JollyGul.com is about to launch a web service where specific sections of its website will be dedicated to works of individual community artists.
The purpose of this service is multi-fold:
1) Jamati members will be able to easily find and play works by specific artists in one place. For example, if someone wants to listen to Taufiq Karmali, all his ginans (with and without music) and geets can be found and played in one place – on the Taufiq Karmali section on JollyGul.com
2) JollyGul.com custom audio player has the technical capability to show synchronized lyrics and translations. Our goal is to eventually display lyrics and translations where possible. This is a long term task and we will be working to add these over a period of time to enhance the enjoyment of the melodies for the Jamat.
3) Our artists will be getting their own “website” and online presence within JollyGul.com without the headaches of technology and website maintenance. They can focus on producing great works without the worry of distribution, exposure, and ease of discovery of their wonderful work.
4) JollyGul.com – a not-for-profit private initiative – can invest in improvement in platform technologies as the Internet rapidly evolves in the full knowledge that this will benefit all the community artists. This is a free service for the artists and the Jamat – like all our services.
5) Over the next several weeks, we will be launching individual artists’ “websites” within JollyGul.com. Initially, we will be covering major artists who have already produced a substantial body of work.
6) Our message to new and upcoming talent in the Jamat – this service is intended for all artists. We plan to make this service accessible to all artists in the community in the very near future.
7) The success of this initiative can be judged by three yardsticks. One – did we create anything of additional value, enjoyment and convenience for the Jamat? Second – did we help our artists in their distribution efforts freeing their time and motivating them to create even more wonderful work for the Jamat? And third, did we motivate our new and upcoming talent to innovate and come up with creative ways to express their devotion to our Tariqah and to our beloved Imam-e-Zaman.
8) Our Artists, Our Heros – we all have to play our own part in this new world where the “battle” is really to win hearts and minds. Are we effectively projecting our core values of intellect driven practice of faith, compassion, and message of tolerance, respect for all to the outside world? Our artists are in the “front-line” and have a bigger megaphone and an attentive audience – they can have a much bigger impact in enhancing cohesion within the community and projecting our values and what we stand for to the outside world through their good work. They are our heroes in this brave new world!
Watch out for the launch of the service in the next few days.
Ismailimail 