Sunday, January 16, 2005

MLK and MKG



posted by Amardeep at 5:18 PM  

6 Comments:

Quizman said...

I guess today's the right day to listen to the song that is causing a sensation in India Bulla Ki Jaana. Just do a search on Rabbi, Bulla Ki Jaana on google and see the # of hits. I picked up the CD yesterday.

4:44 PM  
Quizman said...

You can hear Rabbi's song here

5:04 PM  
Amardeep said...

Quizman,

Thanks. I'm enjoying it.

5:27 PM  
Amardeep said...

And a translation to the approximate Punjabi lyrics is here. There is a bio of the poet Bulleh Shah (who wrote these verses 200 years ago) here).

This song is very much in the spirit of the Sufi (and Bhakti) poet Kabir, who crossed religious boundaries in the interest of promoting egalitarianism, compassion, and an end to ritualism. It is a species of devotional poetry, but it has had a secularizing influence -- not unlike Martin Luther King's own sermons!

One of the signature tags is the last line of each verse, where you can expect to see the name of the poet.

"I am not in the mosque of the believer,
Nor in false rites.
I am not in the pure or the impure.
Neither Moses nor Pharaoh.
Says Bulla, who knows who I am!

I am not in the vedas or holy books,
Not in drug or wine.
Not in the drunkards wasted intoxication,
Not in wakefulness or sleep.
Says Bulla, who knows who I am!"

6:36 PM  
kp said...

Gee you guys are bold, posting links to mp3s on a .edu domain.

I think it is largely coz India still is free. Should I say was. The patents are in place from the 1st of Jan.

The end of freedom. They say it'll make us rich. Patents feeding the poor, a good title for a post.

Well... it is a different debate, in't?

-kp

7:44 PM  
Pattie Kaur said...

Hi! Hey,I just found about Rabbi about a week ago. He's amazing! My Manvi (Manvinder, my dear love) has been listening to him for some time now, and was afraid to let me know....wehhheeelll..I found out! Hey, Lehigh...that's not far from us....I gotta drag manvi's bum down to nawab whilst blasting Rabbi on 4th street. I feel quite bold! Tha ks for the lyrics translations!

3:35 AM  

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