BY AVTAR MOTA
Mohan Gatkaar turned serious after listening all this. ‘ How small the world is’ , he said to himself.’ How changed man Charpoy had turned after 1990. He had never thought of it. He considered him the same god fearing and helpful Qadir Charpoy whom he knew closely before 1990.
“ Who bought music CDs of Bekal Bhalesi Sahib? “
“ Aziz Traffic is younger brother of Bekal Sahib and he has always been posted on National Highway. I mean on the road stretch from Batote to Banihal and also from Batote to Pull Doda or Bhaderwah and Kishtwar. There are about 500 Dhabas on this stretch out of which more than 200 are owned by Kashmiri speaking people from Batote, Ramban, Banihal, Chamalvas, Neel, khilaini, Assar, Baggar, Jangalwaar , Prem Nagar, Doda city, Kishtwar, Bhaderwah, and Bhalesa.We gave one CD free to about 200 Dhabas with instructions from Aziz Traffic Sahib to play the songs during business time. One hundred CDs were taken by Billu Bawra and Gaasha Draal for distribution in gatherings of Jammu based Pandits .About 50 were given to friends and relations by Bekal Sahib. The remaining CDs are with Bekal Sahib .”
“ How was the response at the Dhabas and hotels ?”
“ We never visited the hotels and Dhabas but Rashid Kraipaak my friend from Kishtwar who runs the ‘National Hotel’ at Batote informed me that he lost some business on account of the CD. He said that one day Aziz Traffic was having his usual breakfast in his hotel when a full bus of students from Jammu dropped in.They were going to Baglihaar and Banihal on their study tour. The songs of Bekal Sahib were being loudly played in the hotel as Aziz Traffic was there. The students asked change to Hindi film songs but Rashid Kraipaak could not annoy Aziz Sahib. He declined and the group moved to nearby hotel.”
“ Any song from the CD that you remember?”
“ One song that I like goes like this ,” Lum jejeeri thool tai beyi sheer chaai, Maaz paav bataah plate khyath khalak draai.
(Have puffs from the Hukaah,have eggs and have salt tea, people are happily leaving after relishing 250gm mutton in a rice plate ).
This possibly Bekal Sahib had written keeping the Kashmiri hotels in his mind . “
“ You know all. Nice to meet you .”
“ Pandit Ji when big players play money games , every winner throws up some coins for the Tamaashbeen ( onlookers ) to pick up. I am one such Tamaashbeen of these games.”
Coming to the hut ; Raja Junoon was feeling hungry . He was sitting on the verandah of the hut and singing some song. Bashir Banjo had his 13th run towards the toilet on account of his enlarged prostate. It appeared he had come to Patnitop for urination only. Manmohan Chimta had started his third large peg while Sattar Tumbhaknaar had secretly put three unopened India Kings cigarette packets in his suitcase apart from eating about half kg of Kaju Barfi that was lying on the table. Fursat Tabassum was feeling sleepy and singing something that was not audible.He was heard saying this,:-
“ Raag Birwa mix Rast e Farsi . .Husan e Shayari barsar barsar .Mohan Ji aamad e Sahar , Peetha award Sakhar kar sakhar kar File az daakhil e daftar…”
Manmohan Chimta suddenly got up and brought Mohan Gatkaar near Fursat Tabassum and said,” listen the prophecy . Your poetry is great . He wishes you a Gyanpeeth award. Peetha means Gyanpeeth award that was given to the Kashmiri poet Rehman Rahi . It was given to Ali Sardar Jafri and Majrooh Sultanpuri. Gyanpeeth ,Rehman Rahi, Sardar Jafri Majrooh Sultanpuri and Mohan Gatkaar. Gyanpeeth .Gyanpeeth. Wah wah. Wah wah “
At that point in time Fursat Tabassum again said:-
“ Raag Birwa mix Rast e Farsi . .Husan e Shayari barsar barsar .Mohan Ji aamad e Sahar , Peetha award sakhar kar .File az daakhil e daftar…”
Hearing this, Mohan Gatkaar went to the kitchen and brought some boneless pieces of Roganjosh and three forks in a plate and put them before Fursat and Manmohan Chimta. Fursat took no time in devouring five pieces of delicious Roganjosh .Manmohan also put two pieces of Roganjosh in his mouth and passed on the plate to Bashir Banjo who had just come out from the toilet.
It was 11 pm. Patnitop had slept .The lights in almost all the huts had been switched off. The cooks had taken their dinner and were waiting for the guests to eat so that they could sleep.Mohan Gatkaar went to Manmohan Chimta and requested him to make the cooks free from the dinner business as they needed to sleep. Manmohan Chimta and Sattar Tumbhaknaar woke up the music party for their dinner. By then, Bashir Banjo had made 20 visits to the toilet .Once the dinner was over , everybody went to sleep. Putting his expensive spectacles with cylindrical lenses on the side table , Fursat went to sleep . He had a habit of sleeping without shirt and Pyjama. Accordingly, he removed his shirt and pyjama , threw them on the chair and slept wearing underwear and under shirt. Very soon he was in his deep slumber snoring violently . For this reason, he was made to sleep alone in the room. Mohan Gatkaar slept with the cooks in the lobby. Before sleeping he entered details of the expenditure on ‘CD RELEASE’ in his diary. To his surprise, he found that he had spent more than 53000 rupees . He needed to spend another 60000 more . And if the music party stayed for 10 or 12 days in toto, the expenditure could cross 150000 rupees including the hefty sum of 40000 demanded by Billu Bawara for CD recording and 500 copies under “Concession to Kashmiri Migrants “ plan devised by Gaasha Draal.
He looked at his wrist watch . It was 11.45 pm. He was about to sleep when he received a call from Qadir Charpoy.
“ How are you Mohan Ji. How are children and Bhabi ji. Has Fursat started his Riyaz. Has any tune been created? Who else is in the room ? Can we talk although it is late but being your childhood friend, I thought I should take this liberty ? “
“ The cooks are sleeping in the room. Any urgency? Please continue.”
“ Mohan Ji , I want to help you and save your hard earned money. After all you are a family member and we have childhood association. In that context , I suggest you not to come to Jammu for recording . You go to Bhaderwah straight . The musicians will like the weather and my close friend has a soundproof recording studio in Seri Bazaar. I have already spoken to him. His name is Nadarad Bhaderwahi. He is a singer as well. Forget Buel Baavur (Billu Bawra) and Gaasha Draal. I know them fully well. I am going to Delhi for some official work and I shall buy 500 CDs at wholesale rate from Nehru Ji Palace ( Nehru Place ) . I will buy the best CDs . After all it is our , I mean we brothers, you and me , first event . Misser Beri ( Moser Baer) is the best CD. I have already spoken to the dealer. He will give us 500 Misser Beri CDs for 13000 rupees. A class CD . Concession. Heavy concession. Nadarad Bhaderwahi will charge 18000 for recording 6 songs . You save 9000 straight and then you save transportation and hotel costs. Nadarad will keep the musicians in ‘Beraham Hotel ‘ on the outskirts of the town . He will arrange local cook and provisions and other things at cheap rates. You can send them in a Taxi via Simthen pass . They will go through Kishtwar – Anantnag road. Manmohan Chimta and you can come in 2 by 2 seater buses to Jammu. And Nadarad Bhaderwahi and party have recorded some songs of Khandvaav Kishtwari and Garazmand Bhaderwahi in their studio. This CD is hot sale item. They have already sold 500 CDs on cash payment in Doda, Kishtwar,Ramban and Bhalesa.
Avtar Mota is a columnist and writes for local and national papers and magazines.
