Singer Zartasha Zainab has a goal to revive Pahari culture and language which she believes is dying now.

Singer Zartasha Zainab hiling from the remote village of Uri in Baramulla district, Zartasha, a 24-year-old singer has a goal to revive Pahari culture and language which she believes is dying now. “There are many singers to promote Kashmiri language and none to promote Pahari. We have a good population and we also deserve equal respect and importance,” she said.

A die-heart follower of Pakistani singer Abida Parveen, Zartasha said that one needs to remain stick to their roots. “We should be proud of our culture and language and don’t need to shy away while speaking to others in our mother tongue,” she said.

When asked if she has faced any negative comments for choosing singing as profession, she said, “I remember a comment that was passed on to me on social media where I was wearing Pheran and singing Pahari and I was told that to sing only in Kashmiri language if I was wearing a Pheran otherwise not to sing,” she said.

She further highlighted that people belonging to the villages are seen in a bad light. “Let we us come out of this phobia that Paharis don’t know anything. We have given a huge contribution to every sector of the life so why a discrimination with us,” said Zartasha who is studying Bachelor’s in Rural Development from Amar Singh College Srinagar.

                              

Zartasha Zainab’s mother tongue is Pahari and she usually prefers to belt out Sufi songs in Punjabi. However, her first attempt to sing a Kashmiri song is breaking the internet.

Her rendition of ‘Lalas wantai chu sawaal’ written by famed Kashmiri poet Rasul Mir has gone viral on YouTube and other social media platforms especially Facebook.

Zartasha, who shot to fame last year with ‘Haider Haider’ released by ‘Tips Industries’ that clocked over seven lakhs views on YouTube alone, said she was overwhelmed by the response to her first attempt at singing in Kashmiri language.

“The response remained very good and I am glad that people liked my first attempt at Kashmiri even though my mother tongue is Pahari and I like to sing Sufi songs in Punjabi language,” Zartasha told The Kashmir Monitor.

Zartasha, who lives in the Srinagar city only, said she would continue to pursue her passion for singing.

“I will continue to pursue my passion for singing as of now. However, I don’t think I will take it up as a full time career. Though I am presently pursuing graduation at the Amar Singh College and have completed most of my education in Srinagar, we originally are from Uri (in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district),” she said.

Her rendition of ‘Lalas wantai chu sawaal’ has so far clocked nearly 2.6 lakh views on YouTube and is being widely shared on other social media platforms including WhatsApp and Facebook. Towards the end of the video, popular singer Kabul Bukhari too can be seen joining Zartasha.

The popularity of the song produced by ‘Kaisar Ahmad Ganie & Kashmir Originals’ can be gauged by the response received on social media.

“Soul stirring, makes it listeners to taste rich culture of valley, an amazing attempt enriched with feelings. Well directed clip (sic),”wrote Azhar Shabbir on YouTube.

Another listener Zehra G commented: “Out of this world. From music to video everything is exceptional. Kudos Kashmir Originals (sic).”

Few listeners said they were glad that the song was breaking the cultural ‘barriers’ in Jammu and Kashmir.

“So glad to see jammuites and kashmiris are working together and breaking the barriers.. Dogras , pahadis , kashmirs on the same platform.. Music is really the adhesion (sic),” said Ruhal Malik.