Music
Muslim Teenager in Kashmir Performs, Teaches Kirtan ... to Sikhs
by HAROON MIRANI
When someone of another faith performs Kirtan of Sikh shabads, the audience is left mesmerised
On a lazy afternoon in the summer of 2000, at a Gurdwara in Srinagar (Kashmir), devotees were listening to kirtan when a young woman took centre stage. Initially, nobody gave a second look, but the sweet voice soon cast a spell over the gathering. Everyone listened in rapt attention, and soon they joined in the singing.
After the kirtan ended, the people were curious to know more about the young singer and were surprised to discover that the 16-year-old was a Muslim. Blessings and applause followed, and Tasleema Langoo instantly became a mini-celebrity amongst the small Sikh community in Kashmir.
Today, Tasleema is an accomplished teacher and singer of kirtan in the Kashmir Valley. Members of the Sikh community are full of praise for the young woman, saying she "takes us nearer to our own religion".
With the current civil unrest, curfews and shutdowns restricting people's movement in the Valley, Tasleema's classes have also taken a break. But she is hopeful that once normalcy returns, so will her classes.
"The students, many of whom are outside the Valley, are regularly in touch with me on phone and waiting for the next classes," she says.
Tasleema belongs to a family of musicians. Her great grandfather used to sing for the Maharaja, while her grandfather, Ghulam Qadir Langoo, was a court singer. Her father, Abdul Majeed Langoo, teaches music at a women's college.
Her interest in Shabad Kirtan took root when, as a six-year-old, she watched her father's Sikh students learning to play the tabla and harmonium for kirtan.
"Our family is closely associated with music and I get to hear all types of music but, curiously, shabad kirtan would always excite me the most," says Tasleema. "I started helping the students with their instruments and they, in turn, wrote shabads in the Urdu script for me."
When she began singing the shabads in her father's class, her mesmerising voice captivated not just the other students but also their parents, who began dropping in to listen to her melodious renditions. Tasleema began teaching the music when she was just 14. As she could not read the Guru Granth Sahib - which is in Gurmukhi script, her father bought her a copy of the Sikh scripture in Urdu from Amritsar. Her father also helps her in the composition of new shabads.
It was on the insistence of her students and their parents that Tasleema first sang at a gurudwara. Her fame soon spread and she was invited to sing at more gurudwaras both within and outside the State of Jammu & Kashmir. "I got invitations almost every week. I sang at Chatti Padshahi in Srinagar, the biggest in Kashmir," she says with pride. "People also invited me for Vaisakhi and other festivals."
But her high point was when she was asked to perform at the Golden Temple in Amritsar in 2007. Her sweet voice brought tears to the eyes of many. An old woman hugged her and kissed her hands, saying, "You are the voice of Sikh women and an honour to the Sikh community." The woman then removed her gold earrings and gifted them to the stunned singer.
"That was so moving. It is one of the biggest compliments I have received," says Tasleema. "But she didn't know that the girl she was praising was not a Sikh but a Muslim from Kashmir," she chuckles.
After her recitation at the Golden Temple, a pious and well-known Sikh personality, Bhai Harbans Singh, visited her house to thank her. When he heard of her work over the years he complimented her, saying, "You are doing a big favour to our community."
The girl who left studies after high school has till date trained more than 200 Sikh boys and girls in Shabad Kirtan. Residing in Srinagar's congested Shaheed Gunj area, and that too close to a mosque, she has carried on her work in an atmosphere of complete harmony, facing no opposition whatsoever from members of her family or community.
"After hearing the shabad recitation, the Imam Sahib of our mosque once came to my class, blessed me and told me that I was doing a wonderful job," recalls Tasleema.
Tasleema has never felt any conflict between her religion and her passion. "The basics of all religions are the same as they lead to one Supreme God," she says and recites her favourite shabad - "Kareema raheema Allah tu gani".
"I start my day with Nimaz (Muslim morning prayers) and recitation from the Quran," she says. "After that I open the Guru Granth Sahib, memorize a new shabad and compose it for my students with the help of my father."
She hopes that sometime in the future she can open an institution where Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus and people from any religion can come together to learn singing.
[Courtesy: The Sikh Times]
September 22, 2010
Conversation about this article
1: Inni Kaur (Fairfield, CT, U.S.A.), September 22, 2010, 5:55 PM.
In the midst of darkness, a ray of sunshine! sikhchic.com, thank you for highlighting this story!
2: Sangat Singh (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), September 22, 2010, 6:55 PM.
Once an eminent musician came to Guru Arjan to demonstrate his virtuosity, thinking that he would impress Guru Arjan, who himself was a musician par excellence. After his impressive excellent performance, Guru Arjan presented him with only Rs. 5/- as a reward. When he commented that for such a brilliant performance the reward was only a paltry Rs. 5/- "Yes," replied Guru Arjan, "for Raag only that was an appropriate reward, But if he had combined with it, then I wouldn't have enough to reward him." Bibi Tasleema Langoo combined shabad with her skill as a classical singer that made her an instant celebrity. There is such an excellent pool of classical singers if you were to watch Zee TV's 'Sare Ga Ma Pa' programme. But, if asked to name the top singer of last night's performance you, probably wouldn't remember the name that would remain buried in a sea of talent. Tasleema will remain blessed as long as she sings Guru's bani added to her singing skills. That is what exactly happened when Guru Nanak told Bhai Mardana, that he played the rabab well, "Come with me, let's combine shabad with it." Bhai Mardana remains the only one to have his three hymns in Guru Granth Sahib and the only one honoured to use 'Nanak', apart from the five Gurus to sign his hymns. Tasleema, you have Guru Nanak's blessings and His Hand is on your head. Go forth and keep singing His praises.
3: Capt..Harinder Pal Singh (Jaipur, India), September 23, 2010, 9:38 AM.
This is an incredible story in our complicated times. Such a luminary as Bibi Tasleema should be praised, encouraged and honoured by one and all. This story is somewhat like that of Bhai Chaman Lal ji for his kirtan in the Delhi gurdwaras. FYI, he became an amritdhari and is now known as Bhai Chamanjit Singh. The Sikhs of Delhi adore his pious and calm demeanor.
4: Pradeep Singh (Mathura, India), September 25, 2010, 1:42 AM.
Awesome story. We need more kirtan teachers like Bibi Tasleema Langoo. On a different note: The need of the hour is to showcase more stories like this to connect with Sikh youth in India.
5: Ravjeet Singh (New Delhi, India.), September 26, 2010, 12:25 PM.
A fantastic story, no doubt. One that needs to be circulated again and again in our cynical world of religious intolerance. It does bring some thoughts to mind, though. One: it goes to show that Muslims are really not as close-minded as is generally projected in the media. Second: do we, the Sikh youth, understand and participate in other religions as well? Do we, for instance, know the azaan? I have heard the azaan on occasion, and like all supplications to The Supreme, it is beautiful. But I wonder what my nears and dears would have to say if they saw me singing the azaan on the steps of a mosque. All the more reason for us to appreciate Bibi Tasleemaand her family, Imam, etc.
6: Jasneet Kaur (Bangalore, India), September 28, 2010, 5:18 AM.
May Waheguru always bless you for doing such wonderful seva.
7: U.S. Singh (Kuwait), October 03, 2010, 8:33 AM.
S.G.P.C??
8: John (London, United Kingdom), January 15, 2011, 11:44 AM.
It is important to note that there was once a time when even Sufis did kirtan in the gurdwara, and even more recently Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan has performed in a gurdwara (this can be seen on you tube). The teachings of the Sikh Gurus were once a strong bond in uniting people under the remembrance of God rather than focusing on labels of having a particular religion. A lot can be learned from this girl!