‘No motive’, just music: Viral video of Kashmiris playing Pak national anthem
A melodious rendition of Pakistan’s national anthem by two budding Kashmiri musicians on traditional instruments has gone viral on social media in the Valley.
A melodious rendition of Pakistan’s national anthem by two budding Kashmiri musicians on traditional instruments has gone viral on social media in the Valley.
The video is spreading like a forest fire through Whatsapp groups and has become particularly famous for its melodious rendition on santoor and rabab by Umar Majeed (18) and Zubair Ahmad (22).
The video shared on Facebook page ‘Culture de Kashmir’ on Monday morning has been viewed over 62000 times and has elicited thousands of likes. Thousands others have also shared the video.
“Music has no boundaries. Musicians are ‘azad’. It is our work and we will be of no worth without music. There is no other motive to my rendition of Pakistan’s national anthem,” said Umar Majeed, who has played the santoor.
The Pakistani national anthem was been written by Hafeez Jullundhri and its music was composed by Ahmad G Chagla in 1949.
Majeed said that he and Zubair were practising in the musical institute of the former’s father in HMT area on the outskirts of Srinagar when somebody suggested the rendition.
“We were trying the instruments when a friend suggested playing ‘Pak sarzameen’. Somebody started capturing it on a video. Since its upload on social media my phone has not stopped buzzing,” Majeed, who is a class 12 arts student, said.
Zubair is studying for his graduation.
Majeed said that he was surprised by the response of the people. “I have also uploaded videos before but I had never imagined this video will become so famous,” he said.
Not unexpectedly, the rendition has become a fodder for some trolls to use it for their own ends on either side of the border but many music lovers have hailed the young musicians for the mesmerising music.
“Wooooww. This music is soul refreshing. Mesmerising music,” wrote Umar Khan, a Kashmiri working in Bangalore wrote on Facebook.
Majeed is more than happy as he said it has turned the attention of youth towards the Kashmir’s traditional music.
“Music is in my body and soul but there are many youth like me who have no idea of Kashmir’s folk music. Many people called me to ask what instruments we were playing in the video. They know everything about guitar and western instruments but have no idea about our own instruments,” he said.
Majeed is now mulling a musical rendition of the Indian national anthem.