By Shashi Tharoor
As the German poet Heinrich Heine so memorably put it, "When words leave off, music begins."
This has been true for Junoon's musical journey in South Asia. When politics seemed to disillusion, music enlightened. When diplomacy failed, music bridged the gap. When nothing seemed to be going right, Junoon's songs provided the healing balm.
Across the countries of South Asia, Salman Ahmad and his iconic Sufi-inspired rock band have brought together the region's youth, not through any propaganda, but through pure love for music. As our problems of intolerance and terror crossed borders, so too did Junoon's memorable lyrics of peace, harmony and love touch the hearts of youth from Karachi to Kanpur, and Islamabad to Delhi.
In its twenty years of existence, this band's popularity has only soared. True to its pluralistic image, it has expanded its fold and included members from nationalities other than Pakistan. Such is the power of music - a universal token of exchange that speaks the language of love.
Youth from the Subcontinent aspire for a fairer and freer future, together. To quote from one of Junoon's most popular songs, "Yaaron yeh hi dosti hai, Qismat se jo mili hai, Sab sang chalen, Sab rang chalen. Chaltey rahen hum sada."
(Friends, this is friendship, that we have got from fate; all walk together, all colours together, walking together forever)
The writer, an Indian Member of Parliament from Kerala, is the former UN Under-Secretary General for Communications and Public Information.
He is on twitter@ShashiTharoor
Email: office@tharoor.in
"Keep the music alive": (Above) Junoon at the Channel V Awards ceremony, Delhi, 1998; In concert with maestro Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, before 30,000 fans at the Hockey Stadium, Karachi, 1996; Salman Ahmed and his brother Sherry with Shashi Tharoor and Kofi Annan at Junoon's UN Day
concert, October 2001.
Photos: Arif Mehmood, courtesy Salman Ahmed
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
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