Zinda hoon is turhan ke...

Baba was ‘an open-air singer’: He would sing loudly, where other people would hum and be shy: Music and songs were his first passion. He had the most amazing voice, loud, clear, musically sound and full of pathos. His favorites were the songs from the movies Anokhi Ada, Humari Yaad Aai Gee, Merra Naam Joker, Awara etc. A lot of KL Saigal’s, Mukesh’s, Surendar’s and other older singar’s songs were always on his lips. Music was his language; his depression was raat undheree dur suwera...; his hope was ek bungla bune nyara; his anger was sujun re jhoot mut bolo; his lullaby was so jaa rajkumari so ja; and his welcome was tu aa gai ... 

Baba wanted us to learn to sing too, and usually would make us sing after him. Once he wanted the three of us to learn arre wah yahan to luga hai ye mela and got a non serious response from the youngest of us. This made him so mad that he gave us a talk on the importance of understanding music. The joke that my sister made was really funny and we could not stop laughing even though we were scared of his anger. Giggles were hard to hide and this made him madder, ending in his calling us unsophisticated donkeys.

I remember him singing loudly and us and our cousins following him as if he were a piped piper. He would jump over the sofas and tables and we would follow him in a line. Often, he would open the outer door and go out to the maidain and Eid Gah… singing and dancing. We were his biggest fans in those days. Later on, I came to know that one of his sisters and many of his female cousins were also his fans. I don't remember him refusing any requests of the songs he knew; in fact he seeked audience. 

In seventies, in his dismal days, he brought home a banjo. He invited all of us to play it but being the most obedient one only I tried… discovering that I was quite tone-deaf. Baba however got a few tunes right and next there was a harmonium sitting at home.  His love for harmonium stayed with him for the rest of his life. He sent his last harmonium to be fixed at a shop but could not get it back; all thanks to on of his sincerely insincere friend. 

Recalled by Romana Shaikh (Brohi)