The music of Baltistan is dying

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By Aoun Sahi (for the NEWS)

Wazir Himayat Hussain hails from the family of Wazirs of Khaplu, a district of northern areas of Pakistan. He has served in Radio Pakistan for 27 long years. These days he lives in Skardu, headquarter of Baltistan region. He remained associated with Balti language programmes much of the time during his service with Radio. His love for Balti music, started in 1976 when he visited his home city Khaplu as radio producer and recorded classical Balti music during a musical event. In 1980s he got an opportunity to work with renowned German researcher Dr Renate Sohenen on Balti Music. Later he also worked with some Japanese music researchers who visited the area to study Batli music. These days he is writing a book on classical Balti Music which, he fears, is on the verge of disappearing due to various factors. Excerpts of an interview with him in Skardu

The News on Sunday: Tell us about the background and details of Balti music?

Wazir Himayat Hussain: Music in Baltistan region also known as Tibet-e-Khurd (little Tibet) was introduced by the follower of Buddhism before 700 AD. They were believed to be the first who settled in this region permanently around the same period (before 700 AD) and music being an essential component of their religion (Buddhism) was also brought by them in Baltistan region. After the advent of Islam in this area, through Persian and Central Asian Muslim preachers’ in the 14th century, the local music also derived a great influence from Persian as well as Central Asian music. The ragas of Balti music are known as Hareeb which has been derived from a Persian word “harb” meaning war. Most of these Hareebs contain Persian and Turkish titles such as Yagah, Dogah, Segah, Chahargah, Panjgah, Zikri, Nobat, Duldul Saqila, Daur mala, Maghloob, Ozal and Shamduri and many others. Similarly musical instruments like Karnai, Surnai or Shehnai were also introduced in Baltistan by Persians and people from Central Asia.

Dr. Renate Sohenen, a German researcher on Balti music writes in her article, published in the Journal of Central Asia, “There are at least three historical layers to which the different parts or kinds of Balti music and folklore belong, indicated by the names on one hand, by stylistic specialty on the other hand. For outsiders like me the most genuine folkloristic traditions seem to be those bearing originally Balti names, for instance the ancient folksongs (Rgyang Khlu), the dancing tunes (Hrtse Kar) bearing name like Mindoq Hltanmo (that is flower festival etc) and, of course, the epical songs (Balti Zdrung Khlu)”.

Balti people were so fond of music that much of the history and culture of the region was enshrined through folk songs and poetry and even the early preachers of Islam did not forbid them from playing music. Many such folk songs have been lost because these were never written but transferred orally from one generation to the other.

There are some folk singers, like Abul Hassan in Shigar valley and Abdul Salam in Khaplu, in Baltistan who can sing 200 folk songs. In Baltistan, poetry is also known as music. They use term ‘vocal music’ for it which means everything that is recited in special tunes, the songs, those are parts of Kesar epic, ancient folksongs, Devans and Ghazals as well as religious recitations like Qasidas, Behr-e-taweel, Marsias and Nohas have a long tradition in Baltistan. The other form is known as ‘instrumental music’. This form includes the ancient dancing tunes like “Mindoq Hltanmo” (flower festival) and the classical hareebs which are more or less similar to the Raga melodies of Indian classical music.

TNS: This region is mostly known for polo. Is there any connection between polo and local music?

WHH: The music of Baltistan is considered to be incomplete without polo and there is no concept of polo without music. Polo without music is really disliked in Baltistan and is known as Ghot Polo (deaf polo).

In the good old days, the local chiefs, called Rajas, used to have their own musicians and polo teams. They had special music for polo and polo players. A day before and on the day of the polo match, all the musicians went to Rajas palace to play classical music. This tradition was called Ratib. From the palace to the polo ground the Raja, polo players and courtiers walked on foot and the horses behind held by servants. During the journey from palace to polo ground, musicians played back four kinds of tunes which were called Lum Sna, Budhi Lum Sna, Rgyalam Chanmo and Lastiang Khunghu. When they entered the polo ground a special and chanting tune called Rawani was played. There are specific names for different situations during the game; the most famous of them is called Staqra which is played after every goal.

At the end of the game special tunes of epic songs “Braqna Charaq and Forgon the ponpon” mocking the losing teams was played. Then all the players in the company of Raja left for the palace and musicians used to play special tunes called “Lum Sna”.

TNS: Who used to patronise musicians in the past in Baltistan?

WHH: The local chiefs, popularly known as Rajas, used to patronise music in Baltistan. Every Raja had his own team of musicians, who were given lands and exempted from all kinds of taxes. These musicians were called Mon. In the eras of different Rajas, Baltistan produced several great musicians who experimented with Balti music and invented many Ragas — Hareeb.

In the early time there were 60 Hareeb or Ragas the Balti musicians could play. Ali Sher Khan Anchan, the fifteenth ruler of Maqpon dynasty and the contemporary of Mughal emperor, Akbar the great, had contributed a lot to Balti music. He sent the Balti musicians to the court of Mughals in Delhi, to study and learn the musical tradition there. He also married a mughal princess Gul Khatoon. The Baltis, translated her name into their own language and started calling her Mindoq Rgyallmo, meaning flower queen. Gul Khatoon also brought musicians, artists and engineers with her from Delhi and played an important role in introducing Mughal culture in Baltistan.

Under the patronage of such music loving rulers, these musicians invented new Ragas and composed music for the people of the neighbouring states according to their power and status. The music invented and composed for the people of Kashmir is called Khache Chus, for people of Gilgit they invented music known as Broq Chus, for people of Laddakh they created music called Buddh Ghus and for Turks Khor Chus. The Baltis called Khor for the Turks and Khor yul means Turkish central Asia.

TNS: What is the situation of Balti music now?

WHH: After the decline of Rajas in the region, the culture and the music of Baltistan is in deep trouble. It is in fact dying. The present situation of Balti classical music as well as folklore is deplorable. There are hardly ten musicians and thirty folk artists available to carry this musical and folk tradition. The musicians have no patronage and so a majority of them is forced to leave their traditional profession.

I know many classic Balti musicians who are now working as cobblers or carpenters in different areas of the region. One cannot find even a single classical musician in areas like Rondhu valley, Sermik and Chorbat, centres of classical music in the past.

There are some classical musicians in the area but they are unable to give full time to music due to economic reasons and that is the reason none of the classical musicians of today can play more than 12 Ragas (Hareeb).

Government of Pakistan should come forward and patronise the classical musicians of Baltistan. Otherwise the rich and century-old classical music of Baltistan will disappear soon.

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Tags: baltistan, culture, Heritage, Khaplu, Music, Northern Areas, Pakistan, Skardu