Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is definitely a special and unique name for anyone who loves Qawwali and Sufi music. He was a famous singer of Pakistan, who introduced Qawwali to the western world.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is recognized as a powerful voice in the world of music, besides being called the ‘King of Qawwali’. There is an element of spirituality in his Qawwals, which still resonates with people today.
Early life and career
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was born in 1948 in a Punjabi Muslim family in Faisalabad Punjab. He belongs to the Sheikh area of Jalandhar, India. His ancestors learned music and singing there and adopted it as a profession.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s father Fateh Ali Khan was a famous qawwali, the tradition of qawwali in his family was passed down from one generation to another for almost 600 years.
Initially, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s father did not want to further this lineage that had been passed down through the generations for 600 years in his family, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan expressed his reluctance to choose a professional path to become a doctor or an engineer. , he showed so much interest in Qawwali, that eventually his father reversed his decision.
Music career
He began his career in 1964, first mastering the tabla, after his father’s death. After which he completed his music education under the supervision of his uncle Mubarak Ali Khan and Salamat Ali Khan.
Initially, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was known as ‘Parvez’, when he went to meet Ghulam Ghos Samdani, he changed his name to Nusrat Fateh Ali. His teacher Ghulam Ghos Samdani was impressed by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s learning ability and predicted that he would become a great singer in the future.
In 1971, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, after the death of his uncle Mubarak Ali Khan, became the official leader of the family Qawwali and the party became known as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Mujahid Mubarak Ali Khan, and Party.
First performance in public
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s first public performance as a director of the Qawwali Party was broadcast as a studio recording of the annual music festival organized by Radio Pakistan known as ‘Jashan Baharan’.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan sang mainly in Urdu and Punjabi and occasionally in Persian, Braj Zaban, and Hindi. His first popular song in Pakistan was ‘Haq Ali Ali’, performed with traditional techniques.
Five great compositions
Afreen Afreen
A song from the Sangam album, this composition was released in the year 1996. The song was written by Javed Akhtar and composed by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan himself. This popular song was revived in 2016 by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Momina Mustahsan in a Pakistani TV show.
Mere Rashke Qamar
Mere Rashke Qamar is a Ghazal Qawwali written by Urdu poet Fana Buland Shahri. This song was composed by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. He performed it for the first time in 1988 with his nephew Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. Both performed this song in various concerts which became very popular.
Sanu Ek Pal Chain
This song was released in 1993, this song was a part of Mahfil Sama Concert Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Volume 28. The song was re-sung in Ajay Devgn’s film Raid.
Mera Piya Ghar Aaya
This qawwali of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was written by Punjabi poet Baba Balhe Shah. In 1995, the song was remade in the movie ‘Yarana’. Famous actress Madhuri Dixit acted in the cast of this song.
Ye Jo Halka Halka Saroor Hai
Released in 1992, the song was composed by King of Qawwali, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The soulful composition of this song was revived in Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Rajkumar Rao’s film Fanney Khan.
Awards and titles
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is widely regarded as one of the most important Qawwals in history, in 1987 he received the Pride of Performance Award from the President of Pakistan for his services to Pakistani music.
In 1995, he received the UNESCO Music Prize. In 1996, he was awarded the Grand Prix des Amoureux at the Montreal World Film Festival for his extraordinary contribution to the art of cinema.
In 1997, he was nominated for two Grammy Awards, for Best Traditional Folk Album and Best World Music Album.
By 2001, he held the Guinness World Record for recording the ‘most Qawwali’, having recorded 125 Qawwali albums before his death.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was given the title of Ustad (Master) for performing classical music at a function in Lahore on the occasion of his father’s death anniversary. Death
He was admitted to London’s Cromwell Hospital for treatment of liver and kidney problems. Where he said goodbye to the mortal world.
The dead body of Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was brought to Faisalabad, where he was buried in Kabutran Wala Cemetery, a cemetery located on Jhang Road in Faisalabad, also known as Jhang Road Cemetery.
