A ‘Falak’ Song. A story and oral tradition capturing the mysticism, friendship, and misery of remote mountain life on both sides of the Oxus River in Afghanistan and Tajikistan.

Poem Title: The World Passes like a Ferris Wheel…

This is a ‘Falak’ song by Mir Dawlat from the Shpoon village of Kuf Ab district, formerly part of Darwaz district in Badakhshan province. This ‘Falak’ song is sang without musical instruments. In the song, Mir initially remembers the name of God and his Prophet Mohammad. He evokes the feeling of happiness at being able to see his guest friends, and shares his hospitable feelings by saying that he can kiss the footsteps of his guests, and is even ready sell his life if that could help him in showing his guests respect and hospitality. Afghanistan has a long and rich culture of hospitality and friendship, something that is deeply entrenched in social conduct and social activities.

He then allows his song to translate the ‘moans and groans’ of his pain, which to him is said to look like ‘a nightingale groan at dawn’. He says that he went to the river bank to watch the beauty of the world, but unfortunately this visit and feeling will not last long, they will vanish soon. He means that life passes just like a Ferris Wheel.

‘Falak’ songs usually originate in, and draw their inspiration from, pain, from moans and from yelling sorrows. Falak or Aflak (plural) is an Arabic word which refers to the sky. It is like Sama (Sufism) – a spiritual journey towards reaching the highest level of the sky. It is also understood as being linked to a mystical journey of man’s spiritual rise through mind and love to a state of perfection. Turning towards truth, the followers will grow via love, desert their ego, find truth, and reach perfection.

Falak songs are mostly songs of the indigenous people in the mountainous parts of Tajikistan and northern Afghanistan. They are also performed in Khorasan, Iran. Researchers agree that Falak singing dates as far back as the 10th century.

Falak songs are distinct from other types of music. In the past, they were sang by poor and miserable people who had been struggling with their mountainous lives. There was little to no means of communication or good routes for travel. When the majority of people migrated, the longing for their return was associated with a lot of difficulties and struggles. The people from the mountains hence would moan their separation from their loved ones and the pain and sorrow of their misery. They would sing these moaning and groaning songs in the hope that their voice could reach the skies, and could reach God.

Falak songs differ according to the region where they are sang – in Iran, Afghanistan or Tajikistan. There are also differences in the ways of singing them and the places where they are performed. In Afghanistan, some of the more famous types of Falak include (but are not limited to) Badakhshani Falak, Takhari Falak, and others. Within Badakhshan alone, they also vary among Darwazi, Ishkashimi, Pamiri, and Wakhi Falaks. In Tajikistan, two types of Falak are dominant- Dashti Falak and Raghi Falak. In Dashti Falak, musical instruments are not used and they are often performed in deserts, valleys, and mountains. Yelling pain or moaning suffering is the main element in this version of Falak. In Raghi Falak, on the other hand, musical instruments such as flute are used.

Despite this differences and variations, all version of Falak are related to each other in way or another.