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xcelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 15: The performance of ‘Hirakh-Saif-ul- Malook’, a docu-drama on the life and works of Mian Mohammad Baksh, (1826-1907) staged here today, was a befitting tribute to the 19th century Pahari poet who is revered by masses for his immortal lyrics that apart from being nuggets of native wisdom also advocate achieving spiritual bliss through love.
Organized by Dogri Sanstha in collaboration with University of Jammu, State Advisory Board for the Development of Pahari Speaking People and J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, today’s production which emerged out of forty five day workshop, was a multi-media presentation which has been written by Shiv Mehta and directed and designed by Bhupinder Singh.
Combining video footage of the Ziarat of Mian Mohammad Baksh at Khari Sharief, near Mirpur in Pak occupied Kashmir, with lilting musical compositions based on the ‘baits’ -verses of Saif-ul- Malook, the immortal creation of the poet, today’s play had two parallel story lines. One which based on Saif-ul-Malook revolves around love story of prince of Egypt with a girl from Gazni and the other is about young woman who gets separated from her lover and is finally united with him. While waiting for her at the Ziarat of Mian Sahib, she comes to know about the life tale of Mian Sahib through the ‘mujjavar’.
The dramatic re-imagining of Mian Sahib’s life and works has once again reiterated the fact that how Mian Sahib’s poetry has attained the status of folk lore and is the defining reference of life in general for Paharis, Gujjars , Punjabis and Dogras-the communities living in Duggar.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof Lalit Magotra, President Dogri Sanstha, rightly said that the play where characters speak Dogri while the verses are in Pahari\Punjabi is a shining example of our composite culture and brother hood. Shiv Mehta’s conception of play in verse form was in consonance with Saif-ul-Malook poetic form while Bhupinder Singh’s directorial efforts did succeed in giving an insight into the life and poetic world of the great Pahari poet.
Today’s mega production included actors Janak Khajuria, Surinder Goel, Kanta Sharma, Tapeshwar Sharma, Poonam Sudan, Pradeep Sharma, Aakash, Rajeev Slathia, Neeraj Magotra, Arun Sharma, Sunil Raja, Paramjit Titu, Tarun Sharma, Sarthak Sharma, Rahul Dogra, Pankaj Verma, Gulshan Dhingra, Inder Pal, Gopal, Ajay Sharma, Hirdyanshu Slathia, Meenakshi Bali, Khushi, Rakesh Kona, Pallavi Kotwal, Simran Jamwal, Pooja Kotwal and Vijay Kapoor.
The music was designed by Surinder Manhas. The singers were Suraj Singh, Surpal, Rabjyot Singh, Sumit, Sham Manyal, and Marina Jamwal.
Make -up was by Dr Kamal Sharma, sets by Naresh Kumar. Tapeshwar Dutta was the assistant director.
Syed Mushtaq Bukhari, former VC, Pahari Board was chief guest while Prof MPS Ishar, VC, University of Jammu, was guest of honour. Bashir Khalid, Secretary, Cultural Academy and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.
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