A three part series that is all about uncovering hidden gems and highlighting beautiful traditions, the first two episodes bring us the light and magic of Juman Latif and Group and Yousuf Faqir.
The biggest misconception about Pakistani music is that original music is dead. The trend of full-length studio albums may have diminished in the last couple of years for a variety of reasons but it is equally true that original music is still being made.
Mainstream names like Hadiqa Kiyani (Wajd) and Strings (30) are leading the way with their efforts and will hopefully inspire other prolific artists to follow suit. We’ve also seen artists like Mooroo, Uzair Jaswal and Asad Ahmed put out full-length records, filled with original tracks, in recent years.
Looking past the big, established names, one only has to look at Patari’s original music projects to confirm the theory that innovative, diverse new music is still being created, facilitated by the start-up.
And lately, Patari, that also holds the title of being Pakistan’s largest streaming site, has been on a roll. In terms of original music projects, the music start-up is delivering on its promise by constantly providing wide-ranging artists a chance to shine through their platforms that have expanded in number.
After the success of past projects like Patari Aslis Volume I, Patari Tabeer and Patari Fanoos (created in partnership with Zohaib Kazi), they have moved on to several other initiatives, each leading to not just incredible songs but some incredible narratives from the heartland of Pakistan.
Giving space to new subcultures, genres and artists, the Patari projects present people who make-up Pakistan but whose voices, sounds, narratives and ideas have often remained unheard or under-heard due to lack of avenues, among other issues.
Patari Aslis Volume II, that was launched last year as a rolling series including both audio and video, gave us a chance to expand our horizons and learn about the music narratives offered by Sikandar Nawaz (‘Gol Gappay’), Sunny Khan Durrani (‘Log Kya Kahengay’), Lyari Underground (‘Kasani’) and most recently Abid Brohi (‘Kaam Dou’).
Patari also launched the successful Baajay Aur Ballay series this year, where Vlogger Irfan Junejo met five musicians (Sami Amiri, Jasim Haider and The Pindi Boys , Nazar Gill, Lyari Underground and Khumariyaan), and sportsmen each from five cities (Quetta, Rawalpindi, Gojra, Karachi and Peshawar) from across Pakistan. As Patari said in a press statement, “The objective of the Baajay Aur Ballay campaign is to use the combined platforms of Patari and Islamabad United to help showcase the talent of Pakistan in sports and music.”
This brings us to the launch of Patari’s newest initiative, which is called Dharti and was launched earlier this week. Presented by Patari in partnership with Zeera Plus, it is a three-part series where each “episode uncovers a treasure trove of musicians who are the true ambassadors of a rich, culturally diverse nation.”
The first episode features Juman Latif and Group, which is fronted by Fakir Juman Shah, as they perform ‘Shah Jo Raag’ at the Shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai in Bhit Shah, in southeastern Sindh.
The raag they perform in the video is translated as the Raag of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai and as the press statement tells us, it has “not stopped for over 275 years, going on since 1752 when the Sufi Poet passed away”. Playing the instrument known as the Damboor, the Fakirs sing and play with such devotion that the raag echoes a kind of spiritual transcendence, or a miraculous trance. And it has to be said that the video directed by Ali Sattar is very beautiful. It captures the spirit of the space, the people, and the Fakirs with such grace.
In the second episode, we are introduced to Yousuf Faqir, a blind faqir from the Thar Desert, who goes from “village to village performing Sindhi Folk music”. Singing a song called ‘Barsaat Ayo’, with a voice that is stirring to the point of being unforgettable, he said in a statement, “Music is our traditional profession and one very close to my heart. I am a faqir of Thar and I am known as the blind musician. I pay my respects to the great saints. I am a Muslim and Hindus live here too. We are brothers.”
Both singles have been produced by Abbas Ali Khan, who must be applauded for keeping the sanctity of the artists and the traditions they represent intact with his unique production.
Speaking about directing the series, Ali Sattar noted in a statement, “Dharti was quite an adventure to execute. The challenging part was to record sync sound on location while maintaining the aesthetics of the video around it. Shooting in a run and gun style in interior Sindh, especially near Nagarparkar was an incredibly exciting experience. The culture and the hospitality of Sindh is unmatched and added a lot of soul to the project.”
According to Patari, Saif Samejo, the founder of Lahooti Melo and music group The Sketches “was the main source of support and coordination with the musicians in Sindh” and played an indispensable role. What both songs have in common is that they represent traditions that should matter to us but remain under-appreciated or in the shadows in these difficult, polarizing times.
But if there is any hope for us, it’s in finding solace in these positive stories, and appreciating these amazing artists who are such a beautiful part of our cultural identity and living, breathing proof that co-existence and harmony is still possible and that Pakistan’s rich, cultural tradition(s) is something to be proud of, amidst the darkness.
