In less than an hour after Isha prayers, the hujra becomes jam-packed with Pashtun musicians, singers and listeners. Mir Nawaz Ustad tunes his rubab and Noor Muhammad his tablas, Afsar Ali his harmonium and Lal Khan alias Lalai clears his throat. The music begins.
Tang Takor (musical programme) is a cultural activity that these musicians and others like them have kept alive in the city which is home to diverse cultures.
“We have been arranging the programme for over 20 years. It is a passion with us,” said Lal Khan, the main vocalist. He also composes poetry in Pashtu and has published a collection under the title Da Zra Wor (A heart’s fire).
The concerts are held every weekend. The musicians reach the hujra in time for performance bringing their own instruments and not needing a formal invitation. “Most of the participants are our friends and neighbours. Not all of them are Pashtuns,” said Khan. He said sometimes they sing Urdu songs for their Punjabi friends.
Unlike most popular performances in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Karachi who mainly sing about nationalism and the law and order situation, Khan and his fellows mostly sing romantic songs at the sessions. “It depends on the context. Lahore is a city at peace with itself. The people are happy. They like happy songs. Once we used to sing tappay (couplets about everyday life) but the trend has changed. I usually sing my own poetry, but sometimes also borrow from the works of poets like Khatir Afriday.”
Khan and most of his fellow musicians are from Swabi. Khan says they have been living in Lahore for more than three decades. They also perform at weddings of friends and relatives. “At weddings, we sing popular songs to get the people to dance,” said Mir Nawaz, the rubab player in the group. Nawaz is a mechanic at a factory in Green Town. He says he has had to maintain his rubab himself as there are no rubab makers in Lahore.
“One summer, we held a concert on the rooftop. We had worried that some of the neighbours might complain. Sure enough, they came over, requesting that we turn down the volume of the ‘television’. When they learnt that it was a live programme, they stayed on. Even, women in the neighbourhood come to their rooftops to listen to our songs,” he said.
“The boys (the musicians) have regular jobs. The audience eagerly awaits the weekends. Therefore, when one of the musicians is out of the city, we arrange for a replacement so that the show goes on,” he said.
Each of the musicians can pick his songs. Those in the audience can also participate. “We want to enjoy life as well as amuse other people,” said Khan. He said he had started writing poetry when he fell in love with a girl in Swabi. “I used to compose poetry and sing many songs while grazing my cows in my village. I later came to Lahore and settled here.”
Munawar Khan, a regular at the gathering, said that during their younger (unmarried) days, they used to hold the gathering every night at a room the group shared.
“One of our friends is in the army. He is now available on weekends only. He is a good harmonium player and a vocalist. He sings revolutionary poetry of Malang Jan, Khushal Khattak, Ghani Khan and Ajmal Khattak,” he said.
He said people from various areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal areas get to meet at weddings. “Sometimes, they invite noted Pashtu singers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to perform. The songs from Mohmand Agency are quite different. They mostly sing sad songs and hit in high notes whereas we prefer songs of happiness,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 26th, 2014.
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