GENERATION’s spring campaign 2020 comes forth with a very special collaboration with a very special trio; the Harsakhiyan.
Comprising of sisters Zainab, Saleema and Ismet, who had been training in classical music since their very childhoods, the Harsakhiyan came to be around 12 years ago when they formally decided to adapt a name in lieu of moving into their new home, ‘Harsukh’ an organic farm, artist community and children’s school focused on keeping the subcontinent’s traditional and cultural heritage alive.
Having collected a treasure trove of traditional songs from various ustads they felt strongly about broadcasting the sound of the region to a larger audience.
Having made their broadcast debut last year with Coke Studio’s 12th edition, their song Tiri Pawanda reincarnated poetry of Shaikh Ayaz and Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai evoking the experience of separation accompanied by the hope of reunion, spelled out in images of nature and flora.
For their collaboration with GENERATION they have reprised the classical dadra ‘rangi sari gulabi chunariya’, recomposing the melody of the classic sung by Shobha Gurtu, giving it a fresh interpretation. The song in its uniqueness holds great significance to GENERATION’s campaign ‘100 ways of using a dupatta’ citing how the women of yore would dye their dupattas a new colour to celebrate the return of their beloveds from their expeditions.
The sisters also shared the different ways they have utilized dupattas in their daily lives, while Zainab has found great use of it on the beach, as a sarong, beach mat and even a towel, Saleema recalls using hers as a makeshift baby hammock while travelling on the train. It is however Ismet who really captured our imagination, as she put it in her own words:
“I love watching expressions on babies’ faces as I let the dupatta catch air and fly over them”
Watch them in their element, as their first ever music video ‘Gulabi Chunariya’ directed by Jamal Rahman is out now!
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