لغت بے سر
the out of tuned connotations compiled
tracing tales of a few South Asian de��nitions attempted revision and reclaimation in collaboration with legendary musical Ustaadzas and unfortunate societies.
volume two by anita zehra
instructions for the weak (h)ear(t)ed 1. read de��nitions with a pinch of salt 2. understand the history 3. enjoy the art
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ْ ُ ٹھمرى thum-ree // noun
derived from the Hindu word ‘thumakana’, it means an ‘attractive gait’. This is a musical genre created with a sensual rhythmic melody and involves intense lyrical emphasis.
ْ ُ bandish thumri // بندش ٹھمرى light, lively music that is focused on composition of the melodic trills, and the rhytmic manipulation of the lyrics.
ْ ُ bol banao thumri // بول بناؤ ٹھمرى creating a conversation through improvisational and �lirtatious tales, often using unsophisticated lyrics and free rhythmic expression.
دادرا ان پيلو گورى بنكے نينوں the fair girl spells magic with her eyes
requirements: madhyam (half way normal tone) small light talas (14 beat slow) romantic lyrics ragas (melody mode) = light and sweet
Tawaifs and Thumri // a love story
In a small intimate meh��l, Thumri was born. The minute Tawaif looked at it, it fell in love. Tawaif o�fered thumri to join hands.They sang and danced together in every performance since then. It was a swooning, picture perfect love story. Until the British Raj decided to record thumri. They intorduced thumri to gramaphone. The British used to lock them in one room. Soon enough they statred spending days and sometimes weeks together. Eventually, thumri forgot tawaif. It was a heartbreaking divorce, lost in the dust.
Thumri as the ‘other’ : unboxed
a non gendered genre
Thumri jumps around narratives of love and eroticism without labelling itself or speaking on behalf of one gender. It is neither female centric nor male-centric. It is solely a play of emotions. The magic of thumri extends into the space around it while breakingout of musical orders.