BY AVTAR MOTA
When Mohan Gatkaar retired from government service , he decided to fulfill his long cherished desire of releasing a CD of the songs that he had written while in service . Now that he had received his gratuity and provident fund dues , he could easily set aside one lakh rupee from his terminal dues for this CD recording and release activity. Mohan Gatkaar was always fascinated by the CD release functions . In fact he had seen poet Gaffar Beparvaah releasing the CD of his Kashmiri songs in a grand function attended by Nazir Naujawan, the Minister for labour and prisons . In that function, the minister had praised Gaffar Beparvah as poet and social activist. The minister had also assured Gaffar Beparvah that he will ensure that the government buys at least 100 CDs from Gaffar Beparvah to be given to prisoners for changing their mindset and helping them in resettlement in the society once they complete their prison terms. The audience had lustily cheered this statement. There and then, Mohan Gatkaar had decided to go for a similar CD release function.
Although Ashok Tansen and Sanam Tarana sang the songs of Gaffar Beparvah , yet people didn’t buy this CD . Chirgish Radios, a leading electronic shop in the city couldn’t sell even a single CD of these songs even after newspaper coverages and wide publicity . Out of the 500 CDs made by Gaffar Beparvah, only 50 were distributed free on the CD release day . The rest remained packed in boxes. Gaffar Beparvah had approached Nazir Naujawan twice for purchase of 100 CDs for prisoners as assured but the minister’s PA had shown him the door saying that there was no such provision in the government rules . The PA had added that such statements were only meant for consumption in rallies and functions . Gaffar Beparvah had paid fifty thousand rupees to Fursat Tabassum to compose music for the CD songs. Another twenty thousand rupees were charged by Pamosh Pareshan, proprietor of Chirgish Radios for making 500 CDs of the recording done by Fursat Tabassum. The CD covers had a colourful photo of Gaffar Beparvah with long hair whereby he could be easily mistaken for Nikolai Gogol , the well known Russian novelist and short story writer.
Initially, when Fursat Tabassum had listened the songs for which he was required to compose music, he had said this to Gaffar Beparvaah :-
“ Gaffar Sahib, I was reading your poetry that has neither head nor tail. One line goes from Kashmir to Kolkata for selling shawls while the other one ends up at Azadpur fruit Mandi, Delhi to sell apples. What do you sell ; shawls or apples ? These poems can’t be put to music . Print them and hold a book release function instead .I find some Djin of Malkhaah Qabaristan or Noorbagh Shamshan in your poems. Have you gone to these localities for poetic inspiration ?Although this Djin is secular yet every music composer will run away from this Djin. Better go to Ilhaam Sahib. He will use his pen to remove the Djin and then some music composer will accept the challenge.Get the Djin killed ,I will use Raag Birwa ( Bhairavi) for it. I am a new style musician . I can compose a Kashmiri song in Bharti Shistar Sangait ( Bharatiya Shastriya Sangeet or Hindustani Classical Music) and Hindi song in Kashmiri Sufiana Music . I know all Ragaas and all Maqaams .You get me . “
Fursat Tabassum had declined to set tunes for the Kashmiri songs written by Mohan Gatkaar. But when Mohan Gatkaar sought the intervention of his childhood friend Qadir Charpoy, things appeared to move favourably. Thereafter, Fursat Tabassum spoke twice to Mohan Gatkaar and put forth his conditions including a fresh-up programme and Riyaz at Patnitop for three days . Mohan Gatkaar readily agreed to all the conditions.When Mohan Gatkaar received the final call from Fursat Tabassum , he went to the bank and withdrew cash from his ‘Pension Account ‘ for making some local purchases. Next day he took early morning taxi to Patnitop hill station in Jammu along with six bottles of Peter Scot whisky, 10 bottles of Soda , two kg of mixed dry fruits, twenty packets of potato chips and two dozen packets of India King cigarettes . Two cooks with all provisions especially chicken, bakery, Basmati rice, mutton, fruits ,vegetables, spices, eggs, bread , butter , clarified butter( Desi Ghee) , P Mark mustard oil , fruits , sweets , Lipton and Namkeen ( Sheer Chai ) tea and Kaju Barfi from Pahalwan ‘s shop were all despatched to Patnitop with the advance party. A hut had already been booked at Patnitop where Fursat Tabassum,his musicians and his debut singer Raja Junoon were required to stay .This team had to come from Srinagar in a taxi that was arranged by Mohan Gatkaar . Some other members of the team included Bashir Banjo, Manzoor Zakhmi, Sattar Tumbaknaar, Manmohan Chimta, and Gulzar Nott . While all members arrived from Srinagar, Manmohan Chimta came from Jammu as he had moved to Jammu after the turmoil of 1990s .
As per unverified reports, Raja Junoon had learnt music from Fursat Tabassum . Fursat Tabassum claimed himself to be a direct disciple of Pandit Shambhu Nath Sopori, a respected classical musician of the J&K state. Qadir Charpoy ,a resident of Wazir Bagh locality in Srinagar city had doubts about the musical knowledge of Fursat Tabassum whom he knew as Fursat Harmonium.He had never seen Fursat Tabassum in Wazir Bagh locality where Pandit Shambhu Nath Sopori resided and taught music to some established singers and musicians of Kashmir. Linking their name with Pandit Ji gave respect and acceptance to any singer or musician in the Kashmir valley. Although Qadir Charpoy was a family friend of Fursat Tabassum yet he would privately narrate some interesting anecdotes and stories about Fursat Tabassum. Qadir Charpoy would privately tell this to his close friends :-
“ I swear he does not know ABC of music. He is a great manipulator and clever person. I know him as Fursat Harmonium. Fursat Harmonium now Fursat Tabassum had developed friendship with Jogis or wandering Sadhus who visited Srinagar during summer season . The Jogis would play tunes of popular film Bhajans on Harmonium for their door to door begging . They camped at Durganag temple or Ram Bagh Samadhi Temples and smoked Charas during their harmonium Riyaz . Fursat Harmonium ( Tabassum ) also opened his creative vision with some puffs of Charas and learnt to play harmonium in their company. Sometimes, he would share food with them. Immediately after Amarnath Yatra, these Jogis would leave to the plains of India and Fursat Tabassum would be idle. During his idle period , he would go to’ Bright Candle Drama Club’ to gossip with Sataar Tumbaknaar and Manmohan Chimta .He doesn’t know anything about Ragaas of Indian Classical Music nor Maqams of Sufiyana music. He has heard some names which he brings into discussions to impress people. His Kashmiri compositions are mostly done by Sataar Tumbaknaar and Manmohan Chimta to whom he secretly pays 500 rupees each per composition while bargaining hefty amounts from his clients. Initially nicknamed Fursat Harmonium, the name was changed to Fursat Tabassum after some people saw a photograph of Hindi film actress Tabassum in his wallet . That day onwards he came to be known as Fursat Tabassum. He encouraged people to call him by that name and it stuck . It gave him the feel of Sufi Tabassum ,a popular and successful lyricist of Pakistan film industry.
…to be continued
Avtar Mota is a bloger and writes for local and national papers and magazines
