"LADDI SHAH " OF KASHMIR

                                                                               

LADDI SHAH” OF KASHMIR

" Laddi Shah, Laddi Shah daarikin pyaav,

 pyawaaniy pyawaaniy haapatan khyaav"

( Laddi Shah, Laddi Shah! fell from the window, 

And the moment he fell, he was bitten by a wild bear)

Laddi Shah is a form of street theatre in Kashmir wherein one performer sings his satirical or allegorical composition in a definite style, sarcasm, and meter. The satire is sometimes sharp political in its content and sometimes about the general loss of values or evils in society. The solo performer or singer carries an iron rod in his hand. This rod has small circular rings and the performer keeps playing with the rings while singing. The performer dresses up in a typical Kashmiri Pheran, Pyjama and a headgear ( Dastaar) or a typical Kashmiri cap. He does not smile and conveys satire and humour with a serious appearance. 

Laddi Shah performers could be considered as a part of the ‘Baand Theatre’ of Kashmir. In the olden days, a Laddi Shah performer would go from door to door or house to house and sing playing with the typical rings held in the iron rod. People would happily give rice or paddy to Laddi Shah artist which would be collected in a typical bag hung around his shoulders. It was the most popular entertainment in rural areas of Kashmir which finally moved to urban areas.

I quote lines from some popular Laddi Shah songs of Kashmir.-

(1)

“Aasmaen jahaaz aayi mulk e Kashmir 

Yimuv vuchh timuv porr toba taqseer”

 (When the aircraft flew over Kashmir,

Those who saw it, said ‘God save us’. )

(A popular Laddi Shah when the first aeroplane was seen flying over Kashmir)

 

 

(2)

“Tul palav vothh tchalav mulk e punjab

Noon ross zinda rozun chhu azaab”

(Pick up your clothes and let us rush to Punjab,

To live without common salt over here is just painful.)

In 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh initially wavered on the question of accession to any dominion and signed a standstill agreement with India and Pakistan for trade and supplies of essential commodities. Immediately thereafter, in a bid to put pressure on the Maharaja to accede to Pakistan, the new Government of Pakistan refused to honour commitments under this agreement and stopped rock salt supplies to Kashmir. Kashmiris used to consume the rock salt that came from what had suddenly become Pakistan. Consequently salt vanished from the markets in Kashmir and people suffered a lot till supplies were dispatched by the Government of India. Till the early fifties of the last century, Laddi Shah would recite ‘Noonik – Sokhan’ or ‘stories of the common salt’ when in 1947 rock salt had overnight become a non-available commodity in Kashmir.

 

(3)

“ Faata  ta Radha Maal karaan az graav 

Punjaeb tomul yana gaatus aav

Tanaa chhukh myaaduss yirvi –naav”

 

(Listen to the Complaints of Faata and Radha Maal,

Since the day rice from Punjab or plains has come to supply depots,

Their digestive system is out of order.)

 

When cheap and subsidized rice was made available through the public distribution system in Kashmir, initially Kashmiris expressed reluctance to accept this rice as a part of their diet. They felt that the cheap and subsidized rice from the plains of the country had spoiled their digestive system. 

 

(4)

"Modda tal ponda chhana feraan ,

Akh ropai tsor aana dohas zenaan" 

(This one anna bus cannot take a turn 

It just earns one rupee and four Annas a day.)

This was a popular Laddi Shah when the then prime minister Bakhshi Ghulam Mohammad introduced buses with cheap fare for the city dwellers. Laddi Shah was a roaming news carrier in Kashmir. All instances of significance were at once put into rhythm and rhyme by Laddi Shah in Kashmir. 

Many elders remember a Laddi Shah sung by Kashmiris nicknaming Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad and Mirza Afzal Beigh. The Laddi Shah possibly composed around 1953 unfolded some events in a satirical manner conveying essentially the smartness of Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad. I quote the Laddi Shah as under:-

“Thadiss nai aqal aaess tundus kyaa guv

Vaarini heandh nechive duniya  khyav”

(If the tall man (Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah) acted unwisely, 

What happened to the physically handicapped ( Mirza Afzal Beigh )?

Now, look how a midwife's son (Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad) 

grabbed the opportunity and sat on the throne.)

 

 

( Avtar Mota )

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