Retro 'Sakal Ban' Rendition Wins Hearts On Instagram; Many Call It Better Than Bhansali's Version For Heeramandi

Recently, an old clip of a 'Sakal Ban' being sun by Ishrat Jehan, Bilqees Khanum,  and Nighat Seema began doing the rounds on social media and netizens cannot get enough.   

Recently, an old clip of a 'Sakal Ban' being sun by Ishrat Jehan, Bilqees Khanum,  and Nighat Seema began doing the rounds on social media and netizens cannot get enough.   

Source : Instagram

Remember 'Sakal Ban' from Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Netflix show 'Heeramandi' that introduced the world to the Indo-Persian sifu singer, musician and poet Amir Khusrau. Rooted in some 700-year-old-history, Khusrau's poem has found a way to reach global audiences with his acclaimed-period drama on Netflix. Recently, an old clip of a 'Sakal Ban' being sun by Ishrat Jehan, Bilqees Khanum,  and Nighat Seema began doing the rounds on social media and netizens cannot get enough.   

In the black-white video clip, we see poet Zehra Nigah introduce Amir Khusro's 'Sakal Ban' rendition and an excellent dance and song sequence that follows. Many shared heart emojis and how this version gives a glimpse of the art and culture lost. 

Take a look.

For those unaware, here is a bit of Sakal Ban history

It is said that on the occasion of Basant Panchami, Khusrau saw some people going to the temple with flowers in their palms wearing yellow clothes. When Khusrau asked them what it was about, they shared that this is done to please the diety.

Later Khusrau himself brought a bouquet of flowers and arrivied dancing and singing to please his guru, Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia, who was grieving the death of his nephew.

Khusrau is said to have told his murshid that he brought these flowers to please his god, as devotees do on the occasion of Basant Panchami. 

And, as the legend goes, even today in Delhi, on Basant Panchami, yellow flowers and Chadar are offered at Hazrat Nizamuddin's shrine.

As one of his poems titled 'Basant', Sakal bun phool rahi sarson was quoted in an issue of Saladin Ahmed's 'The Magnificent Ms. Marvel'. In Coke Studio Season 8, it was sung by Muazzam Mujahid Ali Khan and Rizwan-Muazzam. In 2020, Pakistani singer Meesha Shafi and the instrumental funk band Mughal-e-Funk released a rendition of the poem.

Sakal Ban’s latest rendition that brought it back to mainstream happens to be Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Heeramandi’.