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SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2015(PAGE-4) BOLLYWOOD-BUZZ HERITAGE Music straddling boundaries Baili, the unexplored historic site Anil Paba traders. Whereas Baili, which was an important centre Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan, the 'Mitwa' man, is back with his third solo of trade and had settled population for a long period. The State of Jammu and Kashmir is studded with a The findings of the stone tools from the Baili area album, Muh Dikhai, a melange of various genres and styles. The Lahore- number of ancient sites/ monuments of various types besides show the culture continuity and contact of Baili based singer-composer spoke on Bollywood, music piracy and Indo-Pak that bear testimony to our rich cultural heritage. Unfor- area with other parts of India in Neolithic period. tunately, these monuments are often seen in a dilapi- Every year we celebrate 18th April as " International cultural relations to Madhumita M dated condition. However what is dismaying is the fact Monuments and Sites day"and 19th of November to 25th that the department of Archaeological Survey of India of November as "World Heritage Week".Mostly, it is cel- Classical, Sufi and Bollywood playback singer and Khan, Shafqat has often spoken of his rather strict (ASI) as well as State Archaeology department could not ebrated to make people aware about the importance of song-writer Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan from Pakistan is grandmother who ensured that the children in the fam- explore/protect all these, may be, due to their various cultural heritages and its preservation. To live the ancient once again making music waves in India with a brand ily never missed a riyaz session. "The discipline she limitations. But at the same time the efforts should be new album, Muh Dikhai, his third solo after Tabeer inculcated in me and the way she passed on anecdotes made to protect those which have a bearing on the his- (2008) and Kyun Dooriyan (2010). and stories behind the ragas and an overall holistic tory, culture and civilization of the region. Shafqat burst on the Bollywood scene in 2006 when knowledge, led me to an understanding of each ban- It is disgusting that one of the ancient sites in Udham- musician Shankar Mahadevan of the Shankar Ehsan dish. She told us everything one needed to know in order pur has been destroyed due to the apathy of ASI, state Loy trio made him sing Mitwa from Kabhi Alvida Na to carry the legacy forward and become a torch-bearer Government, district administration as well as local peo- of such a great lineage." ple. This important site of district Udhampur viz; Baili is On his new album Shafqat says situated some 11K.M North-West of Udhampur city and that it has come after a gap of five just 2K.M ahead of popularly known archaeological site years due to a busy schedule filled with travel and tour commitments. "So Kirmachi. This archaeological site was discovered by the name Muh Dikhai (showing my the author about two decades ago. The same has been face) seemed apt," he says. highlighted through this paper in the year 2001and also The album is a melange of genres papers were presented in many universities as well. I and styles, ranging from pure Sufiana also approached to the Archaeological Survey of India kalam to rock, pop, ghazal and semi- (ASI) and submitted memorandum to district adminis- classical. "I have tried my best to keep tration, even knocked the door of locals to save the the album different from the previous important site. But nobody takes pains to even visit this ones and I think I managed it to quite ancient site with the result the same has been destroyed an extent. It also has a lot of Punjabi by the locals as well as by the Government itself. Some tracks as compared to the previous time back there were rumours of establishing a Univer- ones," Shafqat says. sity campus in the said site. Soon after some locals sold the land to the builders and even the mound of ancient One of his own favourites in the period was rampaged continuously for land cultivation album is a Punjabi track by Mohan It is pity, that in some area of this ancient site, the Gov- Singh with the eponymous title. ernment is going to establish a " Nursing Training Cen- Except for two tracks, the rest in the tre" after destroying the ancient mounds. At present, only seven have been composed by the the remains of one of the oldest temples of Udhampur singer himself and except one, writ- exist there. The temple is made of chiseled stone with- ten by him too. "There are two out use of any mortar to cement it together. This ancient arrangers who have worked on the Kehna. It became an instant hit, followed by an equally album and both are extremely talented," he informs, temple is totally at the verge of extinction, if not restored popular number, Yeh Hausla from the Nagesh Kukunoor referring to Zeeshan Haider and Sanval, with the latter to its original condition. One is surprised to see that most film Dor. Earlier, many had also heard him in Khamaj providing back-up vocals as well. of the chiseled bricks of this ancient temple of Bali have (Mora Sayyian) and Tere Bina, two tracks that Kukunoor Once the front-man of the band Fuzon which subse- been taken away by the locals and many of the chiseled had used in his film Hyderabad Blues 2 from Shafqat's quently broke off, facilitating the take-off of his solo stones of temple scattered in the vicinity of the temple. Sagar album. career, Shafqat has extensively used the social media The main features of this site is that we found stone In a career spanning around ten years in Bollywood, to unveil Muh Dikhai. "Most albums are now released tools of Paleolithic and Neolithic period including other Shafqat has had innumerable hits that include Tere first on social media and digitally as physical format artifacts of ancient period like: chert, hair pin, graftee Naina (My Name Is Khan), Bin Tere (I Hate Luv Stories), sales are at an all-time low," he informs, adding, CDs mark, pieces of bangles and shells. Besides different Kyun Mein Jaagoon (Patiala House), Dildara (Ra One), will, however, be available. kind of pottery, terra-cotta figurines, iron slage, shelling An ancient temple of 8th Century at village Baili. Darmiyaan (Jodi Breakers), Phir Le Aya Dil (Barfi), Teri Since social media is all about establishing a direct stone, weighing stone, semi precious stone, grinding Jhunki Nazar (Murder 3), Raske Bhare Tore Naina contact with and receiving feedback from fans, it only stone, okhalies and coins etc; were also found. Finding culture and tradition it is very necessary to protect and (Satyagraha), Allah Waaryiaan (Yaariyan), Manchala makes sense to promote the album through these plat- of these materials tell the nature of work in earlier times preserve the variety of priceless cultural heritage and (Hasee to Phasee) and, more recently, Main Nahi Jana forms as much as through any other medium, he feels. and depicts the socio-economic condition of the inhab- historical monuments. Do we celebrate the " World Her- Pardes (Tevar). Ask him on his mental preparations before the onset itants of this area, who maintained cultural continuity. itage Week" or " World Heritage Day" for the purpose At present, Shafqat has several Bollywood playback of the process of creating a new album, he observes: "I Such types of multi-cultural sites have also been found for which it meant? If, not then who will save our nation- assignments in the pipeline but says he cannot reveal knoommendations where he tries something new, he in other parts of India. But in the Jammu region we al wealth which is lying here and there in the form of her- them right now. says. have only one ancient site i.e Harappan site, Manda itage Is still a matter of concern? The playback experience, Shafqat says, has taught Piracy is an area of concern and Shafqat strongly across the river Chenab before this ancient site. Ancient sites, monuments and other historical him to work on different tones and sounds for different feels music labels needto join hands to get illegal web- situations in a movie. "Sometimes new producers or sites and platforms banned and that governments Most interestingly, we found some of the ancient temples etc are the most precious cultural heritage composers are hesitant to convey what they have in should take steps. "We only encourage our fans to buy caves in the vicinity of this site which also confirm the bequeathed to us. It's our moral duty to find a solu- mind. So you have to rely on your experience to read legal music. If these steps are taken seriously, the music possibility of earlier man in this region. Since the moun- tion to the several problems that confront us so that and interpret. This is something that only comes from business will be able to exist and thrive," he says. tainous , Jammu region represent a typical habitat for we can save this priceless material for the posterity. the experience of working with different music produc- He does not draw flak back home in Pakistan for the primitive man and has a dense flora and fauna, the For this, what we need is impassionate zeal, mis- ers," explains the singer who teamed up with some of being a frequent performer in India, he emphasises, atmosphere of the region is also conducive for the sub- sionary spirit and sincere and honest effort to meet the frontline music directors, including Shankar Ehsan adding that all the musicians and cultural ambassadors sistence and sustenance.

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