Aisi Laagi Lagan - Meerabai

Anup Jalota


Anuradha Paudwal

Aisi laagi lagan, Meera ho gayi magan,
woh to gali gali hari gun gaane lagi,
mehlon mein pali,ban ke jogan chali,
meera rani deewani kahane lagi.

Aisi laagi lagan..

Koi roke nahi, koi toke nahi,
meera govind gopal gaane lagi,
baith santon ke sang,rangi Mohan ke rang,
Meera premi pritam ko bulaane lagi
woh to gali gali hari gun gaane lagi....

Aisi laagi lagan..

rana ne vish diya, maano amrit piya,
meera sagar mein sarita samaane lagi,
dukh laakhon sahe,mukh se govind kahe,
Meera premi pritam ko bulaane lagi
woh to gali gali hari gun gaane lagi....

Aisi laagi lagan..

Meera Bai was born a princess in Merta, Rajasthan, India (1499 - 1546 A.D)
She was one of the foremost exponents of the Prema Bhakti (Divine Love) and an inspired poetess. She is regarded as an incarnation of Radha. She sang in vraja-bhAshA, sometimes mixed with rAjasthAni, in praise of Giridhara GopAla (Shri Krishna), her lord for whom she developed in her heart the most intense love and devotion.
Meera occupies indeed a sacred place in the history of Indian thought and culture for her deep and passionate religious devotion, as also for her poetry in which her genius was well revealed, and which was never bereft of beauty in the true sense of the term. Her odes and hymns are so rich, sweet and inspiring, not because of any high rhetoric or dexterity of language, but because they are characterized by a tenderness and simplicity of feeling as genuine outpourings of a heart completely dedicated to God.

Man Kunto Maula - Hazrat Amir Khusro

Nusrat Fateh Ai Khan


Abida Perveen


Shujaat Hussain Khan


Jafar Husain Khan Badayuni


Smita Bellur


Zila Khan

shaah-e-mardaaN
sher-e-yazdaaN
quvvat-e-parvardigaar
laa fataa illaa Ali
laa saif illaa zulfiqaar

King of the brave,
lion of God,
[and] strength of God.
There is no one like Ali [and]
there is no sword like Zulfiqaar*.

* Zulfiqaar was the sword of Ali presented to him by Muhammad.

Ali imaam-e-manasto manam Ghulaam-e-Ali
hazaar jaan-e-giraamii fidaa-e-naam-e-Ali

Ali is the master of all, I am the slave of Ali
thousands life are to be sacrificed for Ali.

man kunto maulaa
fa haaza Aliun maulaa

To whom I am the master
Ali is the master.

Note: A famous tradition (hadith) of Prophet Muhammad. Ali was his cousin and son-in-law.

daaraa dil daaraa dil daar-e-daanii
tum tum taa naa naa naanaa, naanaa naanaa re
yaalaalii yaalaalii yaalaa, yaalaa yaalaa

Mystical chants sung by Sufis without any specific meaning.

In some versions, Nusrat has also recited the following stanza:

Ali shaah-e-mardaaN imaamun kabiiraa
ke baadasht nabii shud bashirush naziiraa

Ali is the king of the brave and the great leader
because after the Prophet there is Ali.

Mann Mast Hua Phir Kya Bole - Sant Kabirdas

Prahlad Tipanya, Malwa, Folk


Shabnam Virmani, filmaker and director of Kabir Project


Gurumaa, Bhajan

Man mast hua, ab kyon dole
Man mast hua, mast hua, ab kyon dole
Man mast hua, ab kyon dole

Halki thi tab chadi taraaju,
Bhaari bhayi ab kyon tole

Man mast hua, ab kyon dole
Man mast hua, mast hua, ab kyon dole
Man mast hua, ab kyon dole

Heera paayo gaanth gathaayo,
Baar-baar ba ko kyon khole

Man mast hua, ab kyon dole
Man mast hua, mast hua, ab kyon dole
Man mast hua, ab kyon dole

Ghatt hi mein tere sahib betha,
Baahar naina kyon khole

Man mast hua, ab kyon dole
Man mast hua, mast hua, ab kyon dole
Man mast hua, ab kyon dole

Kehat kabir suno bhayi saadho
Sahib mil gaya dil ohle

Man mast hua, ab kyon dole
Man mast hua, mast hua, ab kyon dole
Man mast hua, ab kyon dole

Kabir [1398-1488]
Kabir was a weaver and mystic poet from northern India and lived in Hindu holy city of Benares. He was an important influence on the Hindus and Muslims of his time and also a profound influence on Guru Nanak, the first guru of the Sikh religion. Many poems of Kabir can be found in the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred scriptures that form the Guru of Sikhism.

Kabir was born in a weaver's family and later adopted by childless Muslim weavers named Niru and Nimma, who found him near Lahara Tara lake, adjacent to the holy city of Varanasi. [3] But his birth is surrounded by legends. Some say he was really the son of a Brahmin widow, adopted by the Muslim couple. [4]

Early in his life Kabir became a disciple of the Hindu bhakti saint Ramananda. It was unusual for a Hindu teacher to accept a Muslim student, but legend has it the young Kabir found a creative way to overcome all objections. Kabir knew which temple Ramananda meditated in each day before dawn, and Kabir lay down on the steps outside. Ramananda walked out in the dark and stepped on the boy's body. Astonished, he leaped up, and cried, "Rama!" Kabir then jumped up and said, "You spoke the name of God in my presence. You initiated me. I'm your student!"[5]

A Bhakti saint, who sang the ideals of seeing all of humanity as one, his name, Kabir, is often interpreted as Guru's Grace.

A weaver by profession, Kabir ranks among the world's greatest poets. In India, he is perhaps the most quoted author. The Holy Guru Granth Sahib contains over 500 verses by Kabir. The Sikh community in particular and others who follow the Holy Granth, hold Kabir in the same reverence as the other ten Gurus.

Kabir openly criticized all sects and gave a new direction to the Indian philosophy. This is due to his straight forward approach that has a universal appeal. It is for this reason that Kabir is held in high esteem all over the world. To call Kabir a universal Guru is not an exaggeration.

Kabir is also considered one of the early northern India Sants. One source for modern adaptations of Kabir's poetry is Robert Bly's The Kabir Book: Forty-Four of the Ecstatic Poems of Kabir.

The details of Kabir's life are mixed with legends - some say he married one Loi and brought up two adopted children Kamal and Kamali, and that Emperor Sikandar Lodi, angered by Kabir's refusal to salute him tried to get him killed by drowning, burning and other means of torture.

Throughout his life Kabir preached and worked as a weaver in the neighbourhood of Benares. Owing to his teachings he was an object of dislike both to Hindus and to Muslims, and it is said that he was denounced to Sikandar Lodi, king of Delhi, as laying claim to divine attributes, but escaped by his ready tongue.


Kabir died at Maghar near Gorakbpur, and a dispute at once arose as to the disposal of his remains, which were claimed, by Hindus and Muslims, the former desiring to cremate and the latter to bury them. While they wrangled, Kabir himself appeared and bade them raise the cloth which covered the corpse. When this was done, it was found that the body had vanished, but a heap of flowers occupied its place. Half of these were burnt after the Hindu custom at a spot now known as Kablr Chaura in Benares, and the rest were buried at Maghar, which became the headquarters of the Muslim portion of the sect that still follows Kabir. They are named Kabirpanthis. A tomb was built there which was subsequently repaired about 1867 by a Muslim officer of the Mughal army.


The basic religious principles he espouses are simple. According to Kabir, all life is an interplay of two spiritual principles. One is the personal soul (Jivatma) and the other is God (Paramatma). It is Kabir's view that salvation is the process of bringing into union these two divine principles.
Source: Wikipedia

Vocalist: Prahlad Tipanya and ensemble are folk singers are from Ujjain district, Madhya Pradesh in India

Koi Sunta Hai - Sant Kabir

Rajasthani Sufi Mirasi singer Mukhtiyar Ali with Malwa Folk singer Prahlad Tipanya


Kumar Gandharv, Classical


Rahul Deshpande, Nirgun Bhajan

http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/2833
Journeys with Kumar and Kabir, film by Shabnam Virmani

Sunta hai guru gyani
Gagan me awaaz ho rahi hai jheeni jheeni
Sunta hai guru gyani

Paahi liyaye
Naad bindu se peechhe jamaya paani ho ji
Sab ghat puran guru rahya hai
Alakh purush nirvaani ho ji
Sunta hai guru gyani

Vahaa se aaya pata likhaya
Trushna toone bujhai
Amrut chhod chhod vishay ko dhaave
Khol de phaans phansaani ho ji
Sunta hai guru gyani

Gagan mandal mein koi
Boi pe dahi jamaya
Makhan makhan santon ne khaya
Chhar jagat babarani ho ji
Sunta hai guru gyani

Bin dharti ek ma daal deeje
Bin taruvar joo paani re
Gagan mandal me hoye ujiyala
Bol guru-mukh baani ho ji
Sunta hai guru gyani

Oham soham baja baje
Tipu ki tham suhani re
Ida pingala sukhman nari
Sunatha ja behrani ho ji
Sunta hai guru gyani

Kahe Kabir suno bhai saadho
Jaag agam ke baani re
Din bhar re jo nazar bhar dekhe
Ajar amar ho nishani ho ji

Sunta hai guru gyani
Gagan me awaaz ho rahi hai jheeni jheeni
Sunta hai guru gyani

Kumar Gandharva(1924-1992)
Kannada: ಕುಮಾರ ಗಂಧರ್ವ) or Shivaputra Siddramayya Komkalimath was a Hindustani classical singer, famous for his unique vocal style, refusal to be bound by the tradition of any gharana, and his innovative genius. The name Kumar Gandharva is a title given to him when he was a child prodigy; a Gandharva is a musical spirit in Hindu mythology.Kumar Gandharva was awarded the Padma Vibhushan award in 1990.

After his first wife Bhanumati's death in 1961, Kumar married Vasundhara Shrikhande, another of his fellow-students at Deodhar School. Vasundhara Komkalimath formed a memorable duo with him in bhajan singing.Their daughter Kalapini Komkalimath would later accompany both her parents on tanpura.Some of Kumar Gandharva's ideology is carried forward by his son Mukul Shivaputra Komkalimath and daughter, as well as students such as Madhup Mudgal, Shubha Mudgal, Vijay Sardeshmukh and Satyasheel Deshpande. Kumarji's grandson Bhuvanesh (Mukul Shivaputra's son) has also made a name for himself as classical singer.

Toranj - Mohsen Namjoo - From Tannaz Haghayegh

Gofta man an toranjam, kan dar jahan nagonjam
Goftam beh az toranji, leeken be dast nayee

Gofta to az kojayee, kashofte minomayee
Goftam manam gharibi, az shahre ashenayee

Gofta sare che dari, kaz sar khabar nadari
Goftam barastanat, daram sare gedayee

Gofta be delrobayee, ma ra che gooneh beeni?
Goftam cho kharmanee kol, dar bazme delrobayee

Goftam ke booye zolfat, gomrahe alamam kard
Gofta agar bedani, hamavat rahbar ayad

Goftam ke nooshe la'alat, ma ra be arezoo kosht
Gofta to bandegi kon, koo bande parvar ayad

گفتا من آن ترنجم، کاندر جهان نگنچم
گفتم به از ترنجی، لیکن به دست نایی

گفتا تو از کجایی، کاشفته می‌نمایی
گفتم منم غریبی، از شهر آشنایی

گفتا سر چه داری، کز سر خبر نداری
گفتم بر آستانت، دارم سر گدایی

گفتا به دلربایی، ما را چگونه بینی
گفتم چو خرمنی کل، در بزم دلربایی

گفتم که بوی زلفت، گمراه عالمم کرد
گفتا اگر بدانی، هم اوت رهبر آید

گفتم که نوش لعلت، ما را به آرزو کشت
گفتا تو بندگی کن، کو بنده‌پرور آید


Namjoo was born in 1976 in Torbat-e Jam, Iran. When he was one year old, his family moved to Mashhad where he spent the next seventeen years of his life in. When he was 12, his father, Mohammad Hossein Namjoo, died. Few months later, his family encouraged him to start attending a music class. He started classical Persian vocal music with Ali Shakeri and solfège with Kaivan Alaee. Few months earlier, he got to know Ali Shakeri through Nasrollah Nasehpoor in a trip to Tehran. At that time, Ali Shakeri was a student of Nasrollah Nasehpoor. Almost a year after having sessions with Ali Shakeri, Nasrollah Nasehpoor started to have weekly music sessions in Mashhad. This was a great opportunity for the young Namjoo to learn classical Persian vocal music from whom he thinks of as the best teacher for traditional Iranian singing. He attended these classes until the age of 18.

In 1994 he was offered admission to study Music at University of Tehran. Since the music program at the university wouldn't start for another year, he took two theater classes from department of drama, University of The Arts. Namjoo always recalls the two theater classes and that one year period of time to be the time which shaped many parts of his work and his life. At Tehran University he was a student of Alireza Mashayekhi and Azin Movahed and other masters.

His debut album titled Toranj was officially released in Iran in September 2007 with his own voice appearing in most of his compositions. He has also composed soundtracks for movies and plays, and was featured in the documentary Sounds of Silence (directed by Amir Hamz and Mark Lazarz] which has been screened at international film festivals. He also appeared in a feature narrative film called Few Kilograms of Dates for the Funeral (Director Saman Saloor), played in various film festivals. Namjoo's first performance outside Iran was in January 2006 at the Tehran Hotspot of the International Rotterdam Film Festival where he played solo.[citation needed]

He also writes poetry, and sometimes uses his own satirical lyrics in his songs blended with the classical poetry of Hafez, Rumi or Saadi. His music and words are very emotional and, in his works, he creates a fusion of various styles from traditional Iranian to blues and rock.

Mohsen Namjoo performed his first live TV concert on the Persian News Network of Voice of America in Washington DC for the Norouz event for the celebration of Persian new year on Saturday, December 20, 2009

courtesy : wiki

Chizi Nist - Hadi Pakzad - From Tannaz Haghayegh

Chizi nist ke bekham begam, Jaee nist ke bekham beram
Hichki nist ke bekham biyad, Baraye raftan hazeram
Chizi nist ke bekham lams konam,
Ta'ami nist ke bekham bechesham
Booyi nist ke bekham hess konam,
Ranji nist ke bekham bekesham
Jaee nist ke bekham bemoonam,
Marzi nist ke azash begzaram
Haghi nist ke bekham begiram,
Sahmi nist az boodan bebaram
Rahi nist ke narafte basham,
Rangi nist ke nadide basham
Meili nist ta barande basham,
Tori nist ke naboode basham
Harfi nist ke bekham beshnavam,
Razi nist ke bekham bedoonam
Chizi nist ke behesh fekr konam,
Kafie dige nemikham bemoonam
Shoghi nist vase residan,
Chizi nist baraye dashtan
Hessi nist baraye ehsas,
Nist arezooyi baraye dashtan
Nist chizi ke bedast biyaram,
Chizi nist ke bekham bebazam
Hichi nist ke bekham leh konam,
Chizi nist ke az no besazam
Chizi nist ke bekham begam,
Jaee nist ke bekham beram
Hichki nist ke bekham biyad,
Baraye raftan hazeram
Harfi nist ke bekham beshnavam,
Razi nist ke bekham bedoonam
Chizi nist ke behesh fekr konam,
Kafie dige nemikham bemoonam
Nist taghati be in asiri,
Sabri nist az jense piri
Nist noghte ee baraye aghaz,
Nist jaee ke tamoomi begiri
Chizi nist ke bekham begam,
Jaee nist ke bekham beram
Hichki nist ke bekham biyad,
Baraye raftan hazeram
Yadi nist ,Sahmi nist
Meyli nist ,Chizi nist
Lyrics: Hadi Pakzad

there's nothing that I would wanna say.
there's nowhere that I would wanna go.
there's no one whom I want to come.
I'm ready to go....
There's nothing that I would want to touch
there's nothing that I would want to taste
there's no smell that I would want to feel
There's no pain that I would want to bear
there's no where that I would wanna stay
there's no boundry that I pass

Hadi Pakzad, is one of the first few singers who have started Rock and Alternative music composition in Iran. He was born in Mashhad, Iran in 1982. He got his Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from University of Mashhad.

He took harmonic and music lessons with (Keyvan Alaee), He also took Piano and Guitar lessons from (Naser Tofighi). Before he got involved with music, he was interested in classical poetry and philosophical writing. In the year 2000,he produced his first album in a home studio with the help of some local musicians. The songs of his album were inspired by his poems. He soon released his first album named Fear Land and distributed it in parties. In no time, his distinct style became popular throughout the country and among Iranian who lived abroad.

Then, with the support of his fans, he organized some underground concerts in Tehran and other major cities. Since his songs were received warmly by the fans, he decided to re-record his album with the involvement of a professional team and new facilities and noticeable capital in a studio in Tehran. He also decided to do some advertising and released his artistic work on his own site.

In the year 2005 he held two official and huge concerts in Mashhad. Then he released his new album named Living Under Ground in August 2006. 18GB of his songs were downloaded from internet by fans in the first few days, in the meantime, his videoclip named Daryad, was broadcasted from satellite channels such as PMC.

courtesy: whatsupiran

Chithu Chithu La Bomma - Bathukamma Festival song

Batukamma is a spring festival celebrated by the Hindu women of Telangana region in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is also called as Bodemma. This festival falls in the months of September/October called as Aswiyuja and concludes two days before Dussera called as Durgashtami.

Batukamma is a beautiful flower stack, arranged with seasonal flowers, in seven concentric layers, of potter’s clay like a cone. Batuku in Telugu means live/life, and Amma means mother, hence Batukamma, is celebrated for the glory of Goddess Gauri (meaning fair or white) - the patron Goddess of womanhood.

Women celebrate the festival dressed-up in traditional silk sarees, wear jewellery and girls wear a two-piece saree called as Langa oni.

On this day the men folk of the house go into the wild plains and gather the flowers like gunuka , tangedi, lotus, alli, katla, teku flowers, Which bloom in this season in various vibrant colors all across the uncultivated and barren plains of the region.

Women start preparation of Batukamma from the afternoon. They cut the flowers leaving the little length base, some dip in colours, some scented and arrange them on a wide plate called as tambalamu, and stack them up in a conical mound, decorate with a pumpkin flower on top of stack.

In the evening, women gather in large numbers with their batukammas in their locality, place them in the middle and dance around them, synchronizing steps and claps in unison, and singing soul stirring batukamma folk songs.


Women dancing around their BatukammasAfter singing and dancing around for hours, Batukammas are taken to a lake or a pond and spend some more time singing and dancing and are set afloat in the water body.

Saddula Batukamma
This festival is celebrated for nine days and concludes on Durgastami. The main festival day is called Saddula Batukamma.[3] On this day they celebrate into wee hours before leaving their Batukamma in water. Lakes floating with batukammas in the evenings is a treat to the eyes.


MaleedaMaleeda, a prasadam made of jaggery, is prepared on this day and distributed at the end of the event. People wishing to watch Bathukamma festival being celebrated in its true sense and full glory must visit Warangal on its last day i.e 2 days before festival of Dussehra. Only Women are allowed and male companions must wait outside the festival grounds.


Once upon a time King Dharmangada of Chola Dynasty used to rule South India. After many prayers and rituals, his wife gave birth to Princess Lakshmi. Baby Lakshmi survived many accidents. So, the parents named her Batukamma (Batuku = life, Amma= suffix to female names and mother). Since then Batukamma festival is celebrated by young girls in Telangana region. The purpose of this festival is to pray to the Goddess in the belief that the young girls would get husbands as per their wish. It is celebrated for nine days beginning from the Padyami (first day) of the month Asvayuja (September-October). Flowers are arranged on a plate or square wooden plank or a square bamboo frame in a conical layout. On the top, gynecium of a pumpkin flower or a cone made of turmeric to represent Batukamma is installed. This floral arrangement is worshipped as Goddess Batukamma. This festival is mainly celebrated by unmarried young girls, though men and women also participate in collecting and arranging the flowers as Batukamma.