On PTV, Muslehuddin, along with his charming wife Nahid Niazi, created the same magic as he did in films. Together, on the special directive of former president Ayub Khan, whose major focus and goal was to promote the national integration of the East and West wings of Pakistan through their two languages, the duo conceptualised and commenced a children’s music programme.
Initially titled ‘Padma Ki Mauj’, music and the two languages were taught with verses translated in Urdu from Bengali and vice versa and sung in both languages in the same tune. This programme was televised in both wings. Later, the programme was renamed ‘Kaliyon Ki Mala’, a line from the hit song of the programme ‘Saras Ke Par Resham Ke’, which one can watch even today on YouTube.
In recognition of his distinguished services to music, Muslehuddin was awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz in 1969 and later the President’s Medal for Pride of Performance in 1970. The 1971 war, however, caused greater turbulence to this family, than what it might have done to others. Muslehuddin, with his East Pakistan origins, was married to somebody who hailed from West Pakistan. His family was in the UK when Bangladesh came into existence. Muslehuddin was compelled to stay in the UK, where he and Nahid Niazi were already performing. They continued their musical journey with stage performances and carried on contributing to the BBC as well as other media and cultural avenues. Living in Birmingham, Muslehuddin’s musical creativity overflowed into the culinary. He is credited with inventing the chicken tikka masala, now an integral part of British gastronomy.
At the time of writing these lines it has been 13 years since this gentle and friendly soul left us at age of 70 due to a cardiac arrest he suffered in UK on August 7, 2003, leaving behind his dazzling repertoire and an unforgettable music legacy to remember him by. Things are not the same in the once-vibrant Pakistani film industry now but Muslehuddin’s melodies, crystalline orchestra and his background musical scores still echo in our hearts and minds. I have done my FM radio shows about him in Lahore and music lovers still remember his melodies. Here was a musical genius and a composer, par excellence. g