Another of Hamid’s nostalgia filled number is Ni tenu rab na bhulli [May you never ever forget the Lord…]. Let us examine the spirit behind this Kafi no. 47:
Dua faqeeran di ey ha [Prayer of the faqeer is that…]
Ni tainoun Rab na bhulle [May you never ever forget the Lord…]
Rab na bhullien hor sab kujh bhullien [Forget everything but never forget Lord…]
Rab na bhullan jeyha [How can we forget our Lord…]
Sohna roupa sab chul waisi [Beautiful appearance and everything will disappear…]
Ishq na lagda layha [Divine love is not worth giving-up…]
Horaan naal hasaindi khidaindi [You are intimate with others…]
Chah tay ghunghat keyha [Why wear veil for your Lover…]
Kahe Hussain faqeer Sain da [Says Hussain the faqeer of Lord…]
Marna tay maana keyha [Death cannot stand between me and my Lord…]
Baba Ghulam Fareed’s poetic work is sweat and sublime. Consider his Kafi no. 59:
Sanwala, na maar naina de teer [O’Beloved do not hurt me with sharp gaze…]
Thal chitraang de andar mein Sassi [I am like Sassi experiencing the roughness of Thal desert…]
Baile baithi Heer [And I am like Heer sitting in wilderness…]
Kojhi kamli tede naa ve [Unattractive and naive associates herself with Your name…]
Na kar yaar kareer [Please do not ignore…]
Tede naal he Sanwal sohna [Beautiful Beloved is with you…]
Dil lawan taqseer [One can’t help loving the Beloved…]
Ghaus qutab sab tethon sadke [Ghaus and Qutab are ready to lay down sacrifice…]
Kon Farid faqeer [Who cares for Farid a faqeer…]
Hamid’s captivating delivery of the opening line where he further beautifies ‘Sanwala’ and decorates ‘na maar naina’ with a subtle twist as if the mystic poet is in fact happy with the attention he is getting from the Lord but deliberately complains to advance the romantic dialogue.
Yet another of Hamid Ali Bela’s masterpieces is Shah Hussain’s Kafi which he artfully decorates with patches from other works of Shah Hussain. Here are the lyrics:
Nyounh la leya [or originally Mun atkeya] Bey-Parwah de naal [I have set my heart to the One who pays no heed…]
Ouh deen dunee de Shah de naal [With Lord of divine path and this mundane world…]
Qazi mulla mattee’n deinde [Worldly wise people extend their advice…]
Kharre sayane raah dasainde [Only the truthful and wise can show the way…]
Ishq ki lagge rah de naal [Divine love is in itself a way!...]
Nadiyoun paar Ranjhan da thana [Across the river is my Beloved’s abode…]
Keeta koul zaroori jaana [I swear I’ll go there…]
Kahe Hussain faqeer nimana [Says Hussain the hapless faqeer…]
Duniya chore aakhir mur jaana [After all one has to leave this world and die…]
Orhak kum Allah de naal [After all will have to unify with Allah…]
Sufi singing scene would have been dominated by Seraiki and Sindhi singers had there been no Hamid Ali Bela who rightfully placed Lahori Punjabi accent to the heart of the genre. Hamid achieved recognition in his lifetime and won many accolades and awards. Although he left for heavenly abode on June 27, 2001 leaving a huge void in Pakistani music scene, but he will always remain in the heart of music lovers as an icon.
Check below link for Part-I:
http://www.pakistaniaat.net/2012/06/18/hamid-ali-bela-tribute-to-legendary-sufi-singer/
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