Traditional Sufi singer Noor Mohammad's song storms internet

SRINAGAR: As people across Kashmir enjoy old hit Kashmiri songs of Noor Muhammad, another song 'Nazneen Yaar'e Myan'e Ye Tche Mulaqat' a trailer of which was released on Thursday has stormed social media with music lovers expressing gratitude towards the musical duo for choosing a Kashmiri song.

Noor Mohammad Shah is a traditional Sufi music performer and songwriter from Baki-Aker village in Handwara town of northern Kashmir's Kupwara district. During the initial time, when Noor Muhammad started singing, the youth of Kashmir became Bollywood's top music director duo Salim-Sulaiman has collaborated with Kashmir's noted folk artist Noor to produce a sensational Kashmiri song.

'Nazneen Yaar'e Myan'e Ye Tche Mulaqat' is his latest song which is trending on YouTube and social media begins with Noor's voice and is followed by Salim-Sulaiman, Raj Pandit, and a chorus of almost 15 singers.

While the other singers were seen playing modern musical instruments like Guitar and Piano, Rabab, a traditional Kashmiri instrument, was enough for Noor Muhammad to create a milestone of cultural and traditional heritage.

Besides, Sulaiman is playing Tambaknae'r to give a local touch to the song. "This is some real music to ears. Brilliant performance by Kashmiri singers Noor Mohammad and Raj Pandit," said Imtiyaz Hussain, a senior police officer, posted in Kashmir. While thanking incredibly talented music-maker Salim Merchant for promoting Kashmiri art and artists, Sheikh Adil, another Kashmiri police officer, said that Noor Muhammad never ceases to amaze us. "Listen to this soulful masterpiece," he said.

Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit said "Naazneen" is the biggest song ever in the history of Kashmir vis-a-vis its production, design and presentation.

"It's a tribute to the rich heritage of Kashmiri folk music and its creators in the valley," he said. "Bhoomi 22 releases teaser of Naazneen featuring our own Noor Mohammad with Raj Pandit, Salim Sulaiman. Noor Mohammad's voice always acts like a therapy," said another Kashmiri boy.

All these clearly show that Noor Muhammad is constantly connected to his own traditional stuffs even in the modern era of technological and instrumental explosion.

A unique magic is reflected in Noor Muhammad's voice which is neither the pretensions of anyone nor the illusions of fake acting in his singing. Noor has given an excellent knock on the hearts of conscientious and responsible countrymen to save his mother tongue Kashmiri from orphanhood.

Noor literally has made a small & electrifying effort to save and preserve the cultural heritage from degradation and decline.

However, it is a tragedy for all of us that we are still bent on abandoning our own and pride in digesting and absorbing others. Noor was an unsung and unidentified gem-- such an unknown and anonymous path-- that no one knew his guts and potential.

He used to sing like a common singer in festivals and public places but even in today's fast-paced and advanced era, he is receiving deep-rooted appreciation and encouragement from the common people in general and the youth section in particular.

Noor Muhammad is now coming out of the cloak of a common man and is becoming a popular figure in the public arena with his special delivery which is a sign of a positive and progressive ongoing narrative in his personal life as well as his family status.

On his latest song that stormed internet, Noor said that it will be one of the best Kashmiri songs this year which was recorded last year in Mumbai in Salim-Sulaiman's studio. It had been shot last month and would be released very soon.

"I was very happy to collaborate with the noted musical duo as the duo musical directors chose to work with me," he said and praised their professional hard work for promoting Kashmiri folk music. Notably, Noor Mohammad's previous song "Tchulhama Roshie Roshie" is still famous across Kashmir valley.