'Ranjha' by Sabir Nazar

 

 

 

Ranjha, watercolours by Sabir Nazar

Sabir Nazar is a painter and cartoonist working with The Friday Times and Pakistan Today. He says he wants to recreate indigenous art in modern context. Sabir describes Ranjha, as he has painted, in his blog thus:

Ranjha is a recurrent symbol in Punjabi poetry. It wouldn't be out of place to call it an architype. Ranjha is creative; he is a musician and committed to his cause (Heer). He crosses the river (the divide of class, ownership and traditions) to meet Heer. He crosses the river between given relationships and relationship of choice. He is a faqir who lands in a barren garden that becomes green. He is a symbol of productivity and fertility. His flute plays the sur of consciousness. Five saints (punj peer) (five senses) bless him with Heer. His breath creates magic through the flute and captures the minds and hearts of people because of the truthfulness of his art. Flute is the symbol of creation of universe. The breath blown into flute comes out in the form of different musical tones, similarly the reality is one but its outward manifestations are different.

We are as the flute, and the music in us is from thee;
we are as the mountain and the echo in us is from thee. (Rumi)