Although,
there are many Pakistani legends who have made me proud of being a Pakistani
but there is one name that just cannot be replaced. Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali
Khan, also known as Shahenshah-e-Qawwali, has reached a global recognition for
not only himself but also for Pakistan.
It’s
really sad to say that our beloved Ustad passed away and left all of us on 16th
August 1997, but there is no way he can leave our hearts. He has given so much
to us that we cannot simply forget him. From amazing, deep songs and qawwalis
to his most talented descendants, he has given us all.
It
has been more than 15 years since his demise, but still his songs and qawwalis
are on every Pakistani’s mind and tongues. People have sung his songs again,
made remixes and what not, but that aura and that feeling that you get when you
listen to his voice cannot be replaced.
Ustad
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan gave the world a unique style of music that exquisitely
fuses western and eastern music. He belonged to a modest but a well-known
family of musicians. In other words, he belonged to one of those “Qawal Bachoon
ka Gharana”, where the atmosphere is such that everyone loves to sing and make
music.
He
got his training in music and singing from his father, Fateh Ali Khan, who
himself is a legend for not only being a good singer but also for training and
grooming someone like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan believed
that the concept of Qawwali and Sufi music was slowly fading away and he wanted
to do something to stop that. He wanted to make Qawwalis famous within the
younger generation, so he infused his singing with western music and songs so
that it was not only attractive to the younger generation but also easily
comprehensible.
He
was so dedicated to spreading this form of music that he made his name in not
only the east but also the west. He went to London for many concerts and he was
also very excited and pleased when he was given the opportunity to record his
voice depicting the crucifixion of the Christ in a film directed by Peter
Gabriel. Later on, he recorded a number of qawwalis with the same director in a
western node.
Throughout
his life, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan won many awards, including President's Pride of
Performance Award in 1987 and the French Grand Prix and French Cultural Award.
In
short, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan had achieved what he had dreamt of and that which
we can only dream of. His main goal was to spread the love of music and
qawwalis amongst all and amidst all of that he became a Pakistani legend,
making all Pakistanis and Pakistan itself proud.
