Comments on: Rabbi Shergill’s Sikh Call: Pagri Sambhal Jatta

By: Parminder

Parminder — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 07:44:31 +0000

Panini you have proved that you do have vast knowledge about the history and hold good points to criticize Rabbi's songs but I would just like to mention that some people enjoy inspirational songs such as Pagri Sambahal Jatta. They find something good from that song and apply it to thier life but some people will criticize no matter what the true message is. They will scrape minor details and represent them to make a meaningless point.

By: tinku

tinku — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:06:05 +0000

mr. panini pot…whatever……….

GET A LIFE!!!

By: Prabhsharandeep Singh

Prabhsharandeep Singh — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 03:33:32 +0000

I agree with Panini that Gurdas Mann is actually a besura, and would like to add that his attempt to adopt a Sufi idiom fails since he does not go beyond using the Sufi idiom as a tool to defend the Indian secular agenda, a support structure for Indian nationalism that feeds itself with denial of any difference to the languages, expressions, and experiences of the peoples who have been in the region for centuries. Gurdas Mann’s stage performances, crude plagiarism of the Sufi genres, are focused on celebrating nihilism that lies in the very fabric of “secular” Indian nationalism. He seems to be in total ignorance about the role Sufi mysticism plays in shaping the idiom of Sufi literature, where aesthetic does not rely upon symbols or metaphors, but reflects through the language itself. Pakistani Sufi singers, even if they do not fully live the Sufi path, are, at least, not alien to it. Their singing provides the audience with the atmosphere where effort is the last thing one would need in order to connect to the Sufi experiences.
I also agree with Panini on his reservations about Rabbi Shergill. Rabbi Shergill’s singing is a significant shift that questions the general idea of music in Punjab during past decade and a half. There is nothing wrong in Rabbi’s ambition to locate the Sufi music in a new context; however, it needs to stay connected with the tradition. The whole process can not be that mechanical that you can pick a genre and simply locate it in a new context. The new context needs to travel and coalesce with the tradition.
I would like to differ with Panini where he draws conclusions based on his reliance upon the myth of the secular. His secular agenda, on the one hand, supports the narratives that exist as mere fragments of imperialist discourse; on the other hand, it fails to grant any space to the difference that lies in the variety in expressions, which is not even optional for the respective peoples with those voices. His denial for any room to raise Sikh concerns, based on a religion/secular binary, which, interestingly, lacks proper engagement with both the religious and the secular, needs to be understood in context of the colonial paradigm.
I would be looking forward to discuss the premises functional behind the chauvinism in the name of the secular.

By: Afzal

Afzal — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 04:05:21 +0000

dude.. i can sooo relate to you. I am huge rabbi fan and my friends dont really like it..

i know he doesnt like to sing anything but punjabi but.. he should sing more hindi songs.. his Bilqis was awesome..

thanks for the post.. for non-punjabi folks translation makes it even better

By: Gurkirpal Singh

Gurkirpal Singh — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 17:53:00 +0000

I just read the article and the posts. It was a revealing read. The knowledgeable person not from the Panjab has sat in judgement over a balladeer from the the region his songs evoke. Judge not and enjoy the visual imagery that he conjures (sit with a person who knows). Your surs and whatever have had the luxury of thousands of years to develop and flourish, as you and others of your ilk have self-deluded yourselves into thinking that you can wreak “searing and cutting” critiques of arts developed in the crucible of the land that is the Panjab. We like it this way, we are erudite enough to see more than one facet and appreciate it. And Mr Pothotharvi, of you cannot enjoy Gurdaas Mann or Rabbi, just too bad.

By: Navjeet Singh Sandhu

Navjeet Singh Sandhu — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:35:02 +0000

Well I’m also a big Rabbi fan….I’m addicted to his music. It’s not only how he sings it but also what he sings. Every song has something to say, something to give and something to make you realize of the great religion “SIKHISM”. I bet this man is going to revolutionize the Punjabi singing. The difference between him and others is that you have to keep you ears alive to listen Rabbi otherwise which is a option.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: He’s the only punjabi singer who sings with well kept (uncut) beard. He has kept the identity of a Sikh. So the only singer who represents the “Sikh” community others merely represents the punjabi community. This matters a lot.

Anyhow great time ahead for him. Good Luck .

By: Singh

Singh — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:51:06 +0000

Guru Nanak Dev Ji wrote the shabad. It is part of "Salok Varan Te Vadik" - the 20th pauree (stanza).

By: anami singh

anami singh — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:07:12 +0000

i would like to know who wrote this shabad jau tau prem khelan ka chau

By: sonaljhuj

sonaljhuj — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 07:54:21 +0000

loved your write-up. Rabbi is really something else. his work surely surpasses most in the fact that it is meaningful and contemporary.

By: Amardeep Sidhu

Amardeep Sidhu — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 08:18:49 +0000

Haha…

good hai…tur fir ke mela wekho…