Mir Mukhtiyar Ali goes to Chennai…

It was May this year that I met Mukhtiyar at Munshi’s sunnat function in Pugal. Of course Munshi, Mukhtiyar’s youngest son could not be seen, tucked away as he was in the soothing lap of her mother and dadi.

Nazru Khan, Mukhtiyar’s brother had cooked the fabulous mutton curry as the main course in lunch. We all ate together, the rich aroma of the curry mingling with fragrances from past days. Mukhtiyar had embarked on his journey of discovering the finer nuances of the sufiyana qalam gayaki some years back. It was indeed a modest beginning of a journey in the making of a singer who now had the opportunity to perform before audiences all over India as well as in Belgium, Spain, Sweeden, China. Abdul Jabbar has also gone with him on some occasions.

Mukhtiyar started telling of his recent experience of working in a music band in Chennai that had around thirty members. There was a baul singer from Bengal as well. Mukhtiyar was the ‘Rajasthani Sufi’ face of the band, pitching in with his soul stirring taans that were the characteristics of his full throated melodious voice. But you know, ‘for earning a secure source of livelihood I have to go all the way to Chennai, and then I cannot do anything for my musical traditions and roots here at Pugal with my community’, exclaimed Mukhtiyar.

Around four in the evening, Guman suggested that we should get back to Bikaner. It was eighty kilometers and should take us not less than two hours if not more, depending on the traffic of the lorry trail carrying limestone and gypsum. We bid farewell to the Mirs of Pugal.

Mukhtiyar said he was coming to Bikaner after two days. He had to leave for Chennai, his work place…..

Read More in Slant Stance on Mirs of Pugal