Editor’s Note

I once asked a youngster, “Do you go to school?” The frank lad said, “No uncle, I am sent!”

For a while, I was taken aback. But when I pondered over it, I felt that he had stated a profound truth. It dawned upon me that most of us do not ‘go’ to our place of work. We are impelled by the need to do so. All through the working hours, we are looking forward to the siren which releases us from bondage. We crave for freedom. Tagore observed,

   “Our day of work is not our day of joy. For that, we need a holiday; for miserable that we are, we do not find joy in our work!”

Indeed, there are some exceptions to this rule. The likes of Lata ji,  Talat Mehmood and Jagjit did not wait for Sundays for joy. They were passionate about melody and rhythm, and the world permitted them to pursue their inner inner-calling. However, everyone is not so fortunate. The hero of today’s story started singing at the tender age of five. But unfortunately, he was also good in studies. He was sent to an engineering college. And since his brother was an ace fighter pilot, he was sucked into military! However, his first love proved too strong, and even the army let him delve in melody and rhythm.  The story of his life, told in his own words is given in this post.

Let me introduce him through a song. He has rendered many memorable numbers, but my personal  favourite is ‘samandar ki haseen lahron ke kamil hukmaraan hain hum’. A link to this martial composition is given below. Please click on it, then minimize it, and while it plays, proceed to read the post. You may end up humming his songs!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tASbq2_ag20

*

Divine Tones or Notes

By Col (Dr) Sultan S Malik

 

          For the personnel in uniform the formal exposure to music is limited to military bands (pipe or brass) playing their martial notes.  Jazz bands usage is limited to selective functions only. As a third generation officer in defence forces  my tryst with Indian music has been both enriching and personally satisfying. Therefore, I would like to share my story for the info and benefit of others.

          Coming from a humble punjabi background, I was singing on stage as early as 1961 (5 yrs old) famous punjabi/hindi songs, the likes of  ‘Jatt Kurian Ton Darda Mara, Te Modde Utte Dang Rakhda’ -close translation can be  the young rustic farmer is scared of the young village girls, so he  carries his long staff / lathi on his shoulder ‘ by Muhammad Rafi.

          I remain indebted to’Paaji’ my  elder brother, Gp Capt O P Malik (Retd) known as ‘Maxy’ in Indian Air Force,  an ace MIG-21 BIS fighter pilot, but a gifted singer too.  He saw the flash of an artist in me,  took me to the local Sangeet Kala Kendra, ensuring that I undergo a formal Hindustani classical training.  My village was about 3 kms from the urban music school.  Thrice a week I would walk up and down after school for 5 years, little knowing that I some day will be singing on All India Radio(AIR) or TV, and will have my own albums or singing for the bollywood celebrities or be on music tours in India and abroad.  As I grew up  Indian singers like Lata, Asha, Muhammad Rafi, Mahendra Kapoor,  Mukesh, Asa Singh Mastana, Yamla jatt and Mehdi Hasan, Ghulam Ali, Shaukat Ali, across the border (Gurdaspur belt) left deep influence on me during my impressionable age. My  Guruji,  Pandit Suraj Prakash Sharma, from the Banaras school, who himself was  the shishya (pupil) of the legend Pandit Omkarnath Thakur ji, VC,  Banaras Hindu University, taught me the intricacies of classical vocal  from 1964-1970 at Gurdaspur.

           I would like to acknowledge the contribution of  my Bhabhi ji (Late) Smt Krishna Malik, who joined us in 1966, hailing from the Nayyar family of Chamba (HP). In addition to being a wonderful person with rich family values was herself a state level sports champion and was also a  Hindustani Music graduate (Vocal & Sitar). We both attended the same music school in respective streams for about three years together complimenting each other.

          The richness of music specially  indian music can be summed up in one word, gift of the ‘DIVINE”.  There is perhaps none, who is not influenced by this 20hz to 20khz audible frequency spectrum. Millions of permutations that emerge out of 12 notes (7 shudha-pure notes +5 impure-that is 4 ‘komal’ or flat and 1 teevra of sharp ) are divine happenings  only.  I did learn about 60 ragas, of the likes of  Bhairvi,  Darbari,  Marwa, Yaman Kalyan, Malkauns, Todi, Malhaar, Desh and others.  Mastering a ‘RAGA’ requires much higher level of dedication. Classical training also exposed me to the science of ‘The talas / beats’ such as Dadara, Keherva, Teental, Roopak and so on.  The formal education opened up new vistas for me. From heavy classical (barra khayal, chhota khayal, to thumri etc) in my arsenal,  I found the light film numbers,  ghazals, folk (punjabi, pahari, etc. ), bhajan, kirtan, qwaalii,  easy to sing, though I typically enjoy free humming.

         The Punjabi dialect of Gurdaspur/Amritsar (MAJHA) region and around is said to be the most  pure.  My plus point was the rich folk rustic shade in me. Though I did not sing many Punjabi songs, but whenever I have written, composed, and rendered them, I have enjoyed the experience, because the listeners have been most satisfied.  Many times I have experienced emotional choking, where one just can’t utter a word when friends  and fans  call up and want to hear a particular my non-film number. I oblige most of the time on the mobile itself.  Urdu being the language of written communication among my father, brother and sister at home, and listening to Pakistani radio / TV, I picked up the ‘Tallafuz’–pronunciation / meaning of most of the key words.  I remained the best singer for my school, The Little Flower Convent School, Gurdaspur from 1965 to 1971, till my tenth board examinations.  College studies brought  an end to any higher music learning.

          Having suffered the lethal blows of the  partition of India in 1947, that was the time our family (the Mals, Maliks, Kaushals and Sahunjas) from  Multan (Pakistan) was  trying hard to stand back on its feet,  there was lack of firm support and guidance from others for making a living from music.  My paratrooper father could never reconcile that singing can be a career. Having saluted the British officers whole life he wished that both his sons have to be defence officers only. I remember to have told him once about being a singer and cannot forget his comment in chaste Punjabi  ‘Tu, eh pandaN  wala kam karenga’? Pand or Bhand  meaning the team of 2-3 persons who move from village to village singing and cracking rowdy jokes to make a living, specially see them when a male child is born. That put an end to my being a distant replacement to Rafi or Jagjit. However the course correction did not deter me, my love and  service to music continued.

• I  won the  Best All India folk singer award  in 1977,  conducted by Punjab university in Chandigarh.  The Tribune carried the news item.

• Won Best Student  Artist  of the Engineering  College. 1977

          In the mean time within my limited space, I qualified as graded’  AIR  artist. With that I sang for various programmes on AIR and TV, from Punjabi Folk, Gurbani /Bhajans, Ghazals to  Normal Songs.  I finished  BE (mech) and got selected for army  in the Corps of EME in 1981.  My music escapades continued in Indian Military Academy (IMA) too, where  every  passing out Gentleman Cadet’s particular habit or character is commented upon,  in the annual IMA magazine.  For me  the comment was  ‘the man with a golden voice’.  I hold it close to my heart.

          Once in army I became the essential baggage of every mess function, picnic, Commander’s, their ladywive’s entertainment  cum adm fleet.  The modest following I enjoy to this day and am thankfull to all of them. It was music only that  could bowl over Sonu, my first Commanding Officer’s(CO’s) elder daughter, who became my wife. Gave me two lovely kids and is my best critic and fan too, till date.

 

’ANMOL RISHTEY’ Air Force Film

          In 1989, while serving  with 81 Armoured  Regiment, at Suratgarh,  I got a call from  Wing Commander  Anup  Singh Bedi, VSM,  writer of Bollywood movie ‘SILSILA’  and known TV commentator that he heard me and wanted me in Delhi in connection with a film under production ’ANMOL RISHTEY’ (Sacred  Bonds) on Indian Air Force for Door Darshan(DD) National channel. I shared the call details with my lion hearted CO, Brig Arvind (Pappy) Treohan (then Colonel), who  sent me on a 15 days T/D with special permission from Director General Mechanised Forces (DGMF), combining it with official duty. I recorded two numbers a qwaali and a ghazal for the bollywood  hero Kanwaljit Singh, Anil Dhawan, Pawan Malhotra & Rama Vij.  The day the movie was telecast, complete Suratgarh station along with Brigade Commander/Air Officer Commanding(AOC), air force stn  were in our new mess.  I was on cloud nine for a different reason, we had achieved inter-service integration through music!

(Qwaali- AOC  Mohtram Mashwara Deejiye, Ishq Mujhko Sataye To Main Kya Karoon)’ Anmol Rishtey

           As a return gesture, I recorded an exclusive pop number album  ’Hiya Hiya Ho’ for my 81 Armd Regt with a special armd song ’Lovely Si Madam’ that was sent throughout army and  specially armd formations, marketed by Pappy himself. He got his Higher Command (HC ) course and dawned the rank of Brig, I got my posting to Bhutan and it all ended on a happier note.

          The film and music of ‘ANMOL RISHTEY’ was a hit with whole of Indian Air Force and till this day I get humbled by emails, telephone calls.  This made me the master musician / singer of all successive Bedi productions. We enjoy  mutual respect and harmonious relationship.  It followed up with serials and films like ’Parwaaz’, Adarsh, Paasban,  Samandar, Yeh Mera Desh,  the latest Shaheedon Ko Salaam.

Folk Punjabi Boliyaan from ‘Parwaaz’

‘Samandar’ TV serial on NAVY

            The  Samandar ( Ocean), a 30 episode naval serial gave me good scope to innovate and contribute. The title number ’Samandar Ki Haseen Lehron Ke Kamil Hukmaraan Hain Hum’, with its High Pitch Mukhra (opening) ‘SHA NAU VARUNA :  Bless Us O! Water God’  touched millions of listeners / viewers across the country and across the borders and is among the all times toppers of the DD music list

Samandar series.

 

          Based on the popularity  of my genre of music I was asked  to sing a number on the 1993 New Year Eve  by Doordarshan national, as a duet with known Bengali singer  and film personality Sukanya:

National channel New year 1993

One of the LIVE Interviews  with Subah-Savere team on  Doordarshan National TV

 My interview live singing ’subah- savere’ Doordarshan National

EME Corps Song and a Tune

          There was an old rusty poetry lying in the EME archives which did not meet  the requirements and a need was felt to have  a suitable  corps song going with times,  to be played at various official functions and  gatherings in the corps.  The plan had been languishing for 2-3 years as management did not approve the exhorbitant quotes as indicated by  Asha Bhonsale, music director Ravindra  Jain of Bollywood  and  for  not having any say in the final recordings.

          It was in1995, the senior EME management  shared with me,  to have an EME Corps Song and a Tune.  It was conveyed that I have to complete this as a project for the 50th Golden Jublee Celebration of Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering (MCEME),  Secunderabad, our Almamater, since  complete  senior Mai – Bapp  of the corps will be present, carrying with it the unwritten assertion,  consequences and the army pun.

          With the celebrations approx two months away, the work combined with my sapping instructional and administrative duties was a tough call. Maj Gen Basant Bhatia, Deputy  Commandant assured me all help and freedom to prepare a good foot tapping and soulfull music piece. I remained in state of suspended animation for about 2 weeks trying to fathom  various aspects of a befitting musical score for my Corps. I could not avoid the anxious looks of Col Adm, my Faculty Commander, and others every time we met, as to what was happening- ‘kuchh baat ban rahi hai ke nahi’ ?  Drawing out on all my poetic strength, I re-wrote the whole existing poem bringing every word into the beat matrix of standard marching. Then structured  the start, punch lines, humming, chorus, cross lines, the ending crescendo and so on it started taking loose form. Planned the  Band drums, pipes, horns,  percussion, mild use of string instruments, then whether to have English beat or Indian, and deciding who all will sing with me in a professional studio with professional musicians. Those were the days of analog music and magnetic tapes.  So I prepared 4 sets of draft corps song and presented that in the Senior EME Officers Conference, few days prior to the MCEME celebrations.

          Gen Surjit Singh  himself a writer, music lover and orator of  repute  was present. He supported the format, for which I will always remain thankful to him. I received the approval for English beat, and that gave me a lot of confidence. I was sanguine, that I was on the right track. The song was ready in time for the celebrations.  It was a golden moment, on a  golden day for  my team and me formally singing the corps song in front of the whole corps and invitees at Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering.  ‘EME corps ke nau jawan, karm mein hain hum mahan, karm hi dharm ka taj sir pe hai yeh vidhyaman’  See The Pic

 Lt. Gen M R Kochhar (then Comdt) in centre, Maj Gen B Bhatia(Dy Comdt)    left of Comdt, with other  MCEME  staff members, my EME corps song team and self.

          That was a big honour  as an artist and I came to be known as  ‘The  Singing Eagle’ of the corps. A special corps instruction was published under the signature of DGEME. My contribution was acknowledged for which I am ever thankful.  Its digital version was released 15 years later during the 9^th EME   corps reunion at secunderabad.  Mr Daler Mehendi (known indian singer) who was also present  specially congratulated me when the song was played.

                         

CD EME CORPS SONG : 2009

Note : I have recently completed ‘Shaheedon Ko Salaam’, a national presentation (A Tribute to Martyrs) with Mr Naseerudin Shah  with my songs and music score, is awaiting release by Doordarshan.
My contact for any type of guidance on music, production  related work etc.
Email: ssmall50 [at] yahoo.co.in

 

My team for my ongoing MUSIC &  TV projects at Pune

The divine message :  Notes, Cycles, Octaves and their Reflections in Reality

            There is a curious relationship between harmonic and disharmonic content of music and numbers. This same relationship occurs in music, colors, and other physical concepts. It seems as if the Creator creates patterns within patterns and illustrates concepts through numbers. Many patterns that appear in one place are repeated in another. We see this fact throughout life. Time and music both have lower and higher octaves. The octaves of time span a day, a year, and a lifetime. For example the times of the day and the seasons of the year can be compared to the stages of a living entity.

Time Octaves for the Day, Year, and Life Cycle

Morning	Noon	Afternoon	Midnight
Spring	Summer	Fall	Winter
Youth	Maturity	Middle age	Old Age

Octaves in Light and Sound

            Octaves appear in many places in Time, the musical vibrations of sound, and in the electromagnetic spectrum (infrared, visible light, ultraviolet light, and beyond). In music, the doubling of sound frequencies represents an octave. The frequency of the highest note in an octave is exactly two times the frequency of the lowest note in the octave. Within an octave we progress through the seven musical notes[Sa,re ga ma pa dha ni Sa] = S, R, G, M, P, D, N,  and arrive at S* again – one octave higher. There is a striking similarity between the musical octaves and the octaves of the electromagnetic spectrum that we see as visible light. Just as in music with it’s seven notes, we commonly say that there are 7 distinct colors {VIBGYOR} in the spectrum of the rainbow.

The 7 Notes of the Octaves of Light and Music

Red	Orange	Yellow	Green	Blue	Indigo	Violet
S	R	G	M	P	D	N

 

Prominence of the Numbers 7 & 12 in Music and Time

            An interesting side is the prominence of the numbers 7 and 12 in music and time. There are seven whole notes in the octave and 12 half steps in the octave. We also see the prominence of these same numbers in our time divisions – 12 hours each of day and night, 7 days in a week, 12 months in the year.

My Love For Ghazals : I am Diehard Fan of Jagjit, Ghulam Ali, Mehdi Hasan, Muhammad Rafi.  I am putting a famous ghazal ‘AAWAARGI” that sum’s up the existence of most of us

     Aawaargi – Mohsin Naqavi

Yeh dil yeh pagal dil mera, kyon bujh gaya ‘aawaargi,’ 

Is  dasht mein ik  shahar  tha, vo  kya hua ‘aawaargi’.

Kal shab mujhe be-shakl si aawaaz  ne chaunka diya

Main  ne  kaha tu  kaun  hai, usne  kahaa  aawaargi.

Ek tu ke sadiyon se mere, humraah bhi humraaz bhi

Ek   mein   kii  tere naam se, na-aashana  aawaargi.

  Ye dard kii tanahaaiyaa.n, ye dasht kaa viiraa.n safar,

Ham   log   to  uktaa  gaye   apnii  sunaa,  aawaargi

Ik ajnabi jhonke ne jab, pucha mere gam ka sabab

Sehra   ki  bheegi  ret par, main  ne likha  aawaargi

  Kal raat tanha chand ko, dekha tha maine khwab main  

“mohsin” mujhay  rass  ayegi,  shayad  sada  aawaargi

Meanings of  particular words 

Dasht: Desert, Jungle, Wilderness.  Shab: Night.  Sadiyon: Centuries.  Ham-Raah: Fellow traveler. Ham-Raaz: Confidant.  Na-aashnaa: Not Acquainted, Stranger.  Uktaa jaana: Get Bored. Sabab: Cause, Occasion, Reason.  Raas aanaa: To Find Suitable, Like

 ‘It is  about the acceptance of life´s utter meaninglessness and mystery and  coming to terms with this fact. The protagonist here  feels very alone in the world, like we all do if we were honest to ourselves. Be it in the city or in the desert, the poet feels completely lost and alone – there is no place in the world where he belongs. But, as a sufi, he finds comfort in the beauty of nature, the desert, the pale moon, etc. Still, life stays a lonely mystery. At the end  he seems to have accepted the “awargi-ness”, the nothingness, of it all. In a nutshell, it is the calm acceptance of the meaninglessness and nothingness of life, or as John Lennon would have put it: just “Let it Be’.

 

Epilogue

I consider it my duty to introduce you to the family which supports Sultan Malik in his foray into the world of music. All through his military career, his tryst with ‘notes and tones’ put some burden on his service life, but the people whom you see in the picture below saw to it that he was able to ‘mix melody with military’. I suspect it was his singing which won the heart of his commanding officer, Col SK Kohli, and that is how Sonu came into his life. ‘Colls’ as Kohli is called is a poet in his own right. And Veena (nee Tuli) was a well known basket-ball player before she got married. The two of them brought up their daughters very well. The younger daughter, Mona is married to Rajeev who is settled in Canada. And that is how, Canada has become a second home for the family.

L TO R:  Mrs. Veena  kohli, Sonu(wife) , Mona(sister in law with her children Shirraj, Shereen), Sultan,  Sohini(Daughter), Suraag(Son), Col S K Kohli, Rajeev(Co-Brother).

(Picture taken at the Mount Morency, Canada in  2011).

 Col Sultan Malik, with his very supportive wife, just before he retired from the military

 The young looking Kohlis were chosen to promote 5 Star by the Cadbury. And they seem to be enjoying the act!

The Tailpiece

Music, they say is the language of Gods. Go to a temple or Gurudwara, you find people enchanted with what Sultan calls ‘Divine Notes or Tones’ . We find the sound of music in the Church when they sing carols. And the Buddhist chanting is just as enticing. Now nearing sixty, Col (Dr) SS Malik has fulfilled his commitment with the military, and here begins the culmination of his ‘tryst’ with ‘sargam’ May the Lord bless him.