Tributes to be paid to Mehdi Hassan at Arts Council

KARACHI: To pay tributes to legendary singer late Mehdi Hassan, the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi will organise programmes of ‘Geet’ and ‘Ghazals’ on June 30 and July 1. Prominent singers of the country, including Ghulam Abbas, Bilquis Khanam, Mehnaz, Humaira Channa, Asif Mehdi, Zafar Ramay, Mazhar Umarao Bundu Khan, Shabana Kausar, Shazia Kausar, Jamal Akbar and Shariq Rumi will perform and pay tributes to Mehdi Hassan. app

Dabistan-e-Khusro Badaruz Zaman’ pays tribute to Mehdi Hasan!

 

A tribute was paid to ghazal legend Ustad Mehdi Hassan on a grand function organised in Lahore under the auspices of ‘Dabistan-e-Khusro, Badaruz Zaman School of Music’ on Thursday. A large number of music lovers gathered making it a huge event. Prominent Pakistani singers performed and thrilled the audience all throughout the night. Ustad Badaruz Zaman, Wahdat Rameez and Toheed Ahmad were highly appreciated for their outstanding performance. Mehdi Hasan’s son Sajjad Mehdi and Ustad Badaruz Zaman were the chief guests of the event. staff report

Mehdi Hassan fans will mourn the maestro for long

HAVING been trained in Hindustani classical music by his elders, Mehdi Hassan in the beginning had to work as a bicycle and auto-repair man to earn a livelihood. The family opted to move to Pakistan at the time of partition.

Here the music within Mehdi Hassan, which he breathed and lived, began to come out. He started to sing for Radio Pakistan and films. That was the humble beginning of a man on whose passing away his fans will mourn for a long time to come and remember him whenever his voice will be heard anywhere in the media.

One of Mehdi Hassan’s film-era songs is Hum Ko Gham Naheen Tha which was restricted to about three minutes. Later, he sang the ghazal in full classical style, enhancing its flavour all the more.

Mehdi Hassan had all the ingredients – complete knowledge of Hindustani classical music, a good knowledge of Urdu and a philosophical mind – to become the greatest ghazal singer of our time.

Perhaps, he got universal recognition from his extremely popular ghazal – Gulon may rung bharay, Muqaam Faiz koi raah mein jacha hee naheen, Jo koo-i-yaar se nikle to suay-i-daar chale written by Faiz.

Graduating from listening to film songs to ghazals, I first got a cassette of Mehdi Hassan in 1982. The 60-minute cassette had four ghazals. All four were sung in slow tempo with simple, easy-to-understand lyrics, nonetheless captivating. The one that I listened over and over again was Jab uss zulf ki baat chali, a 15-minute rendition like the others. That composition painted mesmerising imagery.

Thereafter, I started to acquire and listen to any and all cassettes and CDs that had the name Mehdi Hassan on it. It is, perhaps, because of Mehdi Hassan that I understand the rudiments of ghazal and Urdu poetry. In his concerts, time permitting, Mehdi Hassan would sing ghazals composed in various ragas. Ragas selected depending upon the time of the concert and suiting the audience’s mood. When Punjabis were in the audience, invariably there would be Heer. From the earlier three-minute format, some of his later ghazals would take up to 45 minutes. He kept the audience mesmerised every second of those long ghazals by interweaving his yarn of vocal sur and taan with ley, creating a multi-hue tapestry.

He performed worldwide from small private gatherings to large audiences. On many occasions, he entertained Kings in their palaces.

He sang with many different tabla players. He sang in his steady style unfazed, no matter how many variations and tempo the tabla player resorted to. Even if one did not understand the lyrics, one surely enjoyed the ragas and their nuances, and his coolly arriving at the sum of the tabla player.

He would be at ease singing late evening and night ragas like darbari and malkaus, effortlessly, as morning raga bairavi. He sang ghazals written by seventeenth century poets like Mir, Ghalib, Zauq to twenty first century poets like Qateel Shifai, Ahmad Faraz, Saleem Kauser and many others.

I have had the privilege of meeting Mehdi Hassan in several of his concerts. In every concert, the audience used to be multinational, including those who did not understand Urdu well.

Lata Mangeshkar regrets not having been able to sing a live duet with him, Tera milna bahaut achcha lagta hai, which he himself composed, that they intended to record. The duet, however, was completed later when both of them recorded their portion, independent of each other, which were superimposed.

Mehdi Hassan battled a long illness without much outside help. On his death, there are eulogies from many sections of society.

That ironically echoes the last misra of one of his great ghazals:

Baad marne ke mere qabar pe aaya woh Mir, yaad aaye mere insa ko dawa mere baad.

SURENDER CHIBBER
India

Mehdi Hassan’s death

Celebs mourn Mehdi Hassan’s death

Very sad to hear about my favourite ghazal singer Mehdi Hassan’s death. I will never be able to forget his beautiful voice. He was a voice that made many lovers find an expression to the story of their heart. Salute to the king of ghazal. He was the biggest music influence and his voice shall never fade away. The ghazal ‘Zindagi Mein To Sabi Pyar Kiya Karte Hain,’ sways my heart even now. – Hina Butt (Fashion designer)

I have learnt how to deliver well in Urdu and have realised the beauty of Urdu courtesy Mehdi Hassan’s ghazals.– Shehzad Rafique (Filmmaker)

Mehdi Hassan’s death is the biggest loss to the music world after Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. – Tayyab Bombal (Fashion designer)

Mehdi Hassan was a legend. His death is a great loss to the world of music. May his soul rest in peace. – Sehyr Anis (Fashion designer)

Mehdi Hassan was an incredible influence particularly for students of the eastern classical tradition. His unique energy shone through all his work and will continue to inspire generations to come. - Sara Haider (Musician)

Some people become popular, a few other become legends but only a rare few surpass the stature of a legend and become a definition for something bigger than themselves. I think Mehdi Hassan sahab has given a definition to ghazal. The government, artists or corporate workers should keep the candle burning by creating an institution, academy or an award of the highest order especially for the ghazal genre after him. – Naimul Abd (Musician)

Mehdi Hassan’s death is a huge loss indeed. I’m very saddened by his demise. As Pakistanis we were so proud to have such an immensely talented musician. Indeed, his death is a national loss. – Shehla Chatoor (Fashion designer)

Mehdi Hassan’s death is a big loss to the world of music as we have lost a legend. – Saim Ali (Fashion designer)

Mehdi Hassan was a legend in the truest sense. There was not and will never be the sort of singer Mehdi was. His death is a great loss. May his soul rest in peace. I have had the honour of meeting him twice. He was Indo-Pak’s biggest ghazal legend. – Ahsan Khan (Actor)

We have lost a legend who gave us innumerable beautiful ghazals and geets. He was an institution in his own right and immensely gifted. His music will stay fresh in our hearts forever and his voice will continue to give us joy. May his soul rest in peace. – Faakhir Mahmood (Musician)

Mehdi Hassan’s death is the biggest loss to improvisational music after Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan sahab’s demise. – Iftekher Hasan (Musician)

Mehdi Hassan’s death is indeed an irreplaceable loss for our nation. No one can ever fill the gap. No doubt he was a true legend. – Abdul Samad (Fashion designer)

People say we lost Mehdi Hassan, but I don’t quite believe it. He will as long as we remember him. Mehdi was the true face of talent and the young generation will continue to take inspiration from him for a long time. – Jaan Rambo (Actor)

There are some who are beyond the captive of time and age. One such maestro was Mehdi Hassan. He may not be amongst us physically anymore but he will certainly live forever in our hearts and minds through his ghazals and geets. His gift to all of us including my generation and many more to come is intangible in words. He was more than an inspiration. He went as the greatest living ghazal maestro and we were lucky to have him. Hence I believe that we need to really show how we pay respect and ode to our heroes by doing something more meaningful than just condolences, which is why I think our government should construct a monument or better an institution based on the great wisdom or treasure of music he has left us with to enlighten our future generations with the same and thus show the world how we value our art and artists. – Ali Zafar (Musician)

Mehdi Hassan was and always will be an irreplaceable personality in the history of the Pakistani music industry. He was a source of inspiration for so many singers, a personal idol for me and a national treasure. His lived his life with dignity and was appreciated all over the subcontinent. It is true that when we talk of Mehdi Hassan, we don’t think India or Pakistan, we think the subcontinent. He will remain in our hearts always. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time of grief. The nation mourns for the loss of this extraordinary gentleman that has inspired so many, and his great legacy will undoubtedly live on for many years to come. – Humaima Malik (Actress)

Mehdi Hassan defined Pakistani ghazal singing. He is one of the great masters of music. His works are and will remain immortal. We grieve his loss and celebrate his life and great work. – Taimur Rahman (Musician)