Death Separates Wadali Brothers As Younger Brother Passes Away, 6 Immortal Songs Sung By The Duo
This write-up aims to highlight the work done by an artist who has passed away, not by mourning over his loss but by celebrating his work because- An artist never dies, he lives through his art.
With the death of Pyarelal Wadali, who along with his elder brother Puranchand, formed a formidable pair named Wadali brothers and mesmerised audiences worldwide with their Punjabi sufi songs, bhajans, dohas and ghazals, an era in Indian and devotional/folk music has passed away. Born into the fifth generation of a family devoted to Patiala gharana (school of music), they learned music under their father and Pandit Thakur Das. The elder brother Puranchand Wadali is alive but quite frankly, in their case, the magic of the music was a package which came with both of them weaving a melodious fantasy for the listeners. Together, they were like a calyx- the sepals of a flower, forming a protective layer around a bud, the bud of music.
Like every great artist, Pyarelal Wadali has left behind a rich treasure of work for lovers of music and especially the soul stirring sufi and Punjabi songs. Below are some of the most beautiful renditions among a lot many that Pyarelal sang with his brother Puranchand as Wadali brothers:
1. DamaDum Mast Qalandar (Kalandar)
No sufi artist can be considered a sufi until he has sung Lal Meri Pat popularly known as DumaDam Mast Qalandar dhamaal or Quwwali (form of devotional music under sufi mysticism). Almost all the leading traditionalists of the subcontinent have rendered their version of this song and it still remains a favorite with the masses. It is said that the original lyrics was written by 13th century mystic Amir Khusro and was modified by another sufi mystic Bulle Shah. The modern version was composed by Ashiq Hussain which has been sung by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan to Abida Parveen to Jagjit Singh. This clip shows the Wadali brothers performing it live in Tamil Nadu.
2. Tu Maane Ya Na Maane Dildara
Another sufi masterpiece rendered by the Wadali brothers. And this time at the MTV Coke Studio. Listen to the masterful rendition and the great poetry embedded in the lyrics. The first line translates as:
Whether you like it or not my dear
I believe You are my God
Tell me which other door shall i knock
I believe You are my God
3. Dil Dena Dil Lwna Sauda Ikojiha
Don't worry if you do not understand the meaning of the song, thanks to Wadali brothers it will not take anything away from the beauty of the song. Another example how the singing brothers could make the crowd dance even if they didn't know the lyrics or language completely. The truth is, music has no language if the musician's medium of connect is soul rather than words.
4. Farida Turia Turia Jaa
The Farida Turia Turia is a beautiful composition and has compelling lyrics that makes one contemplate the meaning of life. Listen for the philosophy in the song and of course, the Wadali brothers. Just a glimpse of the lyrics, "Farida, do not defame mud/dust/mitti, as nothing is like mud/dust/mitti. While one is alive it serves under the feet and when one is dead it is above the body."
5. Mann Atkeya Beparwah De Naal
Another of the Punjabi gems. This particular version is slightly sold but is a pleasure to watch because of the way the brothers try and connect with the audience. They try explaining what they are singing and make a dialogue with the audience to keep them involved. It shows the commitment the Wadali brothers had to their listeners as they did not want anybody to feel left out because of language barrier.
6. Charkha
Watch this to understand the force of the brothers performance. Their stage control and impeccable delivery keeps the listeners engrossed. The two surely knew how to appeal to both the eyes and the ears of the listeners. And that is the reason that they often touched the hearts of audiences almost everywhere they performed.
Now, we don't claim ourselves to be the high priest of music by saying that the songs in the article are the best that Wadali brothers sang. There are surely a lot many other devotional and even film songs sung by the duo which will stand the test of time. This write-up tries to highlight the work done by an artist not by mourning over his loss but by celebrating his work because- An artist never dies, he lives through his art. Thank you Pyarelal Wadali, you will always be remembered through your music.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 10, 2018 01:54 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).