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Music of Pakistan
Genres
Classical Ghazal Sufi Folk Qawwali Pop (Filmi) Rock (Sufi rock) Hip Hop
Specific forms
Religious music	Hamd Nasheeds Naat
Ethnic music	Balochi Kashmiri Pashto Punjabi Sindhi
Traditional music	Sufi Kafi Bhangra
Media and performance
Music awards	Lux Style Awards MTV Awards
Music festivals	All Pakistan Music Conference Coke Studio
Music media	AAG Bandbaja MTV Pakistan PlayTV TM
Nationalistic and patriotic songs
National anthem	Qaumi Tarana
Regional music
Local forms	Brahui Hindko Khowar Shina Siraiki
Related areas	Persian Afghani Turkish

The ghazal (Arabic/Malay/Pashto/Persian/Urdu: غزل; Hindi: ग़ज़ल, Punjabi: ਗ਼ਜ਼ਲ, Turkish: gazel, Bengali: গ়জ়ল, Gujarati: ગ઼ઝલ) is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th-century Arabic verse. It is derived from the Arabian panegyric qasida. The structural requirements of the ghazal are similar in stringency to those of the Petrarchan sonnet. In style and content it is a genre that has proved capable of an extraordinary variety of expression around its central themes of love and separation. It is one of the principal poetic forms which the Indo-Perso-Arabic civilization offered to the eastern Islamic world.

The ghazal spread into South Asia in the 12th century due to the influence of Sufi mystics and the courts of the new Islamic Sultanate. Although the ghazal is most prominently a form of Dari poetry and Urdu poetry, today it is found in the poetry of many languages of the Indian sub-continent.

Ghazals were written by the Persian mystics and poets Rumi (13th century) and Hafiz (14th century), the Azeri poet Fuzuli (16th century), as well as Mirza Ghalib (1797–1869) and Muhammad Iqbal (1877–1938), both of whom wrote ghazals in Persian and Urdu. Through the influence of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832), the ghazal became very popular in Germany during the 19th century; the form was used extensively by Friedrich Rückert (1788–1866) and August von Platen (1796–1835). The Kashmiri-American poet Agha Shahid Ali was a proponent of the form, both in English and in other languages; he edited a volume of "real ghazals in English".

It is common in ghazals for the poet's name to be featured in the last verse (a convention known as takhallus).

Pronunciation[link]

The Arabic word غزل ġazal is pronounced [ˈɣazal], roughly like the English word guzzle, but with the ġ pronounced without a complete closure between the tongue and the soft palate. In India, the name sounds exotic, as the voiced velar fricative (ġ sound) is not found in native Indic words. In English, the word is pronounced /ˈɡʌzəl/^[1] or /ˈɡæzæl/.^[2]

Themes[link]

Illicit unattainable love[link]

The ghazal not only has a specific form, but traditionally deals with just one subject: love, specifically an illicit and unattainable love. The ghazals from Indian sub-continent have an influence of Islamic Mysticism and the subject of love can usually be interpreted for a higher being or for a mortal beloved. The love is always viewed as something that will complete a human being, and if attained will lift him or her into the ranks of the wise, or will bring satisfaction to the soul of the poet. Traditional ghazal love may or may not have an explicit element of sexual desire in it, and the love may be spiritual. The love may be directed to either a man or a woman.

The ghazal is always written from the point of view of the unrequited lover whose beloved is portrayed as unattainable. Most often either the beloved does not return the poet's love or returns it without sincerity, or else the societal circumstances do not allow it. The lover is aware and resigned to this fate but continues loving nonetheless; the lyrical impetus of the poem derives from this tension. Representations of the lover's powerlessness to resist his feelings often include lyrically exaggerated violence. The beloved's power to captivate the speaker may be represented in extended metaphors about the "arrows of his eyes", or by referring to the beloved as an assassin or a killer. Take for example the following couplets from Amir Khusro's Persian ghazal Nami danam chi manzil buud shab:

nemidanam che manzel bood shab jayi ke man boodam;
be har soo raghse besmel bood shab jayi ke man boodam.
pari peykar negari sarv ghadi laleh rokhsari;
sarapa afat-e del bood shab jayi ke man boodam.

I wonder what was the place where I was last night,
All around me were half-slaughtered victims of love, tossing about in agony.
There was a nymph-like beloved with cypress-like form and tulip-like face,
Ruthlessly playing havoc with the hearts of the lovers.

In the context of Sufism[link]

It is not possible to get a full understanding of ghazal poetry without at least being familiar with some concepts of Sufism.^{[citation needed]} Many of the major historical ghazal poets were either avowed Sufis themselves (like Rumi or Hafiz), or were sympathizers with Sufi ideas. Most ghazals can be viewed in a spiritual context, with the Beloved being a metaphor for God, or the poet's spiritual master. It is the intense Divine Love of sufism that serves as a model for all the forms of love found in ghazal poetry.

Most ghazal scholars today recognize that some ghazal couplets are exclusively about Divine Love (ishq-e-haqiqi), others are about "earthly love" (ishq-e-majazi), but many of them can be interpreted in either context.

Traditionally invoking melancholy, love, longing, and metaphysical questions, ghazals are often sung by Iranian, Afghan, Pakistani, and Indian musicians. The form has roots in seventh-century Arabia, and gained prominence in the thirteenth- and fourteenth-century thanks to such Persian poets as Rumi and Hafiz and later due to Indian poets such as Mirza Ghalib. In the eighteenth-century, the ghazal was used by poets writing in Urdu, a mix of the medieval languages of Northern India, including Persian. Among these poets, Ghalib is the recognized master.

Important poets of Urdu ghazal[link]

In Urdu, some important and respected ghazal poets are Allama Muhammad Iqbal, Wali, Aatish, Mir Taqi Mir, Mirza Rafi Sauda, Mirza Ghalib, Momin Khan Momin, Zauq, Dard, Daagh, Altaf Hussain Hali and Jigar Moradabadi. Post-partition poets include Firaq Gorakhpuri, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Hasrat Mohani, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Jaun Elia, Munir Niazi, Jan Nisar Akhtar, Shakeb Jalali, Qamar Jalalabadi, Qateel Shifai, Nasir Kazmi, Ahmad Faraz, Makhdoom Mohiuddin, and Sahir Ludhianvi.

Translations and performance of classical ghazal[link]

Enormous collections of ghazal have been created by hundreds of well-known poets over the past thousand years in Persian, Turkish, and Urdu, as well as in the Central Asian Turkic languages. Ghazal poems are performed in Uzbek-Tajik Shashmakom, Turkish Makam, Persian Dastgah and Uyghur Muqam. There are many published translations from Persian and Turkish by Annemarie Schimmel, Arthur John Arberry, and many others.

Ghazal "Gayaki", the art of singing or performing the ghazal in Indian classical tradition, is very old. Singers like Ustad Barkat Ali and many other singers in the past used to practice it, but due to the lack of historical records, many names are anonymous. It was with Begum Akhtar, and later on Ustad Mehdi Hassan, that classical rendering of ghazals became popular amongst the masses. The categorization of ghazal singing as a form of "light classical" music is a misconception. Classical ghazals are difficult to render because of the varying moods of the "shers" or couplets in the ghazal. Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, Begum Akhtar, Mehdi Hassan, Jagjit Singh, Farida Khanum and Ustad Ghulam Ali are popular classical ghazal singers.

Ghazal and its popularity[link]

Understanding the complex lyrics of ghazals required education typically available only to the upper classes. The traditional classical rāgas in which the lyrics were rendered were also difficult to understand. The ghazal has undergone some simplification in terms of words and phrasings, which helps it to reach a larger audience around the world. Most of the ghazals are now sung with various styles which are not limited to khayāl, thumri, rāga, tāla and other classical and light classical genres. However, these forms of the ghazal are looked down on by purists of the Indian Classical tradition. In Pakistan Noor Jehan, Iqbal Bano, Farida Khanum, Ghulam Ali, Ahmed Rushdi, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan and Mehdi Hassan are known for Ghazal renditions. Singers like Jagjit Singh (who first used a guitar in ghazals), Ahmed and Mohammed Hussain, Hariharan, Mohammad Rafi, Pankaj Udhas and many others have been able to give a new shape to the ghazal by incorporating elements of Western music.
In India, in addition to Urdu/Hindi, Ghazals have also been very popular in the Gujarati language. For around a century, starting with Balashankar Kantharia, there have been many notable Gujarati ghazal writers like Barkat Virani 'Befaam', Aasim Randeri, Shunya Palanpuri, Amrut 'Ghayal', Khalil Dhantejvi and many more. Some of the notable ghazals of these prominent writers have been sung by Bollywood playback singer Manhar Udhas (the elder brother of noted Ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas).
Renowned Ghazal singer, and pioneer of Telugu ghazals, Dr Ghazal Srinivas popularized the Ghazal in Telugu language.
Dr Ghazal Srinivas also introduced ghazal singing in Kannada language and ghazals in Kannada language were written by Markandapuram Srinivas.
First true-to-form Bangla (Bengali) ghazal are published in 'gajaler aayanaay" by Bratish Dashgupta.
The Canadian classical ghazal singer Cassius Khan has the unusual talent of singing in the recitational style whilst accompanying himself on the tabla.

In English[link]

After nearly a century of "false starts" -- that is, early experiments by James Clarence Mangan, James Elroy Flecker, Adrienne Rich, Phyllis Webb., etc., many of which did not adhere wholly or in part to the traditional principles of the form, experiments dubbed as "the bastard ghazal"^[3] -- the ghazal finally began to be recognized as a viable closed form in English-language poetry sometime in the early to mid 1990s. This came about largely as a result of serious, true-to-form examples being published by noted American poets John Hollander, W. S. Merwin and Elise Paschen, as well as by Kashmiri-American poet Agha Shahid Ali, who had been teaching and spreading word of the ghazal at various American universities over the previous two decades.

In 1996, Ali compiled and edited the world's first anthology of English-language ghazals, published by Wesleyan University Press in 2000 as Ravishing DisUnities: Real Ghazals in English. (Fewer than one in ten of the ghazals collected in "Real Ghazals in English" observe the constraints of the form.)

A ghazal is composed of couplets, five or more. The couplets may have nothing to do with one another, except for the formal unity derived from a strict rhyme and rhythm pattern.

A ghazal in English which observes the traditional restrictions of the form:

Where are you now? Who lies beneath your spell tonight?
Whom else from rapture’s road will you expel tonight?

Those “Fabrics of Cashmere--“ ”to make Me beautiful--“
“Trinket”-- to gem– “Me to adorn– How– tell”-- tonight?

I beg for haven: Prisons, let open your gates–
A refugee from Belief seeks a cell tonight.

God’s vintage loneliness has turned to vinegar–
All the archangels– their wings frozen– fell tonight.

Lord, cried out the idols, Don’t let us be broken
Only we can convert the infidel tonight.

Mughal ceilings, let your mirrored convexities
multiply me at once under your spell tonight.

He’s freed some fire from ice in pity for Heaven.
He’s left open– for God– the doors of Hell tonight.

In the heart’s veined temple, all statues have been smashed
No priest in saffron’s left to toll its knell tonight

God, limit these punishments, there’s still Judgment Day–
I’m a mere sinner, I’m no infidel tonight.

Executioners near the woman at the window.
Damn you, Elijah, I’ll bless Jezebel tonight.

The hunt is over, and I hear the Call to Prayer
fade into that of the wounded gazelle tonight.

My rivals for your love– you’ve invited them all?
This is mere insult, this is no farewell tonight.

And I, Shahid, only am escaped to tell thee–
God sobs in my arms. Call me Ishmael tonight. (Agha Shahid Ali)

Ghazals composed in English by notable poets[link]

• Agha Shahid Ali, "Ghazal ('...exiles')"
• Robert Bly, The Night Abraham Called to the Stars and My Sentence Was a Thousand Years of Joy
• Francis Brabazon, In Dust I Sing (Beguine Library, 1974).
• Lorna Crozier, "Bones in Their Wings"
• Judith Fitzgerald, Twenty-Six Ways Out of This World (Oberon), 1999.
• Thomas Hardy, "The Mother Mourns"
• Jim Harrison, Outlyer and Ghazals (Touchstone), 1971
• John Hollander, "Ghazal On Ghazals"
• Galway Kinnell, "Sheffield Ghazal 4: Driving West", "Sheffield Ghazal 5: Passing the Cemetery" (Mariner Books), 2001
• Maxine Kumin, "On the Table"
• Marilyn Krysl, "Ghazals for the Turn of the Century"
• Edward Lowbury, "A Ghazel (for Pauline)" (1968); "Prometheus: a ghazel" (1976); "Remembering Nine (a ghazel for Peter Russell)" (1981)
• W. S. Merwin, "The Causeway"
• William Matthews, "Guzzle", "Drizzle"
• Elise Paschen, "Sam's Ghazal"
• Robert Pinsky, "The Hall"
• Spencer Reece, Florida Ghazals
• Adrienne Rich, Ghazals: Homage to Ghalib
• John Thompson, "Stilt Jack" (Anansi), 1978.
• Andrew D. Chumbley, "Qutub" (Xoanon), 1995.
• Natasha Trethewey, "Miscegenation", 2006.
• Phyllis Webb, Water and Light: Ghazals and Anti Ghazals (Coach House), 1984.
• John Edgar Wideman, "Lost Letter"
• Rob Winger, "The Chimney Stone" (Nightwood Editions), 2010
• Sukhdarshan Dhaliwal, "Ghazals at Twilight" (SD Publications), 2009

Ghazal singers[link]

Some notable ghazal singers are:

Many Indian and Pakistani film singers are famous for singing ghazals. These include:

Some Malay singers are famous for ghazals. These include:

• Jamal Abdillah
• Rosiah Chik
• Noraniza Idris
• M. Nasir

Notes[link]

1. ^ Oxford BBC Guide to Pronunciation
2. ^ Oxford English Dictionary
3. ^ That Bastard Ghazal

References[link]

• Agha Shahid Ali (ed.). Ravishing Disunities: Real Ghazals in English. ISBN 0-8195-6437-0.
• Agha Shahid Ali. Call Me Ishmael Tonight: A Book of Ghazals. ISBN 0-393-05195-1.
• Bailey, J. O. The Poetry of Thomas Hardy: A handbook and Commentary. ISBN 0-8078-1135-1
• Doty, Gene (ed./sitemaster). The Ghazal Page; various postings, 1999—2010.
• Kanda, K.C., editor. Masterpieces of the Urdu Ghazal: From the 17th to the 20th Century. Sterling Pub Private Ltd., 1991.
• Mufti, Aamir. "Towards a Lyric History of India." boundary 2, 31: 2, 2004
• Reichhold, Jane (ed.). Lynx; various issues, 1996—2000.
• Watkins, R. W. (ed.). Contemporary Ghazals; Nos. 1 and 2, 2003—2004.

See also[link]

• Filmi-ghazal, Indian filmi music based on ghazal poetry

External links[link]

• Urdu poetic forms
• http://www.indianchild.com/literature/urdu-literature.htm
• a ghazalsagar all in one ghazal site
• A Desertful of Roses The Divan-e Ghalib - in Urdu, with Devanagari and Roman transliterations. Also includes a collection of concise commentaries on each verse by well-known scholars, as well as other critical information.
• The Ghazal Page, an online journal devoted to the ghazal in English.
• Louis Werner, 2001, A Gift of Ghazals, Saudi Aramco World

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Mehdi Hassan Khan (Urdu: مہدی حسن خان ) is a Pakistani ghazal singer and a former playback singer for Lollywood. He is famously known as the 'King of ghazal' (Urdu: شہنشاہِ غزل). He has ruled the Pakistan film industry along with Ahmed Rushdi. He was honoured with Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Pride of Performance and Hilal-e-Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan, and Gorkha Dakshina Bahu by the Government of Nepal.

Career[link]

Mehdi Hassan was born on 18 July 1934 in a village called Luna in Rajasthan, India into a family of traditional musicians. He claims to be the 16th generation of hereditary musicians hailing from the Kalawant clan of musicians. Mehdi Hassan had his musical grooming from his father Ustad Azeem Khan and uncle Ustad Ismail Khan who were both traditional Dhrupad singers. Hassan started to perform at a young age and the first concert of dhrupad and kheyal with his elder brother is reported to have been held in Fazilka Bungla^[1], near present DC House (1935) of Undivided Punjab. After the Partition of India, 20-year-old Hassan and his family migrated to Pakistan and suffered severe financial hardships.

To make both the ends meet Mehdi started working in a bicycle shop and later became a car and diesel tractor mechanic. Despite the hardships, his passion for music didn’t wither and he kept up the routine of practice on a daily basis.

The struggle ended when Mehdi Hassan was given the opportunity to sing on Radio Pakistan in 1957, primarily as a thumri singer, which earned him recognition within the musical fraternity. At the time, Ustad Barkat Ali Khan, Begum Akhtar and Mukhtar Begum were considered the stalwarts of ghazal rendition.^{[citation needed]}

He also had a passion for Urdu poetry and began to experiment by singing ghazals on a part-time basis. He cites radio officers Z.A. Bukhari and Rafiq Anwar as additional influences in his progression as a ghazal singer. He is known as the best ghazal singer of all times.

Later career[link]

Following a severe illness in the late 80s, Mehdi Hassan stepped down from playback singing. Later due to severity of his illness he completely departed from music. In October 2010, HMV released "Sarhadein" in which probably the first and last duet song "Tera Milana" featuring Mehdi Hassan and Lata Mangeshkar was released. This song was composed by Mr. Hassan himself written by Farhat Shahzad. Mr. Hassan recorded it in Pakistan in 2009, and Lata Mangeshkar later heard the track and recorded her part in India in 2010 and later mixed together for a duet.

Awards[link]

He has been the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions: the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz granted to him by Gen Ayub Khan; the Pride of Performance bestowed on him by Gen Ziaul Haq; and the Hilal-i-Imtiaz conferred by Gen Pervez Musharraf. Besides the Nigar Film and Graduate Awards from Pakistan, he was presented the Saigal Award in Jalandhar, India, in 1979, whereas the Gorkha Dakshina Bahu Award was given to him in Nepal in 1983. Recently, he travelled to Dubai to receive yet another award.

Personal life[link]

He has been suffering from a serious lung condition for the past few years. There were rumours of his death on 13/01/2012, however his son Asif Mehdi confirmed that the death rumours were fake, and he is responding to treatments and recovering now.^[2]

Albums[link]

Some of his albums are:

• Kehna Usey
• Nazrana
• Live at Royal Albert Hall
• Andaz-e-Mastana
• Classical Ghazals vol. 1, 2, 3
• Dil Jo Rota Hai
• Ghalib Ghazals
• Ghazals For Ever Vol 1
• Golden Collection Of Mehdi Hasan Vol 1, 2
• Golden Greats
• In Concert
• Khuli Jo Aankh
• Life Story
• Live at Khambays
• Live Concert in India
• Mehdi Hassan
• Mehdi Hassan Ghazals Vol 1
• Sada E Ishq
• Sarhadein
• Sur Ki Koi Seema Nahin
• The Finest Ghazals
• The Legend
• Yaadgar Ghazalen Vol 1
• Tarz(with Shobha Gurtu)
• Naqsh-e-Faryadi

Ghazals[link]

• Aage barhe na qissa -e -ishq -e- butaan se hum
• Aaj Tak Yaad Hai Woh Piar Ka Manzar
• Aankhon Se Mili Aankhen
• Aap Ki Aankhon Ne
• Aaye kuchh abr kuchh sharaab aaye (poet: Faiz Ahmed Faiz)
• Ab Ke Hum Bichde To Shaayad Kabhi Khwaabon Mein Mile (poet: Ahmed Faraz)
• Ae Raushnion Ke Shahr
• Apnon Ne Gham Diye To Yaad Aa Gaya
• Bhuuli bisri chand umeedein
• Chalte ho to chaman ko chaliye
• Charaag-e-toor Jalao Bada Andhera Hai
• Dekh to dil keh jaan se uthta hai
• Dil-E-Nadan Tujhe Hua Kya Hai (poet: Mirza Ghalib)
• Dil Ki Baat Labon Par Laakar.
• Dil Men Toofan Chupae Betha Hon
• Duniya Kisi Ke Pyaar Mein Jaanat Se Kam Nahin
• Dayam Pada Hua Tere Dar Pe Nahi Hoon Main (poet: Mirza Ghalib)
• Ek Bar Chale Aao
• Ek Bus Tu Hi Nahin Mujhse Khafa ho Baitha (poet: Farhat Shezhad)
• Ek Sitam Aur Meri Jaan, Abhi Jaan Baqi Hai (poet: Masroor Anwar)
• Fikr hii thaharii to dil ko fikr-e-Khubaan kyon Na Ho (poet: Josh Malihabadi)
• Ga Mere Dewane Dil
• Garmii-E-Hasarat-E-Naakaam Se Jal Jaate Hai.N
• Gulon Main Rang Bhare, Baad-e-Naubahaar Chale (Lyrics: Faiz Ahmed Faiz)
• Gulshan gulshan shola e gul ki
• Guncha-e-Shauq Laga hei Khilne
• Hamari Sanson Men Aaj Tak
• Har Dard Ko
• Hum mei koi ghum nahi tha ghum-e-aashiqi sai pahlay
• Ik Husn Ki Dewi Se Mujhe Pyaar Hua Thaa
• Ik khalish ko haasil-e-umr-e-ravaan rehne diya (poet: Adeeb Saharanpuri)
• Jab Bhi Aati Hei Teri Yaad Kabhi Shaam ke Baad
• Jab Bhi Chahen Ek Nai Sorat
• Jab Bhi Pee Kar
• Jab Koi Piar Se Bulaae Ga
• Jab Us zulf Ki Baat Chali
• Jahan Jake Chain
• Kahan Gai Woh Wafa
• Khuli Jo Aankh Woh Tha (poet: Farhat Shezhad)
• Kiya Hei Pyaar Jisse Humne Zindagi ki Tarah
• Kya Bhala Mujhko Parakhne Ka Nateeja Nikla
• Kyoon Humse Khafa Ho Gaye Ae Jaan-E-Tamanna
• Main Hosh Mein Tha
• Main khayal houn kisi aur ka (poet: Saleem Kausar)
• Main nazar se pee rha hoon
• Mohabat Karne Wale
• Mohabat Zindagi Hai Aur Tum Meri Mohabat Ho
• Mujhe Tum Nazar Se Gira To Rahe Ho
• Naavak andaz jidhar diida-e-jaana honge
• Patta Patta Boota Boota
• Phuul hi phuul khil utthe
• Pyaar Bhare Do Sharmile Nain
• Rafta Rafta Wo Meri Hasti Ka Saamaan Ho Gaye
• Ranjish Hi Sahi Dil Hi Dukhaane Ke Liye Aa
• Rim Jhim Ki Barsaat Hai Aur Jaage Huye Jazbaat Hain
• Roshan Jamal-e-yaar Se Hain
• Saamne Aa Ke Tujhko Pukara Nahin
• Sahar Ho Rahi Hai
• Shikwa Na Kar Gila Na Kar Ye Duniya Hai Pyaare
• Shola Tha Jal Bujha Hoon (penned by: Ahmed Faraz)
• Tanha Thi Aur Hamesha Se Tanha Hai Zindagi
• Tark-e-Ulfat Ka Sila
• Tere Bheege Badan Ki Khooshboo Se
• Tere Mere Piar Ka Aisa Nata Hai
• Toote Hue Khwabon Ke Liye
• Thah ar Thorri Der To
• Tu Meri Zindagi Hei (Copied by Nadeem Sharavan in "Ashiqi" Hindi Movie India)
• Usne Jab Meri Taraf
• Uzr Aane Mein Bhi Hei Aur Bulaate bhi nahin
• Wo Dil Nawaaj Hei Lekin Nazar Shinaas Nahin
• Yaaro Kisii Qaatil Se Kabhii Pyaar Na Maa.Ngo
• Yun na mil mujhse khafa ho jaise
• Ye Dhooan Kahan Se Uthta Hei
• Ye Kaghzi Phool Jaise Chahre
• Ye Mojazaa Bhii Muhabbat Kabhii Dikhaaye Mujhe
• Ye Tera Naazuk Badan Hai Ya Koi Mehka Gulaab
• Yoon Zindagi Ki Raah Mein Takra Gaya Koi
• Zindagi Mein To Sabhi Pyaar Kiya Karte Hain
• Zulf Ko Teri Ghataon Ka Payam Aaya Hai
• Mehadi Hassan also sung Persian/dari Ghazals In Kabul Afghnistn in 1970s.[1]

See also[link]

• Ghulam Ali

References[link]

Download Songs from musicmela.pk

• Mehdi Hassan Video Collection
• Lyrics and Translations of Mehdi Hassan Songs
• Songs and Albums by Mehdi Hassan
• Songs And Albums By Pakistani Singers
• Mehdi Hasan Songs
• Mehdi Hassan
• Shahanshah-e-Ghazal
• Mehdi Hassan & the complete list of his film songs
• Mehdi Hassan Biography on Sadarang Archives
• Indian Express

External links[link]

• Mehdi Hassan at the Internet Movie Database

Jagjit Singh
Jagjit Singh performing at Jaidev Hall, Bhubaneswar, on 7 September 2011
Background information
Birth name	Jagmohan Singh
Born	(1941-02-08)8 February 1941 Sri Ganganagar, Bikaner State, India
Died	10 October 2011(2011-10-10) (aged 70) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Genres	Ghazal, Classical, Devotional, Folk
Occupations	Composer, Singer, Music Director, Activist, Entrepreneur
Instruments	Vocals, Harmonium, Tanpura, Piano
Years active	1965–2011
Labels	EMI, HMV, Saregama, Universal Music, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Polydor, TIPS, Venus, T-Series, Magna Sound, Big Music, Times Music

Jagjit Singh, born Jagmohan Singh); (8 February 1941 – 10 October 2011) was a prominent Indian Ghazal singer, songwriter and musician. Known as "the Ghazal King", he gained acclaim together with his wife, another renowned Indian Ghazal singer Chitra Singh in the 1970s and 1980s. Their combination album comprising music from the films, Arth and Saath Saath is the HMV's largest selling combination album of all time.^{[citation needed]} Sajda (An Offering, 1991), Jagjit Singh's magnum opus double album with Lata Mangeshkar holds the same record in non-film category.^{[citation needed]} He had sung in numerous languages. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the government of India in 2003.

Singh is credited for the revival and popularity of ghazal, an Indian classical art form, by choosing poetry that was relevant to the masses and composing them in a way that laid more emphasis on the meaning of words and melody evoked by them. In terms of Indian Classical music, his style of composing and Gayaki (singing) is considered as Bol-pradhan, one that lays emphasis on words. He highlighted this in his music for films such as Prem Geet (1981), Arth and Saath Saath (1982), and TV serials Mirza Ghalib (1988) and Kahkashan (1991). Jagjit Singh is considered to be the most successful ghazal singer and composer of all time in terms of both critical acclaim and commercial success. With a career spanning over five decades and a repertoire comprising over 80 albums,^[1] the range and breadth of his work has been regarded as genre-defining. He is the only composer and singer to have composed and recorded songs written by Prime Minister - Atal Behari Vajpayee - also a critically acclaimed poet - in two albums, Nayi Disha (1999) and Samvedna (2002).

Singh's 1987 album, Beyond Time, was the first digitally recorded release in India.^{[citation needed]} He was regarded as one of India's most influential artistes. Together with sitar legend Ravi Shankar and other leading figures of Indian classical music and literature, Singh voiced his concerns over politicisation of arts and culture in India and lack of support experienced by the practitioners of India's traditional art forms, particularly folk artists and musicians. He also lent active support to several philanthropic endeavors such as the library at St. Mary's School, Mumbai, Bombay Hospital, CRY, Save the Children and ALMA.

Early life and career[link]

Jagjit Singh was born on 8 February 1941 in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, India. His birth name was Jagmohan but this was changed to Jagjit after his parents sought the advice of a member of the Sikh Namdhari sect.^[2] His parents were themselves Sikhs, called Amar Singh and Bachan Kaur, and had several other children, with sources variously reporting the number between six and eleven.^[3][4]

Educated initially at Khalsa High School and Sri Ganganagar Government College, Singh obtained an arts degree from DAV College at Jalandhar and then a post-graduate degree in history from Kurukshetra University in Haryana. Throughout this time, and as a consequence of a natural talent that was spotted by his father, Singh learned music both in Sikh temples and from musicians such as Pandit Chaganlal Sharma and Ustad Jamaal Khan, both of whom were trained in classical Indian music. He performed on radio and on stage, as well as composing some material, although he subsequently claimed that his father, who was a government employee, had hoped that he would become an engineer.^[5] On another occasion his memory was that his father aspired for him to become a bureaucrat, and that his siblings also were encouraged musically.^[3]

In March 1965, and without the knowledge of his family,^[5] Singh moved to Mumbai, where there were many opportunities for music artists because of the Bollywood film industry. He obtained work initially as a singer of advertising jingles and later progressed to playback singing.^[2] In the same year he persuaded the record company HMV to produce an EP, and he also altered his Sikh image by abandoning his turban, shaving and cutting his hair.^[5] His first film role was in Dharati Na Chhoru, a Gujarati production by Suresh Amin.^{[citation needed]}

Fame[link]

Singh was still struggling to make a living in 1967 when he met the Bengali-born Chitra Dutta.^[5] She was also a jingle singer, and was unhappily married with a daughter. She subsequently divorced and then married Singh in December 1969.^[3] Following the birth of their son, Vivek, the couple performed as a singing duo but it was not until the 1976^{[clarification needed]} release of an album entitled The Unforgettables that they found significant, and surprising, success. In the interval, the primary difficulty for them had been that the ghazal music genre was dominated by Muslim artists,^[5] and especially those from Pakistan.^[6]

The Unforgettables, which was the couple's first LP,^[3] was an unconventional recording and it turned them into stars. The song Baat Niklegi from the album achieved great popularity for Singh and his wife.^[4] The Independent described it in 2011 as "ground-breaking ... it became a transformative, before-and-after milestone in the history of Indian popular and ghazal music. It remains that." Using modern arrangements, it consists of ten tracks that include two on which they sang as a duo and the remainder equally split between Jagjit and Chitra singing the lead. The Independent further noted that "This format of solo and duet performances from the first commercially successful husband-and-wife team in Indian popular music proved astonishingly successful."^[2] Jagjit explained that "I was determined to polish up the genre and make it more acceptable to modern tastes, so chose simple poems and set them to simple tunes. I also introduced western instrumentation to make them livelier." Thereafter, the couple worked both on solo and joint musical projects and performed concerts worldwide. There was also success from involvement with the film industry and they amassed a considerable wealth,^[5] while Jagjit became known as "the Ghazal king".^[6]

Jagjit Singh's work in film^[7] encompassed playback singing for productions such as Arth, Saath Saath and Premgeet. He also composed all of the songs for the latter, as well as for the TV serial Mirza Ghalib that was based on the life of the eponymous poet, Mirza Ghalib.^{[citation needed]}

Among their subsequent duo recordings of the 1970s were Shiv Kumar Batalvi – Birha da Sultan (1978), Live in Concert at Wembley (1979) and Come Alive (1979). Of those released in the 1980s, Ecstasies (1984) has been described as "one of their finest".^[2] The joint projects ceased in 1990 when their eighteen year-old son, Vivek, was killed in a road accident. Chitra felt unable to sing following these events. Monica, Chitra's daughter from her first marriage, committed suicide in 2009.^[2][5]

Although Jagjit continued to work and to have success after Chitra withdrew from public life he, too, was affected by the death of Vivek. The Guardian notes that he "suffered from deep depression and his anguish was often evident in his live performances." Aside from occupying himself with solo projects, which he performed in several languages,^[6] he also collaborated with Lata Mangeshkar on an album entitled Sajda, an Urdu word meaning "prostration".^[2][5]

On 10 May 2007, in the presence of numerous political and diplomatic luminaries at an event held in the Central Hall of the Parliament of India, Jagjit Singh rendered Bahadur Shah Zafar's famous ghazal Lagta nahin hai dil mera to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Indian Rebellion of 1857.^[4][8]

Death[link]

Singh toured the UK in 2011 and was due to perform with Ghulam Ali in Mumbai^[5] but suffered a cerebral hemorrhage on 23 September 2011. He was in a coma for over two weeks and died on 10 October 2011 at Lilavati Hospital, in Mumbai. He was cremated the following day at Chandanwadi Crematorium in Mumbai.^[9][10]

A number of tributes have been paid to Singh after his death,^{[11][12][13][14][15]} and some tried to encash his popularity which was criticised by his wife.^[16]

Awards[link]

• In 2003, Singh was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian award, by the Government of India^[5]
• In 1998, Jagjit Singh was awarded Sahitya Academy Award, a literary honor in India. He was awarded this literary honor for popularizing the work of Mirza Ghalib.
• Sangeet Natak Academy Award
• Sahitya Kala Academy Award by Rajasthan Government in 1998
• Ghalib Academy by Delhi Government in 2005
• Dayavati Modi Award
• Lata Mangeshkar Samman in 1998 by Madhya Pradesh Government
• D. Litt. by Kurukshetra University, Haryana in 2003
• Teacher's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006

Film scores[link]

Discography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Jagjit Singh on BBC
• 'Ghazal King' Jagjit Singh dies, BBC
• Jagjit Singh at Internet Movie Database

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jagjit Singh

Pankaj Udhas
Pankaj Udhas at Westin Hotel New Year Bash
Born	(1951-05-17) May 17, 1951 (age 61) Jetpur, Gujarat, India
Occupation	Ghazal Singer
Spouse	Farida
Children	2
Website
http://www.pankajudhas.com/

Pankaj Udhas is an Indian singer, credited^{[by whom?]} in the Indian music industry, along with other musicians like Jagjit Singh and Talat Aziz, with bringing the Ghazal style to the realm of popular music. Udhas rose to fame for singing in the 1986 film Naam, in which his song "Chitthi Aayee Hai" became an instant hit. Following that, he has also performed as a playback singer for numerous films. He has recorded many albums since then and tours the world as an accomplished ghazal singer. In 2006, Pankaj Udhas was awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award.^[1]

Early life[link]

Pankaj Udhas was born in Jetpur near Rajkot in Gujarat and is the youngest of three brothers.^[2] He hails from Charakhdi a small village near Rajkot in Gujrat. His father's name is Keshubhai Udhas and mother's name is Jituben Udhas. His eldest brother Manhar Udhas achieved some success as a Hindi playback singer in Bollywood films. His second elder brother Nirmal Udhas is also a well-known Ghazal Singer and was the first of the three brothers to start singing in the family. He had studied in Sir BPTI Bhavanagar. His family moved to Mumbai and Pankaj attended St. Xavier's College in Mumbai.

Career[link]

Pankaj Udhas' older brother, Manhar, was a stage performer and this aided Pankaj in his introduction to musical performance. His first stage performance was during the Sino-Indian War, when he sang "Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo" and was given Rs. 51 by an audience member as a reward.

Four years later, he joined the Sangeet Natya Academy in Rajkot and learned the nuances of playing the tabla. After that, he pursued a Bachelor of Science degree at Wilson College, and St Xavier's college Mumbai and started training in Indian classical vocal under the tutelage of Master Navrang. Udhas's first song was in film Kamna a solo song composed by Usha Khanna and written by Naqsh Lailpuri the film was a flop but his rendition was very much appreciated.

Subsequently, Udhas developed an interest in ghazals and learned Urdu to try to pursue a career as a ghazal singer. He spent ten months in Canada and U S A doing ghazal concerts and returned to India with renewed vigour and confidence.

His first ghazal album, Aahat, was released in 1980. From this, he began to have success and, as of 2011 he has released more then 50 albums and hundreds of compilation albums

In 1986, Udhas received another opportunity to perform in film, in the film Naam, which brought him fame.^{[citation needed]} In 1990, he sang the melodious duet "Mahiya Teri Kasam" with Lata Mangeshkar, for the movie Ghayal. This song achieved immense popularity. In 1994, Udhas sang the notable song, "Na Kajre Ki Dhar", from the film Mohra. He continued working as a playback singer, making some on-screen appearances in films such as Saajan, Yeh Dillagi, and Phir Teri Kahaani Yaad Aayee.

His album Shagufta launched by Music India in December 1987 was the first to be released on compact disc in India. ^[3]

Later, Udhas started a talent hunt television program called Aadab Aarz Hai on Sony Entertainment Television

Personal life[link]

Pankaj Udhas is married to Farida. They have two daughters, Nayaab and Reva .^[4]

Awards[link]

• 2006 - Pankaj Udhas Awarded Padmashree for completing his Silver Jubilee in Gazal singing career.
• 2006 - Awarded the prestigious "Kalakar" award at Kolkotta for "Hasrat" as "Best Ghazal album of 2005".
• 2004 - Special Felicitation at the Wembley Conference Center, London for Completing 20 Years of Performance at the Prestigious Venue.
• 2003 - MTV Immies Award for the successful album 'In Search of Meer'.
• 2003 - Special Achievement Award at the Bollywood Music Award, New York for Popularizing Ghazals Across the Globe.
• 2003 - Dadabhai Naoroji Millennium Award conferred by the Dadabhai Naoroji International Society for Contribution to Ghazal and the Music Industry.
• 2002 - Award for Excellence in Music Field presented by Sahyog Foundation at Mumbai.
• 2002 - Honored by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce.
• 2001 - Vocational Recognition Award for Outstanding Performance as a Ghazal singer presented by Rotary Club of Mumbai Downtown.
• 1999 - Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, USA Award for extraordinary services to Indian music, especially promotion of ghazals in India and abroad. Presented at the Festival of Ghazals held in New York.
• 1998 - Indian Arts Awards Gala presented by the Mayor of the City of Jersey City.
• 1998 - Outstanding Artistic Achievement Award presented by the American Academy of Artists at Atlantic City.
• 1996 - Indira Gandhi Priyadarshani Award for Outstanding Services, Achievement and Contribution to Music.
• 1994 - Honorary Citizenship of Lubbock Texas, USA.
• 1994 - Radio Lotus Award for Outstanding Achievement and for the many songs featuring on the official hit parade of the radio. Presented by Radio Lotus, South Africa at the University of Durban.
• 1993 - Giants International Award for extraordinary efforts to achieve the highest standards in the field of music thereby motivating the entire community to pursue excellence.
• 1990 - Outstanding Young Persons' Award (1989-90) for positive leadership and distinguish services rendered to the nation. Presented by the Indian Junior Chambers.
• 1985 - K L Saigal Award for being the Best Ghazal Singer of the Year.

Albums by Pankaj Udhas[link]

• Aahat (1980)
• Mukarrar
• Tarrannum
• Mehfil
• Shamakhana
• Pankaj Udhas Live at Albert Hall
• Nayaab
• Legends
• Khazana
• Aafreen
• Shagufta
• Nabeel
• Aashiana
• Rubayee
• Teen Mausam
• Geetnuma
• Kaif
• Khayaal
• Aman
• Woh Ladki Yaad Aati Hai
• Stolen Moments
• Mahek
• Ghoonghat
• Muskan
• Best of Pankaj Udhas Vol-1,2
• Pankaj Udas 'Life Story' Vol-1,2
• Pankaj Udhas Vol-1,2,3,4
• Lamha
• Janeman
• Jashn
• Endless Love
• shaayar
• Rajuat (Gujarati)
• Baisakhi (Punjabi)
• Yaad
• Kabhi Ansoo Kabhi Khushboo Kabhi Naghuma
• Humnasheen
• In Search of Meer (2003)
• Hasrat
• Bhalobasha (Bengali)
• Yaara - Music by Ustad Amjad Ali Khan
• Shabad - Music by Vaibhav Saxena and Gunjan Jha
• Shaayar (2010)

References[link]

Shabad-[1]

External links[link]

• Official site

Chitra Singh (née Dutta) is a renowned Indian Ghazal singer. She was married to Jagjit Singh, a prominent Ghazal singer who died on October 10 2011.^[1] They formed a highly popular duet team and are considered pioneers of modern Ghazal singing.^{[citation needed]}

Early life[link]

Chitra Dutta was born in a Bengali family.^[2] She had no formal musical training, but had strong roots of music in her family. She learned much of her music by listening to her mother's music teacher. She had a daughter, Monica (from her previous marriage) who committed suicide in 2009. Jagjit and Chitra's only son Vivek died in an accident in July 1990. Chitra stopped singing after this.

Performing career[link]

Chitra Singh met Jagjit Singh in Mumbai (then known as Bombay), India, in the late 1960s, and they started a musical career together by singing jingles for various advertisements. Their career took off with the launching of The Unforgettables, an album with several firsts to its credit. Their public singing before large audiences revolutionized ghazal singing. Until then, ghazal singing had been confined to musical performances ("mehfils") before small audiences consisting primarily of the elite in the society.

The duo composed and sang songs for Hindi, Punjabi and Bengali albums. They contributed to devotional music by releasing albums which included Krishna, Chirag, Hey Ram, and Shabads. Krishna is one of the largest-selling titles in its category.^{[citation needed]}

Chitra has sung popular Bengali songs which are still popular in West Bengal and Bangladesh. "Ki Dile Amai Tumi?" (What have you given me?), "Bujhini To Ami" (I didn't understand), "Duti Mon Ar Nei Dujonar" (Two hearts are one), "Amar Chokher Joler Majhe" (In my tears) are some of her great Bengali songs.

After the death of their son, Vivek, in a car accident in Bombay, Chitra stopped singing and retreated from the limelight. (She has been learning and working on different forms of spirituality, and practices spiritual healing therapies.)

Some of Singh's memorable songs include "Yeh Tera Ghar, Yeh Mera Ghar", "Tum Aao To Sahi", "Woh Nahin Milta Mujhe", "Saare Badan Ka Khoon", and "Mitti Da Bawa". Singh's voice is specially suited for ghazals, producing soulful gems like "Lab-e-Khamosh Se" (album Beyond Time). Her clear, touching, and high-pitched voice provided a perfect blend with Jagjit's deep baritone and smooth voice. Their duets created an extraordinary effect in songs like "Ishq Mein Ghairat-e-jazbaat Ne", "Aaye Hain Samjhane Log", and "Uski Hasrat Hai Jise Dile Se Mita Bhi Na Sakoon". Her voice also had a special dimension within the gamut of ghazal singing, so that in the case of "darbari mehfil" ghazals (as in "Dil-e-Nadaan Tujhe", "Dil He To Hai", and "Har Ek Baat Pe Kehteh Ho" from the album, "Mirza Ghalib") she was almost unparalleled.

Discography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Oct 2007 Interview
• [1]