In our tradition, music has been incorporated in subtle ways. One way is that of composing geets. ‘Geet’ is a Hindi/Urdu word referring to a poem that can be set to music and which can be recited as a solo or in a chorus. However, over a period of time, this term has acquired specific meaning among Ismailis of South Asian descent, such that it refers to the tradition of composing poetry in honor of our Imams. Just as poetry is a live tradition in the Syrian and Central Asian traditions, among Ismailis from the Indo-Pak region, a handful of poets continue to write poetry in honor of the Imam. One such poet is Kamal Taj, the son of renowned poet of the subcontinent, Taj Qavi. Born in Mumbai, India, Taj grew up in Bangladesh and Pakistan and then migrated to the United States in 1978. Presently, he resides in Doha, Qatar and professionally works as a mechanical engineer while continuing to passion in music.
Recently, I was honored to meet Kamal Taj, a gifted artist, who writes his own lyrics, composes and produces his own melodies, and with multiple instruments, he teaches these melodies, to their last specifications, to musicians who then are able to finally orchestrate this in front of a crowd! Below are some excerpts of my conversation with him, one sleepy June afternoon:
‘When all the other kids were playing cricket and football, I was learning music from my father’, relays Mr. Taj, when asked about how he got into music. From an early age, he saw music, felt music, and breathed music. Kamal’s father, Taj Qavi, was passionate about music and encouraged his boys to learn it from childhood. Initially, he was hesitant to spend time practising music, since it took away from playing with friends. However, Taj finally accepted and pursued music as part of his life, particularly after separating from his father in 1971, perhaps as a means of maintaining connection with his father who remained in Bangladesh whilst the family moved to Pakistan during the partition of East and West Pakistan. Since then, Kamal has been immersed in a fabulous music journey, and his songs, which have deeply religious themes, have helped many people imbibe lessons from our history.
Inspired by Pakistani music, Kamal’s first song was a rendition of the Pakistani national song, Sohni Dharti Allah Rakhey. From there on, Kamal fused melodies, lyrics and marvelous compositions to create classical Ismaili songs, specifically for the South-Asian Jamat. When asked why only Ismaili songs, Mr. Taj talks about stories of faith and miracles he has experienced in his life that have inspired him to embark upon this journey. He talks about the time of Silver Jubilee of Mawlana Hazar Imam in 1982 and the Indian musician, Abdul Lakhpati, who inspired him to produce various melodies for the occasion. When talking about his process of compiling and composing music, Kamal says, ‘It starts with a theme, this theme could be anything from the poetic praise of Allah, Hamd or praise of the Prophet, Na’at.
Once a theme is decided, I write lyrics or poetry based on the theme and then add melody to the song; the theme of the song is of importance to me’. Kamal enjoys taking his listeners on a spiritual journey to help them develop a deeper understanding of their faith and values.
‘This Diamond Jubilee year, I will focus my album on Dar-as-Salam, the abode of peace’, says Kamal. He talks of how the words “Dar-as-Salaam” are part of our religious lexicon and how these words evoke a sense of peace. Kamal also points out that the Diamond Jubilee of His Highness the Aga Khan III, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah, began from Dar-es-Salam in East Africa. For the current Diamond Jubilee celebrations, Kamal Taj, his orchestra and choir put on a wonderful performance for the community in Dubai to introduce his new album. The Jamat praised and appreciated his music.
Finally, Kamal Taj talks about how music has the power to inspire and bring people from all backgrounds, creeds and, ethnicities together. He says that just as music has no boundaries, we should similarly have no boundaries, but should find a way to overcome our differences and learn from each other. He believes that the values ingrained within the community are off essence in today’s world. The values of tolerance, pluralism and service should continue to be upheld by today’s youth. He believes in providing the youth with a platform to engage and practice these values so that they are rooted in the hearts of each Ismaili youth.
