When I was atop the small mountain at Isle Goree off the coast of Dakar, Senegal, I learned the critical importance of pronunciation. In the paradise like island community of bohemians, artists and rastas that was once a hell, a holding station for slaves on their way to America, I was at the home of Maha a renouned Rasta. The home was built into the rock, fashioned from the former military barracks of the French colonials. I was speaking to some children, trying to show off my limited Wolof to say 'You are very nice'. Apparently it came out, 'you are breaking up the place'. Fortunately, the parents agreed that I was probably right!

This song is in Hindi, a language I don't speak. I transliterated the sounds by ear and hand, labouriously, and listened. Still, I may come out saying something absurd or worse to Hindi speakers. Non-hindi speakers will not have to worry. It's a beautiful song, a ghazal, so we know it is a love song. It fits for a November rainy day. It is longing and romantic. I know one word, mushkil, which means difficulty or burden. It is yearning. A beautiful song, and my favorite by Mehdi Hassan, the guru of my sitar guru. It is not a perfect recording, I wish to perfect it in tribute to my guru Hardeep Buckshi, a sitar, tabla, harmonium and voice teacher in the Indian classical and semi-classical styles, but primarily a ghazal singer. I hope my singing has improved. The table machine doesn't do it justice, and I think gets thrown off rhythm at parts. There is voice, sitar, guitar and drone. Hey, you even get my Lanark county bluegrass influence.

Please be forgiving, my rendition of 'Baat Karni, Muhjey Mushkil'. Shanti. Arif

. Here are some versions by the master.

I have posted my transliteration to comments, if you have corrections please copy and paste to comments.

Baat Karni Muhjey Mushkil