LAL-VAAKH : APPROPRIATION BY PERFORMERS

                                                                                   

                                                                              

Lalleshwari (Lal Ded) and the Nature of the Vaakh: Appropriation By Singers And Performers 

The Vaakhs of Lalleshwari were not composed as court poetry, devotional lyrics for congregational singing, or structured performance pieces. They emerged as spontaneous utterances—direct expressions of realisation within the framework of Kashmir Shaivism. In that sense, they resemble the Shloka tradition in texts like the Bhagavad Gita, compact vehicles of metaphysics and yoga, not performance lyrics designed for audience engagement. A Vaakh is typically:

Dense in non-dual metaphysics

Symbolically layered

Psychologically sharp

Often critical of ritualism and religious formalism, pointing toward direct realisation, not emotional consolation. They are aphoristic, not ornamental.

Were Lal-Vaakhs Meant to Be Sung?

Historically, Kashmir preserved the Vaakhs through oral recitation, often accompanied by semi-musical elements. This is important. They were:

Spoken aloud

Chanted rhythmically

Transmitted in communal memory

Sung in domestic and spiritual settings

But this does not necessarily mean they were composed as performance music. Oral rhythm aids memory. Mystical speech naturally acquires cadence. Yet cadence is not the same as stage music. There is a difference between:

Mnemonic chanting (preserving wisdom)

Devotional singing (evoking emotion)

Stage performance (seeking audience engagement)

The first aligns with Lal Ded. The third introduces the tension that needs to be understood.

The Harm Caused by Musical Performance

Singing Lal-Vaakhs during musical performances has, in many instances, done harm to their integrity. When metaphysical utterances move into:

Concert spaces

Festival platforms

Recorded music industries

They often undergo:

Simplification

Selective emphasis on emotionally resonant lines

Omission of harsh or paradoxical statements

Softening of anti-ritual or radical non-dual critiques

Over time, the “popular Lal Ded” begins to replace the uncompromising mystic. Complex metaphysics does not generate instant applause. Rhythm-driven listening invites emotional reaction rather than contemplative absorption. Applause-based validation subtly pressures performers to privilege accessibility over depth. Difficult lines are diluted. Subtle doctrines are flattened. Symbolic density is reduced to a devotional mood. Over time, the performed version overtakes the original contemplative force. This phenomenon is not unique to her. It has occurred with:

Kabir

Rumi

Even popular renderings of the Bhagavad Gita

The Deeper Question: Resonance with Audience vs. Resonance with Truth. The essential tension is between: Mystical revelation (inner authority)and Cultural transmission (social reception)

In seeking resonance with audiences, we risk losing resonance with truth. Performance becomes another site of erosion, where metaphysical density is sacrificed for immediacy and emotional effect. What was once compressed philosophy becomes lyrical sentiment. What was once yogic instruction becomes aesthetic experience. The Vaakhs were revelations, not entertainment. When treated as performance material, they are subtly repositioned—from instruments of awakening to objects of appreciation. And that shift, however gradual, has done real damage to their original intensity.

( Avtar Mota )

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