Echoes of Indus

While Pakistan has undoubtedly given the world some outstanding classical vocalists, Pakistani instrumentalists have, by and large, remained in obscurity compared to their Indian counterparts. This is despite the fact that both countries share the same North Indian classical music tradition and play the same ragas. Moreover, Pakistanis have to contend with religious orthodoxy that often denounces music, coupled with a general homegrown apathy towards the classical tradition. Hoping to rectify the situation, Oslo-born filmmaker Deeyah, who is from a Pashtun Muslim background and is herself a trained musician, has launched the company Fuuse (including Fuuse Mousiqi and Fuuse Films), for the explicit purpose of preserving ancient musical traditions.

Echoes of Indus is its debut CD release, a sitar recording by Pakistani maestro Ashraf Sharif Khan Poonchwala, the last part of the name referring to the family’s provenance of Poonch in Kashmir. Khan is descended from several generations of classical musicians and is one of very few remaining hereditary musicians in Pakistan. His musical brilliance is undoubtedly in full flow on the six tracks on offer here, presented in a succinct, somewhat compressed fashion while unfolding the many nuances of each of these well-known and much-loved ragas. Accompanied on the tabla by Shahbaz Hussain, a disciple of the late maestro Alla Rakha, the highlight of this album is the short but engaging ‘Jai Jai Vanti’, played in an evocative, lyrical style that is so fluid and crystal-clear that it could easily have made an entire album by itself. Overall, this is a very fine disc and, hopefully, one that will lead the way in introducing us to more Pakistani classical instrumentalists.