Raw and Real

Music by Kashmiri artists captures people’s lived experiences and daily realities

- MA Khan

“Chal aa ek aesi nazm kahoon

Jo lafz kahoon woh ho jaaye”

(Come, let me recite such a poem That the words I speak become reality)

AS this poem found a home in the composition of a local artist Faheem Abdullah, the buzz that it generated yet again became a testament to the artistic genius of Kashmir—one that feasts on the loss of control while celebrating a state of hysteria. The song ‘Ishq’ by Faheem Abdullah caught global attention and has become a new sensation from the Valley. This melody struck a chord in the hearts of Kashmiris, not only because it fulfilled the aspirations of lovers who fantasise about their beloved being powerless, but because it went to a deeper level, touching upon the trapped emotions of the native people. Kashmiris could empathise with the state in which the song sought to place the beloved, as if they were just waiting for something to trigger their representation, even if it was only a part of the song.