Punjabi folk Heer by Rustic Unknown Singers at Warris Shah’s Durbar

Heer is one of the most popular punjabi folk songs.  It has been sung by many accomplished and famous singers.

Quite honestly, Heer is my favorite folk in Punjabi.. I go to great lengths to listen to a Heer by various singers. I bought a complete cassette of nothing but Heer on both sides by Shaukat Ali, the other singer I love apart from Gurdas Mann. I have also listened to Heer by Mohd. Rafi, another Punjabi who was probably the greatest singer in our times.

It is very rare to hear Heer being sung by someone without any music or in rustic settings. And, that is why these examples are so amazing.

This one, however, is the best rendering for its circumstance and the situation and the SHEER melody of this guy’s voice. A Sain or Fakeer is singing Heer at Pir Waris Shah’s darbar, Jandiala Sher Khan, Sheikhupura, Pakistan. This was videotaped on March 6, 2007.

https://drishtikone.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Heer-Pakistani.3gp.mp4

Two points:

(1) The singer seems under the influence of either alcohol or some other product like maybe opium. But his voice quality does not suffer at all. It is the boldest rendering I have yet heard of a Heer.
(2) It is at mausoleum of the “Man” himself – Warris Shah – the father of Heer folk songs and music.

Also, this is the same district where my mother was born – Sheikhupura, near Lahore.

Update: Also see the rendering by Taimur Afghani below this!

Here are two more videos by another guy who is singing at the same place – his name Taimur Afghani

Taimur Afghani, a budding singer, makes a very special rendition of singing Heer Waris Shah at the historical Hirn Minar, Shaikhupura, Pakistan.

Taimur ji is resident of Jandiala Sher Khan. Jandiala Sher was probably settled by Pir Waris Shah’s father, Syed Sher Gul Khan, a migrant from afghanistan. Taimur is working very hard on establishing Pir Waris Shah academy in Jandiala. He is also an organizer and coordinator for Heer singing gathering at the Darbar on 14th moon night of each month. He is happily marrried and is a father of a beautiful young son.

….and Part II

And Part 3 is this.

Listening to rustic singers singing Heer is such an amazing experience!