Daily Times

Ghazal is a traditional genre of singing that has a long history in the subcontinent. It was a source of entertainment for rulers of the Subcontinent particularly Mughals but as time went by it became popular among the common masses as well. The 19th century is considered as the golden era for ghazal singing as scores of ghazal singers emerged during this era to earn the fame and accolade of people but the one who rejigged ghazal singing and made people fall in love with Ghazals was none other than Mahedi Hassan the emperor of Ghazal Singing who ruled the hearts of his fans during his lifetime and continues to reign even after his death.

He was not only a ghazal singer but an icon who was followed by almost every singer in the Indo-Pak music industry including Jagjit Singh, Ghulam Ali, Anoop Jalota, Hari Haran Ghulam Abbas and many more but the feel that he created through his singing no one else could do.

He learned music from his father and uncle Azeem Khan and Ismaili Khan who were carrying the centuries-old legacy of their family. I had to undergo tough training to learn the ups and downs of music and classical Ragg said Mahedi Hassan in an interview with BBC in 1987.

Before entering the film industry as a playback singer, Mehdi Hassan sang ghazals on Radio Pakistan. ‘Shika’r was the first film for which he lent his voice and garnered reasonable appreciation. Films ‘Kunwari Bewa,’ ‘Dosheeza’ and ‘Ghoonghat’ followed. But it was the ghazal ‘Gulon Mein rang Bhare’ from the film Farangi (1964) that shot Mehdi Hassan to fame. The ghazal had originally been sung for the radio and was later included in the movie.

The Ghazal maestro gave life to tens of thousands of poems through his soul-stirring voice. He was probably the only male singer to have sung more than 10,000 songs and Ghazals in different languages, particularly in Urdu.

During the golden era of Pakistan,s industry every director wanted him to become part of his movie as a playback singer, he gave his voice to almost all actors of that era but the combination of Shahensha-E-Jazbat- Mohammad Ali and Shahensha-E-Ghazal Mahedi Hassan was something very special people wanted to see on the silver screen.

His status in the field of singing could be gauged from the fact that when for the first time Mahedi Hassan visited India during the early 80s he received a tumultuous welcome at the airport where almost all renowned personalities of Bollywood including Lata Mangeshkar and Dilip Kumar were also present there. Jagjeet Singh and other Ghazal singers who had already conceived him as their Guru were also there to pay respect to him.

He was not only a ghazal singer but an icon who was followed by almost every singer in the Indo-Pak music industry including Jagjit Singh, Ghulam Ali, Anoop Jalota, Hari Haran, Ghulam Abbas and many more but the feel that he created through his singing no one else could do

The soothing, soulful, and melodious voice of Mahedi Hassan attracted masses he was the only singer in the subcontinent who could sing Ghazal to perfection. Some of his most famous songs and Ghazal are, “Mujhay Tum Nazar Say” from the film, Doraha in the year 19″7 “Dunya Kisi kay PyaarPyaar me” in” from 1966 film “Jaag Utha Insaan”, this song was also part of Hassan’s famous Album Kohinoor (The Timeless Classics), the one of the most famous Ghazal “Gulon Mein Rang Bhare” written by famous Pakistani poet, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, “Rafta Rafta Woh Meri” from the 1975 film Zeenat, the famous ghazal”Ranjish Hi Sahi” written by the famous Ahmed Faraz, etc.

By the end of the mid-80s, doctors suggested Mahedi Hassan stop singing for films following that he started concentrating on Ghazal singing only. He traveled across the world to perform in musical concerts where he also left an unceasing impact. Different singers of the subcontinent paid him tribute during his lifetime on different occasions. Once during a concert in Lahore; “Madam Noor Jahan said I wonder how melodious one can be as Mahedi Hassan is”. His student Ghulam Abbas said on the first death anniversary of Ghazal Maestro that; Ghazal Singing revolved around Mahedi Hassan no one would exceed him. And how one can forget these words of Lata MangeshkarIt “feels like God is singing through his voice”.

In recognition of his remarkable services in the field of Music, he was bestowed with several awards by different countries that included the Gorkha Dakshina Bahu award from the Government of Nepal, KL Sehgal Award by the Government of India, and Hilal-E-Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan.

He suffered a stroke in 2001 following which his health started deteriorating. After being unwell for around a decade Mahedi Hassan left this world on 13 June 2012. His Ghazals will always keep him alive in the hearts of music lovers.

The article has been written and contributed by Kamran Khamiso Khawaja who is a law student and columnist. He can be reached at kamran.khowaja338@gmail.com and Tweets at @ZaibSha1