#GULAM ALI GAZAL SONG FOR FREE#
Not allowing Ghulam Ali to sing in India - by the way, he sang for free at Sankatmochan Temple in Varanasi - will not make him poorer. Unlike the chaar-botal-vodka and g**#-main-dum-hai-to-band-karwalo type crudity of current Indian charttoppers, the qawaalis of Nusrat and ghazals of Ghulam Ali remind us the purity of art, the pristine joys of soulful music. Most of the singers from Pakistan are known for their finesse - nafast and nazakat - and cultural refinement of their work. The real threat to Indian music, ironically, isn't coming from across the border. If the Sainiks are really keen on ensuring the singers do not get paid, they will have to knock on every Indian house to ensure they listen only to music made only in India. Everytime a song is played on TV, radio or at a public event whenever somebody buys a CD, a cassette or legally downloads a song, the singer gets paid. Singers and artists get royalties for their work. Should we, for instance, stop singing Saare Jahan Se Achcha just because it was written by Iqbal, the pioneer of the idea of Pakistan? Should we reject several famous bhajans because they were sung by Mohammad Rafi and composed by Naushad?Įven the argument that stopping Pakistanis from performing in India will stop them from profiting financially, betrays their lack of understanding of market dynamics. Using religion and geography as filters for art could lead to disastrous consequences. If somebody tries to interfere, they should be told what Michael Jackson famously said when he grabbed his crotch and sang at Bal Thackeray's invitation in Mumbai: just beat it. Art is a personal bond between the exponent and his audience it can be subjected only to the individual's sense of quality and taste, not to the divisive agendas of politicians and their rabble-rousing cabals. Art is accepted, appreciated and assimilated in cultures not because it is prescribed by politicians or forced upon us by governments, but because it gives us joy and pleasure, satiates our mind, body and soul. It has to be kept away from politics of animosity, hatred and bigotry. So, did we hear it right when the bigots screamed that listening to singers from Pakistan is "unpatriotic" and an act of "treason" while justifying the cancellation of Ghulam Ali's concert in Mumbai?Īt the risk of sounding repetitive, it must be pointed out that art has no barrier, it is not a prisoner of religion or geography. Unfortunately, this time I would not be able to do so. "I must share that I have heard Ghulam Ali Sahab in the past that too in person," he added.Īlso read in the papers that Ghulam Ali Sahab wished that I attend the programme.
"I do wish I get the opportunity to attend such a programme in the future where so many well-known artists will be enchanting the audience," he had tweeted his disappointment. The PM was invited to the event but he couldn't attend. Just a few months ago, the legendary singer performed at the Sankatmochan Temple - yes, a temple - in the PM's constituency. Even the Prime Minister listens to Ghulam Ali.