Nightingale Fareeda Khanum steals the show at Khayal Festival

While much of discussion focused on raags, technical aspects, it was Khanum’s soulful singing that stole the show.

LAHORE:

Renowned ghazal singer Fareeda Khanum made a rare public appearance this weekend at the Khayal Festival of Arts and Literature for an interactive, candid discussion with the audience. Moderated by author and singer Ali Sethi, the panel also included ghazal singer Ustad Ghulam Ali. A student of classical music, Sethi did a commendable job of delving into a deep conversation with Khanum, while highlighting her work. However, it was the graceful Khanum who took all the glory as members of the audience applauded her from start to finish.

Born in Calcutta and raised in Amritsar, Khanum trained in classical music at a young age. She belonged to a family that hummed music day and night. Her elder sister Mukhtar Begum was one of the most prominent singers and actors during the pre-partition era and her younger sister Naseem Begum was a popular playback singer in Pakistani cinema. Over time, Khanum’s singing developed a unique following as she brought the works of Pakistan’s many great poets to life.

“I wanted to study and do other things in life, but I was lucky to have great Ustads. They made me work hard and sing for hours every day. There was a lot of sacrifice involved,” said Khanum

During her interaction with the audience, Khanum recalled that it was during the time of Radio Pakistan that her work garnered a lot of attention, as people like Zulfiqar Ali Bukhari provided her a creative environment to work in. In the early ‘50s and ‘60s, Khanum remained the life of cultural delegations. She was sent to China, UK and Afghanistan to represent Pakistani music. Her most famous ghazal to date is undoubtedly Aaj Jaane Ki Zidd Na Karo, which reveals her ability to voice emotions through her impeccable singing.

Even her contemporaries in the field, such as Ali, seem to recognise her achievements. He said that Khanum is an important figure in classical music and that only certain people like her have the will and passion to explore various sounds. “Sacrifice and hard-work are inherent. You can have talent but if you have the will to search, you always find something,” he remarked.



While much of the discussion focused on raags and the technical aspect of music, it was Khanum’s soulful singing that stole the show. In many ways, Khanum’s presence was a fitting conclusion to the two-day festival.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2013.

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