From: FAROOQM@trxinc.com (Mohammad Farooq)
Subject: The GOLDEN Standard: It's not uncommon!Salam and greetings.
From: Mohammad Farooq <farooqm@trxinc.com>To: <shetubondhon@onelist.com>Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2000 8:38 PM
Subject: Play the right tune, and ...Salam and greetings.
Several years ago I recall reading a news that at the height of tension between the progressive and the conservative forces in Bangladesh, some progressive, young people forced a "free" shave on a bearded moulvi passing through their territory. I can't say about their motive. But the free shave,
in all probability, did not win that person's heart. If we want to vent our anger or frustration, that's one thing. But if we want to make other people open up and respect our own feelings, the right way might be that don't pull, or offer "free" shaving of, beards of others. Rather: PLAY the right
tune, AND WIN the heart.
That's what I realized from an incident involving Sher-e-Bangla Fazlul Huq, as described by one of the Bangladeshi icons, Abul Mansur Ahmed in his book, Bangladesher culture.
"Like breathing and our emotions to love and cry, attraction to music is part of human nature. One can't just put a lid on it. ... Being abandoned in homes and in the civic society, music sought its survival in the streets of village, in open fields of rural areas, or even in forests.
Thus, as far as role and status of music as a part of our national culture is concerned, an age of stark darkness fell in the last one hundred years' history of Pak-Bangla. ....
Toward the second decade of the twentieth century, there was a new dawn. During this period of Khilafat- and Proja-Andolon, after such as long time music unveiled itself in the gatherings of Muslims in the form of Ghazal, religious songs, songs of farmers and labors and the songs of liberation. Even there, initially, there was objection against using Harmoniums. However, like the rising sun pushes away the curtain of darkness and fog, all those objections gradually gave in as Nazrul Islam, Golam Mostafa, Jasimuddin and Abbasuddin appeared in the stage.
This public appearance of music constitutes an important chapter in the cultural history of Bangladesh. It is not important to have masters of classcial music from Lucknow or Delhi appearing in the courts of Nawabs and Zaminders. What is really important is to establish music in the public life as a part of social culture. That's exactly what happened with the emergence of Nazrul-Abbas. Even the most orthodox anti-music Ulama (religious scholars) became mellowed toward music. I can't resist the temptation of giving the account of one incident.
There was to be a Milad Mahfil at the home of Huq Saheb (Fazlul Huq) in Calcutta. After the the Milad was duly performed in Arabic-Urdu, but before distributing the sweets, Huq Saheb asked Abbasuddin to play music. Abbasuddin was hiding in the next room with his harmonium. At the call of Huq Saheb, he presented himself before others and said Selamalemkum. His attendant quietly placed the Harmonium in from of him. With the chorus of "Tauba-astaghfefullah" the Ulama - and following them many others - rose from the majlis to leave. At the most humble and persistent plea of Huq Saheb, they decided to accept the sweets (motichur-mihidana) in the Veranda outside the room. Trays, full of of sweets and stuff, were coming toward them, and they were eagerly waiting.
Suddently, from inside the room, the melody "Tora dekhe ja Amina mayer kole" started playing in the sweet voice of Abbasuddin. It was not long before these Alims instructed the caterers to stop the distribution of the sweets. They started listening to the melodies on the voice of Abbasuddin. One after another everyone quietly reentered the room. Distribution of sweets was interrupted.
At the end of the songs, Huq Saheb asked the Alims: "How did you like, moulovi sahib-ra? Have you ever shed tears like this in any Milad mahfil before?" The voice of Huq Saheb was shaken. His own eyes were tearful. The eyes of his guest Alims were no different.
Surprised? No, there isn't anything to be surprised. The Ulama are also people with heart. Whatever is candle before fire, so is the heart before music. That's why a great thinker (?) has said: "He who does not love music can be murderers." Any society that does not have music or song is not only without any fun or enjoyment, but also heartless, cruel. Fine feelings and
behavior can't grow and develop there."
[Abul Mansur Ahmed, Bangladesher culture, pp. 41-44]
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From a popular lyric:
... Give me your love
I'll give you my heart
Let's put them together
See what we can start...
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Best regards.
Farooq
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Dr. Mohammad Omar Farooq
Upper Iowa University