BY AVTAR MOTA
Fursat Tabassum finally agreed to set tunes and score music for 6 Kashmiri songs of Mohan Gatkaar at Patnitop . The final recording was to be done at “Viral Digital Recording Studio ,Jammu” owned by Billu Bawra . Billu Bawra had tried his luck at Mumbai for three years as singer but couldn’t get a break. When he approached Narayan Noor , a film musician who had scored music for C grade film, “ Rangeeli Rano “, he felt Narayan Noor advised him to open ‘Rajmah Chawal’ Dhaba in Jammu for tourists instead of dabbling in music . Narayan Noor was idle as “Rangeeli Rano “ didn’t do much business even in rural areas of Punjab ,Haryana and U P , the target territorries of the film. Accordingly, Billu Bawara returned to his roots but opened a digital recording studio after pressurising his father to sell two Kanals of land in their native village. To put end to any further demand for sale of assets ,Billu Bawra’s father had published a “Farghati “ notice in newspapers disowning his son. In Jammu, Billu Bawra befriended Gaasha Draal who was active in finding sellers for Kashmir based property agents . Together with Kashmir based agents , he kept visiting the owners of property (left in Kashmir ) from amongst the exiled Kashmiri Pandits . He made a good money from this activity which he continued till 2010. After 2010, Gaasha tried his luck by entering management of some religious or educational institutions opened by exiled Pandit community .His name often appeared in newspapers for statements that he gave on behalf of his NGO or the press conferences that he organized for ‘ A to Z Humanity Service “ the NGO created by him.Quite often, his photo appeared in newspapers for activities like tree plantation or distribution of copies to school children . It was he who had suggested to Billu Bawra to display “ Special Concession for Kashmiri Migrants “ notice board outside his recording studio .Now that the team of Fursat Tabassum had to come to Jammu for recording, Mohan Gatkaar made advance bookings in a Jammu hotel.
After little fresh up at Patnitop, Fursat Tabassum called Mohan Gatkaar and asked for the written lyrics of all the 6 songs that were to be recorded so that his artists could create tunes and do some Riyaz apart from getting the feel to be translated into music . Raja Junoon and the musicians pounced upon the India Kings cigarettes kept in a plate with a lighter. Every artist started smoking while Fursat Tabassum read the first song :-
“ Tse kameu karanai kokran chhug
Pherenas tal tsolaya hyath nug
Lalvaan chhukh vaen Amitchiyi dhug
……………Yaro vun baal- yaaro vun”
Who ran after your chicken ?
Who stole it away hiding it under his Pheran?
Who passed on this pain and suffering to you?
Friend ,let me know,
My childhood companion , let me know?)
When Raja Junoon heard the lyrics, he looked towards Fursat Tabassum and said:-
“ Am I going to sing this ? No, no . This is animal poetry. A hen has been stolen and what is great about it ? Fursat Sahib, you can’t give me a break with this song .”
At this point in time,Fursat gulped the residual liquor left in his glass, put his hand on fork and hurriedly ate the remaining three pieces of fried chicken in the plate before him . Thereafter he asked Mohan Gatkaar to fill his glass with soda and large peg of Peter Scot. Lighting a cigarette placed under his lips , he put his hand on Raja Junoon’s shoulder and said this :-
“ You are a young boy. I have seen the whole world. I know all poetry ,all music , all drama and all markets . I know what to sell where and how . This poetry is no doubt about cock or hen theft but people like such things now. Chicken is the sunrise business. Don’t you know KFC shop in Srinagar ? Any song is selling if it has good music. We will make a cocktail tune for it. That tune will be based on mixing Raag Birwa and Maqaam Rast e Farsi. I had told Mohan Ji to bring some old Monk also but he got only Peter Scot. You would have seen what wonders cocktail does. Have you heard the popular song ,” Chal chal chal mere Saathi , O mere haathi ‘or ‘Teetar ke do aage teetar’ or ‘lakdi ki kaathi , kaathi pe gorra’ or’ Mera gadha gadhon ka leader’ or ‘Kabootar Jaa Jaa Jaa’ . These are animal or bird songs set to music . I can tell you 100 such songs sung by great Mohammad Rafiq Sahib or great Lita Sahiba .”
Manmohan Chimta intervened to say this:-
“ Fursat Sahib , I think you mean Bhairavi . I haven’t heard Birwa Raag. Is it new Raag ?” And how will we combine Sufiana Maqaam with Hindustani classical Raag. And Do you mean Rafi Sahib and Lata Mangeshkar ? “
Sattar Tumbaknaar was sitting nearby and smoking India Kings cigarettes. He looked at Fursat’s face . Fursat had closed his eyes . He was possibly planning something . Sattar pinched Manmohan Chimta’s arm and both smiled .After about five minutes, Fursat Tabassum suddenly opened his eyes and looked around but said nothing . He asked Mohan Gatkaar to make a large peg for Manmohan Chimta and keep the dinner ready. He added that after the dinner , he planned to sit with his team for creating tunes and doing some Riyaz .
It was 9 pm . November month is almost begining of the winter season in a hill station like Patnitop. A strange silence visits this hill station after sunset . The Chenani tunnel has diverted entire traffic away from this hill station. The roads look empty and deserted after sunset. There is hardly any Srinagar or Jammu bound vehicle that moves via Patnitop now .After sunset ,the visitors at this hill station stay inside their rooms busy with drinks , food ,love making or sleep.
The cook was waiting for the food to be served .The caretaker of the hut had come with a filled gas cylinder that the cook had sought for the kitchen. Mohan Gatkaar’s guests had finished all the six chickens brought from Jammu that were deep fried after being cut to small pieces. When Mohan Gatkaar saw the caretaker , he enquired about availability of chicken and liquor in Patnitop. The caretaker assured to bring everything from Kud or Batote on his motorcycle on cash payment . Hearing this, Mohan Gatkaar dug six 500 rupee notes from his pocket and gave them to the caretaker requesting him to bring 5 bottles of Old Monk rum and 6 chickens next day after lunch time . Putting the money in his pocket, the caretaker said:-
“ Pandit Ji in case you want to withdraw cash, we can go to ATM at Kud or Batote . I can take you on my motorcycle. You may need more cash. “
“ No ,thanks. We shall hardly be here for two days more.”
“ You will not be free before 10 days. I know this music party. This is their third visit . Last time they were with Bekal Bhalesi Sahib who also writes Kashmiri poetry. He is from Gandoh in Bhalesa .”
“ Where is Bhalesa?”
“ At Thathri bridge near Doda, if you take left turn ,the road leads you to Kishtwar along the Chenab river. However, if you take a right turn, the road leads you to Bhalesa . It is a hilly area . Gandoh falls in Bhalesa . Muslims in this area have Kashmiri ancestry.They speak Kashmiri apart from the local dialect. I am also from Gandoh . Bekal Sahib is my maternal uncle . He retired from the education department as principal. “
“ How many days the music party took for 5 songs of Bekal Bhalesi ?”
“ Five days at Patnitop and another three days at Bhaderwah and then 3 days in Jammu for actual recording .In total it took them 11 days for 5 songs.”
“ Did Bekal Sahib entertain them?”
“ He booked a hut for them here and entrusted the task of their food and drinks to me. He gave me 20,000 lumpsum. I arranged everything. At Bhaderwah, he gave 15000 to singer Nadarad Bhaderwahi who arranged their food and drinks . The hotel was booked by Bekal Sahib . Bekal Sahib had kept a Tata Sumo for all the 11 days at their disposal. “
“ How did your maternal uncle know them? I mean who recommended them to Bekal Sahib ?”
“Bekal Sahib’ s promotion case was held up for about 2 years as his file was missing . He had to visit Jammu secretariat for that job. There he met Qadir Charpoy , senior head clerk . Charpoy Sahib traced the file and got his case expedited in just ten days. Certainly nobody does these favours free. Then my uncle invited him for a Kashmiri Mushiara at Kaahra in Bhalesa. He became a family friend and it was he who recommended this music team to my uncle. Qadir Charpoy also knows Billu Bawra the owner of the recording studio in Jammu. He also knows another youngman known as Gaasha Draal. Together , both of them , I mean Charpoy Sahib and Gaasha draal sold about 60 houses of migrant Kashmiri Pandits to Srinagar based parties or brokers . Gaasha’s job was simply to locate the property owners in Jammu. Then Qadir Charpoy and Srinagar based brokers would come to close the deals. I am witness to one deal. That old Pandit Ji was paid simple peanuts.”
How do you know all this ?”
“Because Gaasha Draal used to book hut after every deal and Qadir Charpoy would come here for relaxing.”
Autar Mota is a noted writer and columnist
