- by Samia Ahmed Timeless emotions that know no boundary - love, pain, loneliness, desire - have been used by poets to create unforgettable compositions in every part of the world, be they kings and commoners alike, sentiments at liberty to be expressed in any language and form. Waka Raag is the epitome of East meets East, actualized by Urdu writers as a new art form, unrestricted by language and time, translating ancient Japanese poetry (Waka) into Urdu and presenting it in the form of soulful Raga. The poets started these translations 16 years ago, trying incessantly to fix the poetic meter of Waka to match the translations, the result of which is now being written in eleven dialects throughout Pakistan, including Pushto, Sariki and Sindhi. The magic of Waka Raga lay in its contents, as witnessed by the audience at a function recently arranged by the Japanese Consulate. Fatima Surraiya Bajia who is also one of the first writers to translate Waka, helped present a complete new form of poetic expression. The idea behind the gathering was to strengthen through cultural exchange the fusion of poetry with similar essence and meaning. What made the show so fascinating was that each Waka was combined with a parallel Urdu poem and raga, sung by Salman Alvi and Afshan Ahmed, with classical dance performances by Fasih-ur- Rehman. Wazahat Naseem and Afzal Murad (a Balouchi poet) did the translations, while Ustad Zafar Ali Khan did the composing. Accompanying the singers was a team of musicians. The Wakas selected for this presentation were taken from the famous Japanese classical literature called Hyakunin-Isshu. This is a collection of a hundred poems by the greatest Waka poets of the country, beginning from the 7th century. In the 13th century Fujiwara No Teika made a diary called, Bright Moon Diary that mentioned these Wakas. The royals of Japan articulating their feelings and state of mind have written most of these poems. Ten Wakas were presented at this function with matching raga. The first Waka dealt with dwelling, written by a prince who left his palace sickened by the politics and made his own palace on top of a mountain. He wrote his Waka on the doors of the palace. The raga selected for this was Kirara, followed by a poem by Ghalib that had the same subject, based on the walls of a house. Similarly all other Wakas were followed by classic Hindi ragnis and songs from bygone eras such as Abra-e-Karam Aaj Itna Baras, mixed with Barso Ray, that was combined with the third Waka, all unified by the subject of rain and clouds. An interesting twist was added in the fourth Waka, written by a lady belonging to the Japanese royal court that described a moment when she caught a glimpse of her lost love. This Waka was sung to Bilawal Raga followed by a dance performance by Fasih-ur- Rehman on Sun Ray Sakhi Ek Bala Jogi. The mixture of the moonlit night and beautiful music created a hypnotic effect on the audience. The melodies were curiously pacifying, generating a feeling of peace and lightheadedness. The evening continued with more Wakas, talking of the anxious wait for a lover's return and sleepless nights depicted by Pi Pal Na Lagi Mori Akhyan. Others talked of the moment when lovers see each other for the first time, the pain of separation, and the connection of love with the beauty of a woman's hair. The presentation ended with a dance performance on the tenth Waka, followed by Ghalib's ghazal on Bahar raga. Fasih physically described and displayed the pain of love lost in one's heart even when everything around you is cheerful, as in spring when birds chirp and flowers bloom but which fail in mending the heart. The Japanese holds the tradition of Waka in very high esteem. On each New Year the members of the royal family invite all the popular Waka writers and recite poems, old and new, to show their respect and love for this form of literature. Waka Raag has successfully become a part of Urdu literature and music in a very short time. And with continued efforts of resident Urdu writers and poets, there is no doubt it will develop and create an important niche for itself in Pakistan. |
