12 June 2008

The Hundredth Post: To Dona Nobis Pacem

Prometheus has the honor of having participated in the first ever Dona Nobis Pacem instituted by Queen Mimi. And though he didn’t (couldn’t) participate in its first rerun, he is proud to participate even if belatedly in this edition of DNP. And Prometheus dedicates this, his hundredth post, to Dona Nobis Pacem.

If you don’t already know Queen Mimi and her DNP revolution, you might want to crawl back into your nuclear-proof bunker and wait for the radio to tell you if it’s safe to venture out. Oh alright! DNP is Queen Mimi’s royal snub for all the ‘guts and glory’ boys and their wehrmacht.

Prometheus has no solution to end war. But he has a burning desire for peace. If one caveman bonking another on the head with a club can grow into Polaris missiles that can wipe out the earth before you could say ‘Dubya’, then Prometheus hopes that Queen Mimi’s DNP that started off with a few bloggers signing some JPEG image can surely grow into a movement so large that the wehrmacht grinds down to a halt and the warheads will all rust in peace.



India, homeland of Prometheus, and Pakistan the neighbor, have been at veiled war for decades. Prometheus will not discuss politics and warfare here. He leaves you with a song. A Sufi song by Bullay Shah. Yes, Sufism originated in what is modern day Pakistan and Bullay Shah was from Bahawalpur. This beautiful song, called Bandeya (addressing a man or mankind) rendered beautifully by Khawar Jawad and Faiza Mujahid tells the tale of Bullay Shah and his guru, who was of a caste deemed lower by those of Bullay Shah’s community.



The lyrics and translation from Saraiki to English, thanks to assorted webpages spawned since the song appeared in a Pakistani movie:

Bullay Noun Samjhawan Ayaan
Bhenaan Tay Bherjaayaan (Bullay’s sisters and sisters-in-law came to advise him)
Man Lay Bullaya Sada Kaina
Chad Day Pala Araiyaan (“Listen to us and stop associating with that man of the Araain community”)
Aal Nabi Ulad Nabi Noun
Tu Kyoun Leeka Layaan (“Why do you insult our tribe the descendants of the Prophet Mohammed”)
Jera Saanoun Syed Saday
Dozakh Milay Sazaiyaan (Bullay replies: Those that call me a Syed (the tribe of the descendants of the Prophet) will be punished in Hell) (Indicating that he’d rather denounce his tribe than denounce the peer, his guru)

Bandeya ho, Bandeya

Araain Saain Sabi Thaain (People of Araain and Saain clans are everywhere)
Rab Deeyaan Bay Perwaayaan (God doesn’t care (about placing them together in this world))
Soniya Paray Hatayaan tay
Khoojiyaan Nay Gal Layaan (Those that are beautiful (in heart and soul) do not find such differences (in castes), only ugly people do)

Jay Tu Looray Baagh Baharaan
Chakar Ho Ja Araiyaan (If you desire paradise in the afterlife, become a servant of the Araiyan) (Indicating ‘serve the poor and downtrodden, if you seek heaven’)
Bullay Shah De Zaat Ke Puchni
Shakar Ho ya Razayaan (Ask not what caste Bullay Shah comes from)

Bandeya ho, Bandeya

Food for thought?

Happy belated DNP day, Mims.


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24 comments:

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Frank Sirianni said...

Wonderful post Prometheus, Mimi will love it. Have a great day
Frank

Mimi Lenox said...

Prometheus - It is fitting that your 100th post shines forth a peace globe. Are the stars aligned?

I like the music VERY much and the idea of a royal peace snub even better. And "warheads rusting in peace" has such a nice ring to it.

But the lyrics to the Sufi song....haunting and universal.

DNP would not have been the same without you my dear friend.
Happy 100th and may be have peace on earth before you reach 101 in blog years.

Mims

R said...

Not a believer inside the mosque, am I
Nor a pagan disciple of false rites
Not the pure amongst the impure
Neither Moses, nor the Pharoh

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

Not in the holy Vedas, am I
Nor in opium, neither in wine
Not in the drunkard`s craze
Niether awake, nor in a sleeping daze

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

In happiness nor in sorrow, am I
Neither clean, nor a filthy mire
Not from water, nor from earth
Neither fire, nor from air, is my birth

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

Not an Arab, nor Lahori
Neither Hindi, nor Nagauri
Hindu, Turk (Muslim), nor Peshawari
Nor do I live in Nadaun

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

Secrets of religion, I have not known
From Adam and Eve, I am not born
I am not the name I assume
Not in stillness, nor on the move

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

I am the first, I am the last
None other, have I ever known
I am the wisest of them all
Bulleh! do I stand alone?

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

(English translation of another Kafi by Bulleh Shah rendered in fusion style by our own Rabbi Shergill.)

Prometheus said...

Bullayshah knew a thing or two, dint he, Jules?

Mahendran Govender said...

Man its so good to have you back :)

*Give peace a chance*

Mimi Lenox said...

Stopping by to check in and say hello. Heellloooooo???? Anybody there???? There seems to be an echo in the castle today.

Sigh.

Mimi Lenox said...

You've been royally tagged by Mimi Queen of Memes (aka I-hear-the-dungeon-is-really-hot-this-time-of-year)...

Somebody Get Me Out Of This Corset: The Needs Meme

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Lizza said...

DAMN IT! I have missed you something big. So good to read your posts again.

That is a haunting song. The lyrics posted by Julia are amazing too.

You've been preoccupied, I know. ;-) Wishing you and yours all the best, mon ami.

Shafinaaz Hassim said...

hi.. love the title of this blog... awkward spin on khayyam's quatrain :)

all the best...

s

Mimi Lenox said...

Breezing by and saying hello. Doing my DNP duties ya know...

Your June 2008 peace globe has been placed in The Peace Globe Gallery.
You are officially peace globe #1041.
BlogBlast For Peace ~ November 6, 2008 is going to be awesome! Please spread the word on your blog. Hope to see you there.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Man of peace, huh. Hazaar chuhe khake billi chali haz ko. Son of a ....

Rose DesRochers said...

Elmer didn't find your blog engaging. He's a spammer. He also wants to pay you 5 bucks for including the pacificadvance.com link in your posts.

lost said...

Hmm..But could Bulleya sing "not a man, not a woman" too?
not homo, not hetero..

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Anonymous said...

Is your BITCH still alive?

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