This is the rather obscure story of a fine young man, Mullah Murad and his beloved, Begum Jaan. This Balochi folktale speaks of love and loss, with music and passion at the heart of the story.
Mullah Murad, the youngest son of Raees Musa of Kech, was a free spirit, he often indulged in his whims, for there was not much he was responsible for anyway. He played the rabab with a touch unique to him, and him alone. To him, his rabab was more than just an instrument, it was an extension of his soul. It conveyed all that he felt and became a loyal companion.
Despite the admiration he received from those around him, one day, he left home after a falling out with his father. It shocked the family. Now, the son of a well-known family in town abandoning his home was no small thing, and a lot of gossip followed, distressing the family even more.
Murad wandered through the date palm orchards before he began journeying to the shore. Upon reaching Gwadar, he sat by the shore, and played his rabab, giving his heartache a tune. The sea breeze carried the notes across the city, and people began to flock to watch him play. Over time, his music found him acquaintances, connections, and friends alike.
It also found him his beloved: Begum, a beautiful woman, with the voice of a nightingale, known to enchant all those who heard her. From the day they met, Murad’s music, and Begum’s voice, recited tales of love and loss, loyalty and betrayal, kin and enmity. Invitations to social gatherings started flooding in, and their connection grew stronger with each passing event.
As days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years, their bond strengthened. The romance bloomed like a rare desert flower. A perfect match for each other, their passion for music evolved into a passion for one another, and they spent countless days composing melodies and creating memories.
One day, Raees Musa, felt his heart heavy with longing for his son and decided to call him back home. He sent messengers to find Mullah Murad and convey his desire for reconciliation. When the emissaries reached Murad and relayed his father’s message, Murad asked them to wait while he spoke to Begum.
He explained the situation to her, and she insisted on accompanying him back to Kech, for she simply could not live without him anymore. Murad readily accepted her condition, for he too, felt the same way. They began their journey to Turbat, making stops along the way where they were always asked to perform, sharing their love and music with everyone they met.
When Murad and Begum arrived back home, they were welcomed with open arms by Raees Musa and the entire family. However, whispers and malicious glances soon began to spread, frowning upon their relationship. It began to cloud their happiness, and so, Raees Musa and his wife announced Murad and Begum’s marriage sooner rather than later. Their wedding was celebrated with great joy, uniting the love birds forever. However, their joy was not to witness forever.
After a few gatherings, Murad’s family insisted that he stop Begum from singing. Murad felt helpless and eventually, conceded. When he asked Begum to never sing again, she felt as though the earth had parted beneath her feet. She sang with her heart and her soul - someone stopping her from singing was like someone asking her not to breathe.
Whilst Murad continued playing his rabab at gatherings around town, his tunes only deepened Begum's despair. She felt heartbroken and helpless, sobbing endlessly as she heard Murad’s rabab, mourning the loss of her own voice.
One tragic night, overcome by sorrow, Begum went to her room. She lit herself a hookah and sat beside a fire. Overwhelmed, she smoked until she fell into a trance, unaware of her surroundings. In that state of despair, she fainted and fell into the flames. Her agonised scream pierced the air and reached Murad, who was playing his rabab in a gathering nearby. Rushing to her side he found his beloved engulfed in fire, her beauty marred by flames.
Begum whimpered, “Has the music ended?”
Murad sobbed, “Yes, the music has ended. The rabab broke, its strings snapped.”
That was the last time he heard her voice and felt her presence. Her prayers for an end to her suffering had been answered, albeit cruelly. From that night onwards, Murad never touched his rabab again. Silencing his beloved had taken her away from him, and in turn, the regret had silenced him.
Translated from Balochi by Mina Baloch. Illustrated by Komal Salman.
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