Question

who did composed zikir and zari?

Answer 1

Sivasagar(Assam): Sangeet Natak Akademi organized 3-day Zikir-Zari mahotsav at Sivasagar Natya Mandir in Sivasagar, Assam, from 18th -20th December 2011 to promote zikir and zari, the devotional songs of the renowned 17th century Muslim saint and preacher Azan Fakir. Performances of zikir and zari were given at the mahotsav. A seminar was also organized to find ways for promoting the art forms.

Addressing the seminar, north-east in-charge of Sangeet Natak Akademi, Dulal Roy urged the performers of zikir and zari to prepare the devotional songs for a larger audience by improving the standard of the songs without losing its essence. He also suggested starting the tradition of guru-shishya to promote and develop this indigenous folk art form.

He said, “We should try to establish a guru-shishya tradition and some persons should qualify to the level of guru. This is a big art and demands professional activism for it to come out onto the world stage–‘When Srimanta Sankardev Award was presented to Satyajit Ray he said he did not even know who Srimanta Sankardev was and why this award was being given to him’– If we cannot practically take this to neighboring states but dream of a world stage then we will not succeed in our mission. We should prepare ourselves in such a way that the uniqueness of the zikir and zari is retained and universality of its message is widely accepted.”

After listening to the presentations of zikir and zari, Dulal Roy observed that the performances lacked the essential quality of devotion while singing a Zikir and failed to render distress while singing a zari. He said, “The great humanism, idea and content of Azan Pir should be conveyed to the audience. Shallow and superficial singing will not do. We are still amateurs and need to bring professionalism into the singing; we need to perfect the art of presentation and synchronization. The attire, too, should be considered as stage presentation differs from a normal show. The Sangeet Natak Akademi has initiated the first step. You will have to work out how you bring in change without breaking with convention – grow, sustain and survive.”Tufail Zilani, Assistant Professor of Kakojan College, Assam; Bhubaneswar Deka of Baihata Chariali and Ismile Hussain of Guwahati were among the speakers. It was suggested that a day should be observed as Zikir Divas in the state.

Answer 2

Ajan Fakir composed Zikir and Zari

• Zikir and Zari is a song that is sung by the Muslim community in Assam.
• It is part of a collection of songs that contain philosophical overtones with literal meanings that take the body into consideration. They have an Islamic counterpart which is known as dehbichar geet.
• These songs are accompanied by a handclapping dance with string instruments.
• Ajan Fakir is a saint that came from Bagdad to move to Assam and was influenced by sufibad. All these compositions that come from Zikir compositions have a central idea of the futility of life and manmade institutions.
• The song showcases the various stages in the lifetime of Azan Pir or Shah Miran as two to whom these sons are sometimes ascribed. It tells us a tragic tale of Karbala as it slowly goes on.

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