VIJAY MALLA: A MAST MALANG MUSICAL GENIUS

VIJAY MALLA: A MAST MALANG MUSICAL GENIUS

                

                                                                                

( Vijay Malla )

 Vijay Malla, the favorite son of Kashmir, and a legendary Kashmiri singer, breathed his last on Wednesday, May 9, 2012. He had a massive heart attack. He was rushed to the Sarwal Hospital, Jammu but unfortunately, the road leading to the Hospital from New Plots was under extensive repairs. The family had to take a longer route and the very precious time was lost. He was declared ‘Brought Dead ‘. With him, ended the grand era of scintillating Kashmiri singing that found no parallel. None comparable to his style, melody and range. He was 57. On his death, noted singer Aarti Tiki Kaul, who sang many duets with him and presently lives in the US wrote this:-

 

 “Today was a tough day for me as it was for thousands of his fans when I heard the sad news of Vijay Malla's demise. The harsh reality did not seem real and a profound sense of grief and immense desperation at the loss of not just a human being but a very precious one took over me. As I tried to take in the reality, a quick flashback of memories went by, of a golden era when I had the privilege of working with him on numerous occasions at recordings, concerts, and rehearsals. Like everyone else in the musical field, I was mesmerized by his deep, luscious, expressive voice. The ease with which he sang the toughest of compositions, made other artists envious of him and wondered about the depth of his talent. Even though sometimes he came across as a non-serious co-artist, he shined at the actual performance and enthralled his audiences to great heights. One such event comes to my mind when, at a prestigious concert for the great poet “Rasool Mir” in Tagore Hall Kashmir, Vijay and I were supposed to sing a duet “ Yaari loguth sang dil, chaini Januk chum kasam”. Just before our item Vijay took off somewhere and could not be found anywhere. The item was delayed a few times but there was no sign of Vijay. While everyone including me was frantic and trying to find him, he walked onto the stage, with a smile on his face and signalled the musicians to start the music and gestured for me to come to the stage as if nothing had happened. As he started singing and I joined in, he left everyone spellbound with the brilliance of his singing and the crowd went mad with enjoyment and happiness!“ mast malang” artist, who was oblivious of his great talent, produced some outstanding work during the 70s and 80s and went on to show his versatility in singing Ghazal, geet, folk, bhajan etc. He created a name for himself not only in Kashmir but outside too. He was signed as an artiste of Music India Ltd (MIL) - a Polydoor Gramophone Company and has participated in Khazana 87 and 88. MIL has also launched his cassette titled Justaju (Search) which has received a good commendation.”

The santoor maestro, Pandit Bhajan Sopori said this:-

“It’s very unfortunate that we have lost an artist of a very high calibre, Vijay Mallah. He was one of my very dedicated disciples whom I saw growing with an amazing talent, hard work and the urge to do new every time. He made a name for himself not only at the regional level but on the national level as well and created a big fan following for himself. Technically, his style of rendering that has evolved these years is his identity which people will remember forever. We are all with his family at this hour of grief and irreparable loss.”

The well-known singer Kailash Mehra Sadhu had this to say:-

 

 “I have been associated with Vijay Malla from 1970's. He has left a big void in the field of music and has left us shocked and saddened. It will be impossible to get anyone who can come parallel to his golden, touching and heart-rending voice. He had obtained excellence in classical, light, Ghajals and Bhajans. He also used to sing Dogri in addition to Kashmiri and will be remembered as one of the greatest singers.I had an opportunity to sing many songs with this great singer and can never forget the golden musical era with him in Kashmir. We pray to the Almighty for peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss.”

 Poet and broadcaster, Farooq Nazki had this to say:-

 

 “I remain a great fan of his singing. His voice will be in our heartbeats. His singing will echo in the hills and valleys of his Kashmir. He will not die. It will take another century to produce one more Vijay Malla. He was a genius, totally ignorant of his talent. I would always that he belonged to the world, not to Kashmir alone. He could sing in any language that he knew. I knew he had some financial issues. Men with big hearts have always been bothered by these issues. We must organise some concerts to raise funds for his family. I am told that his family is facing financial problems. He was our Mehdi Hassan. He was our Ghulam Ali. He suffered because he was not clever, professional and a little selfish. Perhaps, he forgot that at the end of the day, one has to return to the family and one’s own dwelling. As and when  I would listen to his songs, I would be  reminded of a couplet penned by Momin Khan Momin:-

“Oss gairta e naahid ki har taan hai deepak

Shola sa lapak jaaye hai awaaz to dekho. “

(‘Every note of that proud man-who can’t be hidden is like a lamp’

 

 Seeing him sing is as if, his voice is a flash of a flame’.) ....................”

 One of his ardent admirers was Farooq Abdullah, former Chief Minister who said this:-

 “In his death, Kashmir has lost something irreparable. I have heard him many times and I always felt enjoyed the way he sang with ease. A rare artist. I am really sad today.”

 In his tributes, Waheed Jeelani, the well-known singer from Kashmir wrote this:-

 “I have no words to explain the loss and to explain his contribution. He was an inspiration to me. He debuted at a time when the whole of South Asia was listening to three Ghazal maestros; Ghulam Ali, Mehdi Hassan and Jagjit Singh. Even then he created a niche for himself among stalwarts of Ghazal singing.”

 This author also had many interactions with Malla both in Srinagar and Jammu. Malla was known to the author from his Woodland School days when he would sing in the Mehfils organized by Mrs Singh, the principal of the school. He was certainly God’s gift to the musical world of Kashmir. He sang solos and duets. He sang in Dogri, Kashmiri, Punjabi and Urdu language. He sang Geet, Gazal, Nagma, Leela, Naat and Bhajans. He sang Rahi, Firaq and scores of other contemporary Kashmiri poets. This author remembers having seen him singing exclusively for actress Waheeda Rehman while she stayed at the then Oberoi Palace Hotel, Srinagar.

Though he had many admirers in the film and music industry, he had no network or lobby to do PR work on his behalf. He was neither shrewd nor money-minded. Inspite of his mastery and exceptional talent, he accepted whatever was paid to him as his fee. Never ever did he demand and on many occasions he sang free for friends. Add to that, he held many Mehfils at his residence and entertained the guests and his friends in these Mehfils. He suffered on account of his simplicity and credulous nature in the  world of music driven by values of utility, expediency and pecuniary cunningness. Some sincere friends (one being Tej Dhar) helped him to raise a housing loan from a Public Sector Bank and build his house at Ban-Talab, Jammu. A little carelessness in repayment on his part resulted in the loan slipping to the NPA category and the bank exercised the option of action under the SARFAESI Act. He had to sell the house, repay the loan and shift to rented accommodation. This was a great setback for his family.

 

 

EARLY LIFE

                                                                                           

   ( Vijay Malla with  composer Muhammad Ashraf  on harmonium )

Malla was born in the Gadoodbagh area in the Mallapora locality of Habba Kadal, Srinagar in a lower middle-class family. His mother was the major influence that drew him towards singing. While doing her daily chores, she would keep singing verses of Lal Ded, Habba Khatoon, Rasool Mir and Krishen Joo Razdan. And unknowingly, she set a path and direction for her son who already had a voice gifted by Almighty to him. It needed direction, honing and training. Malla remained average in his studies but kept listening to the songs of Rafi, Kishore and Manna Dey. At a very young age, he could sing, ’Laga chunri mein daag’ with all the magical Lay-kari/ Alankars that noted composer Roshan Nagrath had brought into it. A period that could be called learning by listening to masters. Later, he joined Prem Sangeet Niketan run by Pandit Jagan Nath Shivpuri. As a true pioneer, Pandit Shivpuri brought the wonder of Hindustani Classical Music to Kashmir in specific and to J&K state in general. He was a musicologist and more precisely a Vagyekara (one who composes text as well as music). He created some unforgettable compositions and Ragas. His handwritten notations are the biggest contribution to the classical music of India.

 Malla also started looking in various directions to pick up classical music wherever he could find it. That brought him to Brij Nath Shayar and finally to Vishwpran Dhar’s house.  Vishwapran Dhar (son of Pandit Ved Lal Dhar Vakil) had done his Ph.D. from I.I.T. Mumbai. He taught at the Regional Engineering College (now N.I.T.), Srinagar. He was a harmonium player who had perfect knowledge of the Hindustani classical music. Vishwapran Dhar was an ace classical singer with a profound knowledge of Ragas. He was also an approved A-grade artist of AIR. He was a master of the Gazal genre of Hindustani classical music. There were night-long music Mehfils in Pandit Vishwapran Dhar’s house at Zaindar Mohalla. Many renowned musicians like Ustad Rahat Ali Khan performed in these Mehfils. Malla learned Gazal Gayaki at Vishwapran Dhar’s house listening to the legendary Ustad Rahat Ali Khan. He also started honing his skills by listening to Mehdi Hassan and Glulam Ali for hours at a stretch.  His voice also resembled both the great masters. He earned the nickname of Mehdi Hassan of Kashmir during this period.  On the education front, he didn’t complete his graduation and left his college studies. Singing in private Mehfils, he joined Woodlands House (school) as a music teacher. He would sing in private parties organised by Mrs Singh, the principal or her sister Guddi Oberoi. However, the rigorous Riyaz kept him awake for nights. He got approved for the radio the moment Pandit Bhajan Sopori heard him. Muhammad Ashraf, a composer and a harmonium player became his ardent admirer. He sang at the Doordarshan Kendra as well. He left the Woodlands School and joined the Song and Drama Division, Srinagar.  At the Song And Drama Division, his singing was further perfected in the company of Krishen Ji  Langoo, the well-known composer.  By Now Malla had become an established singer in the Kashmir valley. He sang many popular solo songs and, duets with many t established singers of the valley that included Kailash  Mehra, Aarti Tiku Kaul and others.

 VIJAY MALLA’S POPULAR SONGS

 Malla had already created a niche for himself in the Kashmiri music. He sang many compositions of Bhajan Sopori., Nassarullah and Muhammad Ashraf. Vijay Malla's fawning voice breathed life into the works of renowned Kashmiri poets like Shamas Faquir, Rasool Mir, Ghulam Ahmad Mahjoor, Sochha Kraal, Mehmood Gaami and many more. He also sang modern poets like Rehman Rahi and Firaq making them more popular through his melodious voice. Rehmani rahi is reported to have commented,’ az baseov me zi baeti chuss shaayir ‘meaning ‘Today, I felt I too write poetry ‘ when he heard Malla singing his.’ zinda rozana baapat chhe maraan luuk’. He made Leela singing touch newer heights when he sang Krishen Joo Razdan’s  Ganesh Vandana,’ aasai sharan kar tam daya om shri ganeshaaye namah’ or P N Koul Sayil’s .’ darshan dokh tsali tribhuwan laalai’. He also sang some popular Bhajans cum mystical sufi songs like, ‘ hosh dim lagayo pamposh paadan ‘   ‘ harmokh bar tal praarai madano yi dapham ti laagayo ‘, ‘vanaai ba seer e asraar ‘, ‘ akh tse ta beyi ba ganzar ma ba’ In love /longing solos or duet singing, he had no match. One can quote the following popular songs from this genre that Malla sang:-

(1)     (1) kawo chukh tse wadus dalan tathi yaro

(2)     (2) misaal e shama tse ,ba parwaana chhus na

(3)     (3) be aaro teer mo laai

(4)    (4)  me maashooq haavi na paan

(5)     (5) aem yaer karnas baambre

(6)     (6) chaani lolitch daagdaari

(7)     (7) na draav natchni havas kaanh

(8)     (8) roshe roshe chhukh tsalaan paayi kar myon

(9)     (9) myaani yaaro vandayo jaan

(1   (10) vesiye su aadnuk yaar kot gom

(11(11) parda thod tul he poshmaali

(1  (12)  antan su madanwaar

(1((13) gatchhun gaam tse kael chhuyi

(1((14) Konnai aammai yaar

    Before his death, Malla sang a touching song written by Bashir Dada and composed by Kuldeep Saproo that almost defined his life. The song was used by Mohan Shah for his teleserial, ‘kar mokli safar’ aired multiple times by Doordarshan. The song goes like this:-

“Kar mokli safar

Vaen taaf vanan manz vaans gayam be vaai pakaan

Sanglaakh vatav nosoor gomut chhum baed aakhan

Chhum khwaab tamaah baeti chhava shuhul

Kunni tchhayi  halis maeti meli voshul

thak boen me kunni  chhana draenth gatchhan

kenh chham na patah

Yemi yor ti kotah kaal peyam raemb aara me hijiruk paar karun

Kenh chham na patah kath marg vatis pyath

zaagi bihit chham marg vunal praaraan heetas

Kath baal thangis pyath doh lossem kati shah soreum

Kenh chham na patah

Kenh chham na khabar

Kar mokli safar”

 

(When shall this journey come to an end?

In these scorching jungles,

 I spent my life walking aimlessly,

These rough and rigid paths gave wounds

 That have become incurable now,

I too desire,

I too dream,

To sit and relax under some shade

Somewhere lonely,

Somewhere in peace,

I too need relief now,

Alas! I see no shady Chinar far far away,

I know nothing,

When shall this journey come to an end?

From this day onwards,

I don’t know how long I have to be away and separated,

I don’t know on which road

I don’t know on which path

This death shall find a reason to engulf me

Like fog around a mountain peak

I don’t know upon which mountain peak the day shall come to end

I don’t know when and where my evening shall arrive

I know nothing,

I am not aware

When this journey come to an end?)

                                                

SINGING BEFORE MEHDI HASSAN

About Vijay Malla’s singing in the  presence of Mehdi Hassan, Sanjay Pandita writes this in the Rising Kashmir  newspaper ( 10^th November 2023):-

“One unforgettable night, in the presence of the legendary Ustad Mehdi Hassan Khan Sahib, Vijay Malla took centre stage. The air shimmered with anticipation as he unleashed his soulful melodies, captivating not only the audience but also the maestro himself. In a moment of serendipity, Ustad Mehdi Hassan Khan Sahib expressed his desire to mentor the gifted singer, recognizing the spark of greatness within him. However, destiny had other plans, as Malla's personal circumstances compelled him to decline the offer, leaving the maestro's heart brimming with admiration and respect.”

That full-night session was held inside the Broadway Hotel, Srinagar when Mehdi Hassan was on a private visit to Kashmir. The then manager of the  Broadway hotel has informed this author that immediately on his arrival, Mehdi Hassan telephoned him from the room saying,” Bhai, suna hai yahaan koyi Vijay Malla gaata hai. Bulaao usse”. And Malla arrived at 6 pm and sang for the full night. Malla had this to say,” That was a great day for me. I was asked by my hero and my imagined guru to sing before him. A  Guru whom I had only heard and never seen. I felt at the top of the world. He was very courteous. I was offered food and everything that I needed. He felt very happy. I touched his feet as I left”.

THE MUMBAI SOJOURN

Some friends suggested he to shift to Mumbai and try his luck in cinema. His friend Bihari Kak took him to Mumbai and introduced him to Subash Walli who had good connections in the film world. He gave some auditions but returned to Kashmir. He again went to Mumbai and stayed there for about 8 years. In Mumbai, he interacted with Anup Jalota, Anwar, Suresh Wadekar, Penaz Masani, Manhar, Sadhana Sargam, Abhijit and Pankaj Udhas. He also shared the stage with them. He started attending shows especially organised under Ravindra Jain and Kalyan Ji Anand Ji banner. Music India Limited/ Polydor signed him for the cassette, "JUSTAJU,”. He also participated in the Khazana 87 and 88 where he showcased his musical prowess. Things were going smoothly but some unavoidable family obligations made him come back to Srinagar. He joined back Song And Drama Division. He had not resigned from Song And Drama Division where regular notices used to come to his residence to report for duty.

                                                      

                           ( Vijay Malla with Pankaj Udhas )

 In an interview recorded some months before his death, Malla said this:-

“Presently artists are given awards by the State. Some are awarded Padma-Shri. I have no complaint against any person. My juniors have been awarded. My seniors have been awarded. May God grant respect and recognition to all. I have no complaint. But the establishment comes with an award when one is about to say goodbye to this world or is no more. It has no purpose at that time. It does no good to the artist then.”

The establishment failed him but the unfaltering love of the people kept him smiling and going. That was his biggest Award. Let me conclude this write-up with a couplet from Urdu poet Naresh Kumar Shaad:-

“Dile be -mudaa diya hai mujhe

Dene waale ne kya diya hai mujhe

Mujh ko duniyaa ka tajruba hi nahin,

Tajrube ne bataa diya hai mujhe”….Naresh Kumar Shaad

 

(A heart without desire has been given to me

O giver! What a strange thing you passed on to   me

Inexperienced have I proved for the  worldly affairs,

My experience has revealed this fact also to me.)

 

( Avtar Mota ) 

 

( This essay is a registered copyright material published in Avtar Mota's  book, 'Kashmir: Men Matters And Memories'.   )

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