A decade and Coke Studio never disappoints!

The Pakistani television series featuring national and international emerging artists had built quite the reputation for their quality music across the world. Ranging from Sufi, ghazal, qawwali to hip-hop, rock and pop – Coke Studio is quite well-known for producing high-quality, addicting and distinctive music.

Although every season a couple pieces that stand out, here it seems like season 11 already started with a bang. They released the beautifully put-together and inclusive ‘Hum Dekhengy’ right before General Elections 2018, giving us all the revolutionary feel with every word resonating with the ambience of the country.

 

However, yesterday again, the internet was taken by storm! Coke Studio released the first episode including Shikwa/Jawab e Shikwa when we are already counting days to Independence Day 2018.

The poems are a unique reflection of Urdu poetical beauty and the thought process of Allama Iqbal, who galvanized the change and catalysed it in the subcontinent.

Originally published in Iqbal’s book ‘Kulliat e Iqbal’, Shikwa and Jawab e Shikwa is a coherently written dialogue between the Almighty and the man. Shikwa, first published in 1909, comprises of a man’s complaints to Allah that He has left him helpless in the world. While Jawab e Shikwa, published in 1913, is God’s reply to his dearest creation, saying Almighty remembers all the promises he made but it’s the man who has strayed from his path.

The fluent dialogue is a beautiful compilation of questioning, reasoning, evidence and rationalisation – with every word eligible to give reader goosebumps.  The recreation of kalam sung by Fareed Ayaz, Abu Muhammad Qawwal & Brothers and Natasha Baig has literally won hearts in Pakistan and on the other side of the border as well. Trending in the neighbouring countries, it is expected to break records!
Here is how Indians and Pakistanis are reacting to it.

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