Varda Arts - Aga Khan Jubilee Song (Mera Koi Nahi Hai Tere Siwa)
We would like to thank the Ismaili Jamaat of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, for giving us the opportunity to perform LIVE on the
Imamat Day, at the Diamond Jubilee Hall, on the 9th of July, 2017 commemorating the Diamond Jubilee 60th Anniversary of Mawlana Hazar Imam's accession to the Ismaili Jamaat.
We were fortunate to have performed during the Golden Jubilee celebrations 10 years ago in 2007 as well.
This is from us,
With Love, Peace and Brotherhood.
Imamat Day, at the Diamond Jubilee Hall, on the 9th of July, 2017 commemorating the Diamond Jubilee 60th Anniversary of Mawlana Hazar Imam's accession to the Ismaili Jamaat.
We were fortunate to have performed during the Golden Jubilee celebrations 10 years ago in 2007 as well.
This is from us,
With Love, Peace and Brotherhood.
VARDA ARTS COMPLETES 20 YEARS AT KHANA KHAZANA 1997-2017
Historical records are not intended to be created, they just happen. It is our jubilant day to have completed ’20 Years’ of entertainment at 'Khana Khazzana' where families flock to this famous place for fun gathering on Fridays. This day, our memory flash-back to 1997 when KK was under final stages of its construction and Akber bhai called us for our inputs on where to put up the stage and its needs.
During the span of 20 years, we have pleasant memories of our loyal fans who have shared their joy with us. It has been tough, to perform constantly without missing a single ‘Friday’ for 20 years no matter what! We have been offered lucrative amount to skip a Friday and perform elsewhere, but we have always resisted the temptation with thanks and have stuck to our principles and ethics of our profession, though we desperately have needed money!
We are humbled when groups of visitors from overseas book KK in advance, even before their arrival through travel agents like any other tourist attraction!
At times, we become mentally frustrated performing non-stop for 6 to 7 hours without a single break of even 5 mins to have a cup of tea! Under such pressure, we take full responsibility if we have hurt anyone’s feelings as we might have overlooked. To them, we say, “We are sorry!”
Thank you Akber Pirmohamed bhai, you never led us by authority showing off those familiar bossy attitudes but treated us like family with appreciable respect! Currently Minesh bhai does the same, Thank you Minesh bhai! Thank you Maashuk bhai, as a Manager you were caring and helpful and not like a school headmaster! Thank you to the service minded waiters of KK for being there for us till late hours! Thank you to our wives, you have sacrificed joyful moments of our life especially during holidays like Eid, Diwali, Easter, Christmas or New Year while we are always busy entertaining our fans, your timeless devotion has made us fall in love with you more than ever! Thank you to our beloved father and mother in Heaven, we believe it is your duas that we prosper united as brothers!
We are told to apply for the ‘Guinness Book of World Records’ but friends, it is our nature not to bother to win awards but to win people’s heart, because awards are decided by people, but people’s love is from God.
We have also completed 10 years at the New Africa Hotel and 5 years at Hotel Sapphire!
For us, you are our true honor and reward for having listening to us persistently for more than 35 years now and yet you are not tired of us. Your love has turned into a deep emotional bonding. What more can one wish to be bestowed upon such magnimous ‘reward’ by their fans?
Though we are not accomplished musicians, but you all have been so kind to pardon our imperfections! Thank you again for grooming Varda Arts as you have made us what we are!
Thank you Allah for the attributes giving us more than what we deserve! After so many ‘Thank yous’, please look around for someone in need, help them, or with your kind words, and feel the joy of ‘Thanks’!
With kind regards from Iqbal Varda, Yunus Senior, Yunus Junior and Aziz Varda. Love you all!!VARDA ARTS COMPLETES 20 YEARS
Former President of Tanzania, Hon. Ali Hassan Mwinyi had a great sense of humor.. While presenting him our music album, he asked "Varda Arts Maridadi au Jamila?" We said, "Hakuna kama Mzee Ruksa!" The point to be noted here about his greatness is being a President, he humorously gave us a message with kind appreciation that he knew 'Varda Arts' and our songs 'Maridadi' & 'Jamila' !! When we told him "No one like Mzee Ruksa," it came out from the chore of our heart as we really meant it and was not just to please him.. I would like to share with you an incident about this great leader.. In the year 2009, our President delivered a perfect message when he preached peaceful coexistence between Muslims & Christians when a 26 year old rascal Ibrahim Said emerged from the congregation, walked up to the podium landing a slap on Mzee Mwinyi's flaccid cheek.. Our President pardoned him and did not arrest him portraying high command of tolerance.. To have such goodness and to be a good human being, there is always a price to pay.. The slap might be the cost of calmness, modesty and integrity.. Though all the religious scriptures of the world teach us tolerance, yet how many of us practically apply in our daily life? We become victim of our ego and we take revenge to satisfy ourselves against those who are identified as uncivilized ignoramus people of the Stone Age.. The Bible states : Mathew 5:38 or Luke 6:29.. "On his own part he (Jesus) was not merely slapped on the cheek..He was thrashed with sticks and all manner of straps before he was nailed on to the cross.. Yet, none of his torturers was arrested, as he expired, he asked God to forgive all.."
We pray to God to bless our country with a tolerant & humble President like Mzee Mwinyi in the forthcoming election!!
We pray to God to bless our country with a tolerant & humble President like Mzee Mwinyi in the forthcoming election!!
We never thought we would have a good fortune to sing for our former President of Tanzania, Al Hajj Ali Hassan Mwinyi to wish best wishes to him recently during his 90th Birth Day! We sang "Happy Birthday to You!" while the happiness the Mheshimiwa gave us will be treasured for a life time! A Birth Day gift presented to "Mzee Ruksa" by us was our five Swahili Music Albums as a true wish of happiness from the joy of deeds well done during his Presidency from 1985 to 1995..
In the pic is our brother Iqbal Varda & Yunus Senior..All this occurred during the African Rally Championship 2015 that took place at the Southern Sun Hotel.. on 12th and 14th June!
In the pic is our brother Iqbal Varda & Yunus Senior..All this occurred during the African Rally Championship 2015 that took place at the Southern Sun Hotel.. on 12th and 14th June!
This was in Nairobi, Hilton Hotel, while Yunus was singing "Shirdi waale Sai Baba.." when a group of Muslim devotees of this pious Saint furiously got on the stage, fiercely snatched the mike and stopped us from singing! Their objection was, how dare we sinful musicians render divine Quawwali of revered Sai Baba! We realized the group had nothing to offer intellectually or spiritually but a headache! So, we decided to quit the show itself!
Organizers gathered and begged us to compromise as that group was their 'Sponsors' ad those in the audience had the power of money! The group suggested instead to sing "Pardah hai Pardah.." Quawwali from the same movie! When Yunus sang, the audience went wild, cheering, clapping, dancing, enjoying and showering tips! When we finished, the same group once again got on the stage, this time shouting "Once more! Once more!" with an irritating attitude not requesting but forcing us to sing it again!
Thus, I announced, "Janab, your sentiments were hurt when we sang 'Shirdi waale Sai Baba..' but your sentiments are not injured where a Muslim boy named Akber, vows 'Parda-nashin ko Be-parda na kardun to Akber mera naam nahin!' meaning, 'I will not call myself Akber (a Muslim) if I fail to unveil the veil (of a Muslim girl)' and you are shouting for more!
Naturally, the show came to close at this point! Though, we suffered the after effects but did not bargain our self-respect and have no regrets at all!
Later, the same organizers invited us again to Nairobi, hired Eagle Stars Apartments for a four months stay and we performed whole over Kenya! Interestingly, they requested us to take citizenship of Kenya!
Criticism can be a pleasant experience too!!
Organizers gathered and begged us to compromise as that group was their 'Sponsors' ad those in the audience had the power of money! The group suggested instead to sing "Pardah hai Pardah.." Quawwali from the same movie! When Yunus sang, the audience went wild, cheering, clapping, dancing, enjoying and showering tips! When we finished, the same group once again got on the stage, this time shouting "Once more! Once more!" with an irritating attitude not requesting but forcing us to sing it again!
Thus, I announced, "Janab, your sentiments were hurt when we sang 'Shirdi waale Sai Baba..' but your sentiments are not injured where a Muslim boy named Akber, vows 'Parda-nashin ko Be-parda na kardun to Akber mera naam nahin!' meaning, 'I will not call myself Akber (a Muslim) if I fail to unveil the veil (of a Muslim girl)' and you are shouting for more!
Naturally, the show came to close at this point! Though, we suffered the after effects but did not bargain our self-respect and have no regrets at all!
Later, the same organizers invited us again to Nairobi, hired Eagle Stars Apartments for a four months stay and we performed whole over Kenya! Interestingly, they requested us to take citizenship of Kenya!
Criticism can be a pleasant experience too!!
YUNUS VARDA BORN ON 5TH SEPTEMBER.
Growing together and sharing precious musical moments all these years has formed a special bond between Varda Brothers!We wish you a Happy Birthday dear brother Yunus Junior 🎂 We are lucky to have a multi-talented brother like you as an actor/singer/musician & so on!You are a true inspiration to us & many! Have a joyful day singing Yeh Jho Halka Halka Suroor Hai..🎶🎹 Paanke Kuroooo!
Growing together and sharing precious musical moments all these years has formed a special bond between Varda Brothers!We wish you a Happy Birthday dear brother Yunus Junior 🎂 We are lucky to have a multi-talented brother like you as an actor/singer/musician & so on!You are a true inspiration to us & many! Have a joyful day singing Yeh Jho Halka Halka Suroor Hai..🎶🎹 Paanke Kuroooo!
Interview of Varda Arts on Incredible Dar Magazine - Issue # 005
We got the copy of Incredible Dar & we are impressed by it's presentation of glossy pages.. printing..good design.. cover pic..Our special Thank You to young & talented writer & interviewer Sakina Nanabhai for her commendable job to cover 35 years long span highlights of varda arts by her 7 important questions that says it all about us .. found it very interesting & we are sure it's good stuff for readers too .. Congrats to you Sakina & the entire hardworking team of incredible dar.
Please kindly follow this link to read the interview of Varda Arts.
https://issuu.com/incredibledar/docs/incredible_dar_magazine_issue_005/
Please kindly follow this link to read the interview of Varda Arts.
https://issuu.com/incredibledar/docs/incredible_dar_magazine_issue_005/
Happy Birthday Muhammad Iqbal Varda (born on 7th November)
It is our eldest brother Iqbal Varda's Birthday today. . He has given us hit songs like "Canada", "Hun India no Raja", "Jamila Wangu" and others. . He is best known for his Shairis, Bhangda and singing Moh'd Rafi songs. . At a tender age of seven his rustic robustness and lanza lung power amply revealed his vocal range when he won accolades at a 'Sangeet Mela' at Mnazi Moja grounds held during Eid-Festival.. Next to Dad, Brother, you are a guide, a trainer and a role model to us. .
Special message from Iqbal Varda.. "Remembering all my classmates and colleagues with whom I shared the stage to sing & play 'Tabla' for them, Taju, Rasik Pandya, Nizar & Party, Krishna & Party, Suresh Mehta, Shoky, Bipin Raichada, Chandu & Subhash tabalchi & not forgetting the late Shiraz Jaffer..
Special message from Iqbal Varda.. "Remembering all my classmates and colleagues with whom I shared the stage to sing & play 'Tabla' for them, Taju, Rasik Pandya, Nizar & Party, Krishna & Party, Suresh Mehta, Shoky, Bipin Raichada, Chandu & Subhash tabalchi & not forgetting the late Shiraz Jaffer..
Remembering Mr. Nurmohamed Varda on his Birthday (2nd November) May your soul rest in peace & May Almighty Allah give you highest place in Jannah, Ameen.
This is the picture of Mr.Nurmohamed Varda,the father of Varda brothers.Varda Arts is their group. He actually was a classified singer who trained his sons,Iqbal Varda, Aziz Varda, and Yunus Varda.
Mr.Nurmohamed Varda motivated his sons to sing for the people of Tanzania. He used to say, "You sing these Swahili songs in private parties, but you should also sing for the nation.
Mr.Nurmohamed Varda motivated his sons to sing for the people of Tanzania. He used to say, "You sing these Swahili songs in private parties, but you should also sing for the nation.
Celebrating 35 years of Varda Arts! A news reporter asked me, "What is Varda Arts's achievement in these almost four decades?" I said, "To have survived for years in the music industry of a country where art is not valued much.." This made me share a few highlights with you all today.. Our crowning moment was to organize and perform with India's legendary play-back singer Mahendra Kapoor in the presence of the Great Dilip Kumar Saab, his actress wife Saira Banu, King of comedy Mehmood and others! Our magnificent victory was to have entertained India's World Cup Cricket team led by the dynamic Kapil Dev! Our greatest achievement was to have performed in the presence of the former Prime Minister of India, Hon. I.K Gujral, and the Hon. A.P.J Abdul Kalam during their individual visit to Tanzania! Our phenomenal success was to have been honored to entertain 2000 Members of Parliament in Dodoma! Our life time achievement is to have performed in the presence of the Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere, followed by the second, third, and fourth President of Tanzania and Hon. Salim Ahmed Salim, the former Sec. Gen. of O.A.U!
All praise belongs to God for this Grace as we celebrate 35 years of Varda Arts and for becoming a part of Tanzanian History to be politically considered as the "Bridge Builders" between Asian and African communities in Tanzania.. With love & Best Wishes to all!
Thank You!!
All praise belongs to God for this Grace as we celebrate 35 years of Varda Arts and for becoming a part of Tanzanian History to be politically considered as the "Bridge Builders" between Asian and African communities in Tanzania.. With love & Best Wishes to all!
Thank You!!
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