Performed by: Farid Ayaz & Abu Muhammad Qawwal
Kalaam by: Hazrat Ameer Khusrau (ra)
Lyrics & Translations: Bhaijaan Yousufi
Raag: Tilak Kamod
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--Love, Devotion, and Yearning:
Hazrat Ameer Khusrau (ra) of the Delhi Sultanate is among the most celebrated poets, musicians, and mystics of South Asia. Known as the “Parrot of India,” he shaped Hindustani classical music, helped develop the sitar, and enriched Persian, Hindi, and Urdu poetry. Beyond art, Khusrau was a devoted disciple of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya (ra).
Their relationship is a moving example of spiritual love between master and disciple. For Khusrau, Nizamuddin was the center of his spiritual world. He often expressed this devotion in the language of human love — yearning, separation, joy, and reunion. In Sufi tradition, such imagery is metaphorical, pointing to the soul’s deep longing for God.
--Yaad Hei:
“Kanhaiyya Yaad Hei” carries Khusrau’s blending of cultures. Kanhaiyya refers to Lord Krishna, beloved in Hindu devotion. By invoking Krishna, Khusrau bridges Hindu and Muslim imagery to express universal longing.
The qawwali is voiced as a dialogue with the beloved:
Kanhaiyya, do you remember anything about us?
It is both accusation and plea — the voice of one who feels forgotten. Each stanza builds on this yearning, echoing the Sufi idea that the soul forever calls to God: Do You remember me, even as I cannot forget You? At the same time, it may also be read as God asking His servant: Do you still remember your Creator?
The verses swing between hope and despair — recalling past peace and lamenting exile: “Why was I ordered to depart from the garden of paradise?” This tension mirrors the human condition: our hearts know closeness to the Divine, yet we live in separation.
--Layers of Meaning:
Khusrau’s genius lies in turning daily images into mystical truths.
The Yamuna River: The protagonist pleads with Yamuna for news of the beloved. For Hindus, Yamuna is sacred; for Muslims, it can symbolize an angelic messenger carrying longing to the Divine.
Falling at Mahadev’s Feet: Seeking aid even from Mahadev (Shiva) shows desperation. In Sufi terms, Maha-Dev — “Great Lord” — may also point to complete surrender before Allah.
Olti Ka Paani: Rainwater dripping from a roof, collected drop by drop, was used in folk love spells. Each drop carried an incantation, the water given to the beloved to drink. Khusrau uses it not to endorse superstition but to show the extremes of yearning — trying anything to reach the beloved.
The Pain of Marriage: Lines like “I would’ve been better off unmarried” reflect a bride’s regret after leaving her parental home. Mystically, it symbolizes the soul leaving God’s embrace for worldly struggle.
--Why It Still Resonates:
For modern readers, “Kanhaiyya Yaad Hei” blends the personal with the universal. On the surface, it is a woman lamenting lost love. Spiritually, it is the soul yearning for the Divine. Universally, it is about the ache of memory, separation, and hope of reunion.
Khusrau’s culturally specific images — rivers, rainwater, spells, marriage — become universal metaphors. Just as blues singers turned grief into music, Khusrau poured longing into verse that still moves hearts.
The use of Krishna as the beloved adds richness. For Hindus, it is devotion to Krishna. For Muslim Sufis, devotion to God, the Prophet ﷺ, or a saintly master. For others, it resonates simply as poetry of love and loss.
--Lastly:
“Kanhaiyya Yaad Hei” is not just a qawwali; it is a window into Khusrau’s heart. Its repeated plea — “Do you remember anything about us?” — speaks to lovers, disciples, and souls alike.
By weaving Krishna, Yamuna, Mahadev, and folk rituals into one tapestry, Khusrau shows that love knows no boundaries. The lover’s desperation is not weakness but proof of love’s power.
For readers today, it offers cultural insight and emotional connection. In the drops of Olti Ka Paani, in the cries to Kanhaiyya, in surrender to forgetfulness — we hear echoes of our own longings.
Across seven centuries, Khusrau’s voice still calls: Do you remember me? And in hearing it, perhaps we remember our own yearning for love, meaning, and reunion with what we hold most dear.
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00:00 Start
01:28 Alaap Raag Tilak Kamod
03:57 Kanhaiyya, Yaad Hei Kuch Bhi Hamari?
05:53 Kahuñ Kya, Tere Bhoolne Ke Meiñ Waari
07:17 Binti Meiñ Kar Kar, Bamuna Se Poochi
12:13 Khaak Paro Logoñ, Iss Biyahne Par
12:50 Maika Me Meiñ Hilm, Rehti Thi Sukh Se
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