Music knows no borders. When he is on the rise, he transcends all limits. There have been many poets, singers and artists in India and Pakistan for whom the border has never been an obstacle. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan also had a similar attitude. There is such magic in his words that as soon as he hears his voice, it becomes his own. In fact, on that day, August 16, 1997, Nusrat Saheb had taken leave of this world. In such a situation, we present you some stories from his life.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was born on October 13, 1948 in Faisalabad, Pakistan. His family was also a victim of the partition, because before the partition he lived in Jalandhar, India. Nusrat’s father, Fateh Ali Khan Sahab, was the best qawwal of his time, which is why a gathering of qawwali learners was held at his home. You may be surprised to learn that despite the qawwali atmosphere in the house, Nusrat Saheb secretly learned to play the harmonium from his father.
Nusrat Ali Khan’s real name was Parvez. A Sufi saint asked his father to change his name. Also, it was said to name it so that there is light in the house. After that, Parvez’s name was changed to Nusrat, which means “path to success.” Please tell Nusrat Saheb’s father wanted him to become a doctor because Nusrat, the youngest of his five children, was so naturally shy that his father felt he would not be able to carry the burden of Qawwali’s profession.
Nusrat’s father wanted to make him a doctor. Because of this, he was forbidden to study music and even sit in class. In such a situation, Nusrat secretly listened to his father’s qawwali and learned to play the harmonium tabla from his uncle. One day Fateh saw Ali Khan playing the tabla at Nusrat. Thereafter, persuaded by family members, he allowed Nusrat to become a qawwal. However, he had to struggle very hard to learn all this, because Nusrat had to slap his cheek for a wrong note. Gradually, Nusrat Saheb’s hard work paid off and his voice became everyone’s heartbeat.
Please tell Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan had problem with his kidney and liver. While traveling to Los Angeles for a kidney transplant, he was rushed to a London hospital when his health deteriorated en route. He died there on August 16, 1997 of a heart attack. We tell you that the song “Dulhe Ka Sehra Suhana Lagta Hai” from the film Dhadkan released in 2000 was the last song by Nusrat Saheb to be used in a Bollywood film, three years after his death.