hai Hazir Bhi
Who is both absent and present
Jo nazir bhi hai manzar bhi
Who is both the observer and the view itself
Uthay ga Analhaq ka Naara
When the anthem of truth will be raised
Jo Main bhi Hun aur Tumbhi ho
Who I am and you are as well
Aur Raaj karay gi khalq-e-Khuda
And the people of God will reign
Jo main bhi hun aur tum bhi ho
Who I am and you are as well

Hum Dekhain Gay
We shall see
Lazim Hai ke hum Bhi Dekhain Gay
It is necessary that we shall also see
Hum Dekhain Gay
We shall see

(Translation from EGO.)

Free Speech for Iranians, Not Residents of Jackson Heights!

Seems a few of my neighbors in Jackson Heights got arrested for using Twitter to help protesters, the same thing that the U.S. politicians and media were praising when it happened in Iran. Seems that these principles of freedom shouldn’t apply globally, just in vilified nations. This video nicely illustrates the contrast.

P.S. I don’t know anything about Twitter, nor do I have any curiosity about it. But it’s nice that people are using it this way.

Listen to The Coup!

Chumbawamba, “Coal Not Dole”

“It’s rough in here, but it’s rougher out there…”

Carl Sandburg, “The People, Yes”

This old poem contains so much truth for the present-day reality – almost too much to bear…

“Sag Mir Wo Die Blumen Sind”

Laal, “Umeed-e-Sahar” (lyrics by Faiz Ahmed Faiz)

Woody Guthrie, “I Ain’t Got No Home In This World Anymore”