The people of Chitral are fond of music is not an unknown statement. It is either to get respite from its longer and chilly cold winters, and after it in seasons to relish. In fact, there is no bar on music in any season in Chitral. There are seasons of festive music. Rich with music of diverse variant from Kalash valleys to the other parts of this country there is music. This prosaic explores the music of a variety with its dominant themes in Chitral.
There have been different types of musical events on different occasions: dola ishtok, ishtok, mahfil and chindoryabazum. They were the old days’ norms to celebrate births and customs, festivals and events with musical days and gatherings.
After a few families, the institutionalization of this art—a genre of local music, into their cadres with admired artists, Chitral Scouts and Paramilitaries have embraced with and refined music and its presentation, and a local dress.
Music tread into sport, particularly in polo. Music with polo—a grand norm, continues since time immemorial. During polo match music runs mostly uninterrupted. After making a score when a player takes the ball and runs for thampuq, there must be music. For many locals, both polo and music are complementary.
Other than the Shandur polo festival, the onlookers of polo in Chitral remain sparse. Including the people who like it, this jamboree is crowded by those who like music, and relaxing. There have typically been live performances of artists in the art of singing, dancing, acting and entertaining people in dola-ishtok. They were the people, rather a team of family circle and neighborhood manages this event at home.
The music of Chitral is not documented like the trends in it which have flourished over time, and unfolding with time and space. The vocals (bashonu) and rhythms (haang in belu and surnai, and saaz in sitar) have immortalized a vast spectrum of local music. When there is any of the instruments it means there is music. There have been a variety of (var) to name a few: xhangvar, ghalvar, khishtuvar, and alghanivar (refers to one or a number of rhythms of Pashto songs which are played in flute, they have been easy to dance and making music) during musical events.
A diverse genre of lyrics and rhythms forming the songs (bashonu) can help draw other perspectives of past moments of music and other themes. Ghazal era trends with that classic music till today. Many of the productions of both bashonu and ghazals have received a sounding applause and renewal in events for years.
The literature of both kinds wherein the theme of love, beauty and beloved outshine other themes. It has though pinned the theme: music of beauty is the beauty of music. The themes that are common to the people still haven’t been invoked in the poetry of Chitral. There is however a sizable poetics produced about the places, canals, electricity, gardens, birds and flowers and many more with their symbolisms.
During the state period, poets and people have communicated through music, and their voices reached out to the centers of power. They have expressed their view of it that pains, of concerns and complaints. This is yet to know whether or not there is the thread of rebellious music created for rights and of duties in Chitral. The voice of resistance that came through music was of woman against oppression and injustice. Already ridden in harsh conditions, people of Chitral thought more about the consequences than creating and disseminating lofty ideas. The ‘feelings of consequences’ haunted the ‘people’ (read: poets) of their art too.
The indigenous production of music and the musical instruments or percussions are also unique. For example, sitar a fine and a localized version and a key instrument in local music like surnai. The artists in Chitral multitask in creating music. They perform either poet and singer or sitarist at the same time.
Like singers, many sitarists, flute (sunai/belu) players, percussionists, and other performers of different periods and generations have also innovated trends in their productions. During singing or playing with instruments, like other artists, performers act and get mahfil immersive. Musical events were held secretive in Chitral because they were meant to take in the society of mahfili people for a musical gathering.
Broadly speaking, there have been mahfil and ishtok in different settings in Chitral. Both musical gatherings continue to be different in their locale, arrangement, management and spacing in different areas of Chitral. With the passage of time, radio transmissions and music players came to vogue for listening to music until the dynamics transformed the accessibility issue.
‘Music centers’ have always been a beautiful setting where music runs, with it there were cassettes. In some instances, music players were also mended in these shops. The availability of musical records in cassettes later shifted to CDs and memory cards. Now, music is amply available in personal devices/apps and downloads. There is a diverse versions of the production of music, poetry and entertainment today that come in the market through media.
There has been the flavor of Sufi kalams with Persian and Khowar, and the instruments which have been used in it. Requiems have also featured in Khowar music. Interestingly, in the first decade of 21st century political music also appeared in the musical-scape of Chitral.
In terms of inclusion, over the course of time, embracing music during births, wedding ceremonies and events has been mixed in the valleys and sub-valleys of Chitral in past and today. Musical gatherings have been arranged in Chitral, and people and institutions have patronized them.
In Chitral, the norm of being fond of music has been embraced by many. Few call it a norm unwelcome and some undesirable. There are slipshods in both dance and poetry of Chitral that also come as fun from music.
In fact, music shapes, imagination and discourse, and it must be a guide. Today, immersion in a version of music unhoped and riling provides diagnostic whether or not a section of society is impacted by the music they consume.
It is premised that of many of the themes, the music of the poetry in Chitral has been (and is) more about love, beauty and beloved. The themes relevant to our times are yet to be created by poets and thought leaders.