Social media’s addiction affecting regional music, Hujra culture in KP
PESHAWAR (APP): Once famous for culture programs, the Hujra (guest house) of Bahadr Khan was now laying deserted from musicians, local artists and audience due to excessively increasing trend of using social media and its adverse impact on regional music industry in Khyber Pakthunkhwa.
Almost on every weekend, cultural and musical concerts were held at the said Hujra at village Mohib Banda Nowshera during wedding, Walima, birthday parties and other cheerful occasions where the local populace gathered to enjoy live concerts and also knew about each other well beings amid great fun and laughter.
“The doors of my Hujra are still opened for cultural programs but lack of enthusiasm of youth and the area’s people in organizing musical concerts have started declining due to mushroom growth of social media and in house functions,” said Bahadar Khan, adding he can still recall the live music concert of the Pashto Gazal Mestro and pride of performance, Khayal Muhammad, great musician of Pashto Ustad Rafiq Shinwari and Gulazar Alam, who enthralled spectators with their melodious singing amid impressive Tabla and Rabab by the local musicians till late night.
Carrying the legacy of his father, Haji Sherzada Khan to promote young artists and musicians, Bahadar Khan said the guests from nearby villages came to attend the music programs especially on weekends in large numbers amid a spirit of tolerance and warmth.
‘As per my father’s will, I had never closed my Hujra doors for anyone since 2000,” said Bahadar Khan, whose Hujra remained a centre of warmth and friendship besides cementing bonds of brotherhood and tolerance in the society in the village having a population of about 50,000.
Now, a visitor would be extremely disappointed to see empty chairs, sofas and Charpayees at the said Hujra that was once jam-packed with spectators where they exchanged views on regional and international issues, sports, culture besides their siblings’ success in examinations. He said the children learn a lot from senior citizens at Hujra, providing a platform for new musicians.
“I started professional singing from this Hujra and performed successfully on live music shows on several TV channels including Khyber TV,” said Shahzaib Khan, a local singer. Admitting decline of music programs at Hujras in the wake of social medias’ invasion, he said that competition of such rich culture was imperative for a tolerant and prosperous society.
“The culture of Hujra was as old as the history of Khyber Pakthunkhwa itself” said Bakhtzada Khan, senior research officer archeology and museums department KP while talking to APP. “On the basis of archaeological evidence recovered from Gor Kathri excavations, Hujra existed some 5,000 years ago in our province where Pakhtoons gathered for relaxation and to enjoy local culture dances including the famous Khattak dance.”
“Hujra institution had originated alongside the social life of Pakhtuns because hospitality was their long culture where people warmly welcomed guests and culture programs for them were arranged.”
He said it was hard to imagine a village without a Hujra in a Paktuns society in ancient history and this unique culture passed from one generation to another. The great pashto poets, Rehman Baba, Khushal Khan Khattak, Ghani Khan, Ameer Hamza Shinwari and Rehmat Shah Sail also highlighted significance of the Hujra and Pakthoons music in their literary works.
Declaring Hujra a multi-purpose cultural institution, he said it was also exclusively used for development of men and maintained collectively by the villagers and tribes as it ties them together as a community in joyous and sorrowful occasions.
“A Hujra is considered much more than a mere building or a room in a village and served as a seat of learning, a centre for teaching young people about Pakhtun traditions by abiding to ‘Pashtunwali’ — the code of conduct of Pakhtun society,” he said.
Hujra serves as a community centre, social club and alternate dispute resolution centre, wedding hall, literary and traditional music club, and that it had a long occupied centre-stage in Pakhtun communities for good reason where people shared each other’s success and grief.
In Pakistan, the internet users had swelled to a record 111 million January year while about 71.90 million people use social media which is equating to 29.5 million of total population of the country.
Similarly, about 188.9 million cellular connections are active in Pakistan which is equal to 77.8 percent of 241 million population of Pakistan. Alike, the users of Facebook have jumped to record 44.50 million while 71.70 million population use YouTube, 17.30 million Instagram, 54.38 million TikTok and 30.21 million snapchat, affecting traditional games.
Khayal Muhammad, Pashto Ghazal maestro and Pride of Performance said that Hujra is the backbone of Pashtun society and carries a unique distinction in global cultures. He said that Hujra culture also became victims of social and digital media.
“When I was young, the hujras were jam packed with people. My first priority was staged performance in Hujra compared to other forums, ”he said, adding with passage of time, the hujra were converted into houses due to population bulge and speedy growth of social media.
Famous actor, Javed Babar said that other nations may have guest houses, community centres, gymnasiums, playgrounds and wedding halls but, in Pakhtun culture, all of these activities take place in one Hujra, which is a reflection of Pashtun’s rich culture.
He said that it was Hujra where youth was used to learn ethics such as respect for elders and avoiding idle talk; adding a person well-versed in the norms of the Hujra is called ‘Hujra pass.”
Pride of performance, Javed Babar said in case a person was a PhD scholar, but unaware of the values of the Hujra, he is deemed as someone who has not mastered the ethics of Pakhtun culture.
Hujra functions as a sort of parliament house for Pashtuns where they can achieve collective goals such as specifying a proper burial place for someone in the graveyard, marriages functions or resolving security issues besides young people learn the art of dialogue and dispute resolution here.
The speakers said that revival of regional music and Hujra culture are not an impossible mission and certain steps such as the installation of wifi for youngsters need to be taken, so that they can fulfill their educational and entertainment needs under the supervision of elders.
They said indoor games such as table tennis could also be introduced to attract their presence and participation. The experts feared that if Pashtuns fail to revive the Hujra and their local music, Pakhtun youth will be left isolated, leading to psychological and mental health issues besides a setback to regional sports, tolerance and empathy.
They underscored the need to revive local Pashto, hinko music and Hujra culture with the consensus of all stakeholders such as the political government, the community, cultural experts and institutions necessary to bolster peace and mutual coexistence.
The experts urged the KP government to chalk out a plan for the revival of Hujra and local music such as allocation of rooms for a library, indoor games, a meeting hall and guest room with internet facility and essential furniture to facilitate young lots and musicians. They also urged provision of soft loans to local musicians, singers and film makers as an imperative for a tolerant society.
