By: Suhail Hameed
The director of health services Kashmir, Dr. Mushtaq Rather, proved the maxim that “talent knows no age” by writing the song “Qarar Rouvum.” Stepping outside his comfort zone, Mr. Rather created a masterpiece that is both an expression of the “pain of separation” and an agony of longing. Produced by Rani Hazarika, the song is composed by Jaan Nissar Lone and performed by Sniti Mishra and Jaan Nissar Lone. The audience reacted enthusiastically to its release on December 30th, 2022.
Kashmir is a place of mystics, and since ancient times, people have debated how God and man are connected. Poets and seers have discussed the spirituality in the valley, and its aura still penetrates the people who live here. Kashmiris have been striving to revive their legacy and holding fast to their beliefs. They have been bringing the valley’s originality back to life by not letting their pens dry and not letting their courage die, and Mr. Mushtaqs “Qarar Rouvum” is one of these struggles.
The song comprises six couplets, each a masterpiece. The melody is a powerful story, figuratively depicting the growth of a seed of love planted with the blood of devotion and then declining its shadow after blossoming into a tree with the man’s evolution of ego and soul that ultimately deny him of serenity in life. It is also a song that celebrates man’s “love for God,” the “Supreme Being,” and persuades Him that if He deserts Us, our existence has no foundation, and no matter how prosperous we may be, all we do will be for nothing. Our lives will lose their meaning, and we will wander without Him.
As Mitch Albom famously said, “once you learn how to die, you learn how to live.” Being a mortal, man will eventually die. Death has been a recurring topic throughout human history. The song “Qarar Rouvum” ends with a reminder and appeals to the listener to renew their preparations for it.
SAREETH MEIN KAHN KATH HECHIM NA MOUKHSAR
MARRITH MEA MUSHTAQ MAZAAR ROUVUM
I forgot the pledges made Oh Mushtaq! I forgot the burial after demise!
This final couplet of the song holds the strings together; once a man is born into this world, he forgets his Lord, his beloved, and becomes absorbed in the world of wishes. Death is gone from the picture. However, these lines give the listener a sense of existence and cause him to reflect.
In conclusion, “Qarar Rouvum” can be compared to a superhit song and a literary masterpiece. It will not only benefit Kashmiri music culture, but it may also have a significant impact on literature.
Mr. Mushtaq Rather deserves commendation for his dedication to serving his state’s culture and art in addition to the people.
