Zarsanga

Zarsanga (Pashto: زرڅانگه‎; also spelt Zar Sanga, born 1946 in Bannu) is a Pashto singer from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. She began her singing career singing for Radio Peshawar and some television programmes, and later went on to perform in Europe, the United States and the UAE. Her extensive career as a singer and performer has earned her the sobriquet "The Queen Of Pashtun Folklore" and the Pride of Performance Award.

"The Queen of Pashto Folklore"

Zarsanga
Zarsanga in 2015
Born1946
Bannu, NWFP, British India (now Pakistan)
NationalityPakistani
Other namesRasheeda Nyazbeena
OccupationSinger
Years activeyouth–present
Zarsanga
GenresPashto Pashto Folklore
LabelsLong Distance

Personal life
Zarsanga with their band in March 1991 at Hackney Empire in London

Zarsanga was born in 1946 in a small village of Bannu Lakki Marwat, North-West Frontier Province British India (now Pakistan).[1] She was born into the nomadic tribe Kutanree (Kutan), who travel mostly between Pashto area from Punjab and Sindh covering the areas of Bannu Road from Dera Ismail Khan, Kohat and Peshawar. Some of them travel as far as Afghanistan and stay there in summer and return to the southern districts of Khyber Pashtunkhwa during the winter. Singing is a major profession for the people of the tribe and Zarsanga took it up at young age as well.

In 1965, Zarsganga married Malla Jan, a resident of Sarai Naurang,[2] Lakki Marwat who was also a nomad. Many people believe she is married to popular folk singer Khan Tehsil, but she denies the rumors and to this day says Khan Tehsil is her husbands' cousin:

Actually I sang with him on many occasions and most of our joint songs got immense popularity. He is not my husband he is just like my own brother.

Zarsanga and Malla Jan have nine children including three daughters and six sons. Shahzada, Zarsanga's second-oldest son, is also a musician.

Zarsanga continues to live her sons and two grandchildren in Nowshera district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In July 2017, her house was burgled by a group of unidentified assailants, who robbed the household of most valuables.[3][4][5][6]

Career

Zarsanga was discovered at a young age by a local musician, Mustafa during a performance at a wedding event. Mustafa introduced her to Rashid Ali Dehqan, a producer of Radio Peshawar who called her in for an audition. Zarsanga was signed by the broadcasting company and would go on to perform some of her best known songs on Radio Pakistan. At the start of her career, Zarsanga would listen to the songs of Gulnar Begum, Kishwar Sultan, Bacha Zarin Jan, Khyal Muhammad, Ahmad Khan and Sabz Ali Ustad.

I liked all of them, but I have maintained my own traditional way of folk singing. The people would earnestly enjoy my songs on both sides of the Durand Line (India-Afghan border). I got no education so I cannot sing from a written paper. Most often I sing the songs that are composed and created by the common folk. However, my husband also wrote some of my popular songs.

Zarsanga and her band in 2015

A French researcher, Miss Kia, who worked with Radio France, once said Zarsanga's voice was the only mountainous voice in the Pashto language. Kia accompanied Zarsanga to France for a music concert, which was well received at the time.[7] Zarsanga talked about performing live for international audiences in one of her interviews. Recalling her experience at a live music event in London she said, "I was singing a traditional folk song in Pashto about the mountains and gypsy life of the tribals and when I finished it, a British person came close to me and proudly remarked that he was also a gypsy."

Over the course of an extensive career, spanning over five decades, Zarsanga has recorded and performed popular songs including "Da Bangriwal Pa Choli Ma Za", her only song on radio, "Zma Da Khro Jamo Yara", "Rasha Mama Zwi De", "Zma Da Ghrono Pana Yara", and "Kht Me Zanzeri De". She also continued to perform variously in international music tours in Germany, France, Belgium, Iraq, United Arab Emirates, United States, and United Kingdom.[1]

In 2018, Zarsanga appeared in the promotional video for the eleventh season of Coke Studio Pakistan. She later recorded a song for the eight episode of the season, performing "Rasha Mama" alongside Pashto band Khumariyaan and Gul Panra. The video was released on Coke Studio Pakistan's official YouTube on 16 August and has seen been viewed by over 6.8 million viewers.[8][9]

Awards and honours

For her contributions to the field music and folk singing, Zarsanga was awarded the Pride of Performance Award (Tamġa-ē Ḥusn-e Kārkardagī) by the Government of Pakistan. She has also been dubbed "The Queen Of Pashtun Folklore" by various media outlets.[10][11]

Discography

Singles
  • "Da Bangriwal Pa Choli Ma Za"
  • "Kht Me Zanzeri De"
  • "Rasha Mama Zwi De"
  • "Zma Da Ghrono Pana Yara"
  • "Zma Da Khro Jamo Yara"
Contributing artist
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See also

References
  1. "Zarsanga". Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  2. Kheshgi, Khaled. "Zarsanga – Melody Queen of Pashto". Khyber.org. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  3. Staff Reporter (24 July 2017). "Zarsanga". The Nation. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  4. Staff Report (24 July 2017). "Hamid Karzai, politicians, among fans to condemn attack on Zarsanga". Pakistan Today.
  5. Monitoring Desk (26 July 2017). "Pashto folk singer Zarsanga warns Pakistan Will leave for Afghanistan if justice not provided". Afghanistan Times. Kabul. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  6. "Lok Virsa ED inquires after Zarsanga". The News. 27 July 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  7. "Zarsanga". Theatre Online. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  8. "Coke Studio Season 11". Coke Studio (Pakistan). Coke Studio (Pakistan). Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  9. Coke Studio Pakistan (season 11) (17 August 2018), Rasha Mama, Zarsanga, Gul Panrra and Khumariyaan, Coke Studio Season 11, Episode 2, retrieved 14 November 2018
  10. The Pakistan Review, Volume 15 (Digitized). Ferozsons Limited. 1967. pp. 35–37. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  11. "Zar Sanga: The Queen Of Pashtun Folklore". Pashtun Post. 31 December 1969. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2010. That is why when Zar Sanga, the queen of gypsy, sang out 'Rasha mama zwi de lewani de' ( O dear uncle! My fascinating beauty has driven your son insane) at ...
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