Ekhlaaq Hussain Jaunpuri


Every generation has a legend.


Ekhlaaq Hussain ruled the roost in the 70s and the 80s. There was no one who could compete with him. Of course, there was Sachey, the legendary Pakistani sahebae bayaz, who was a master in his own right. But I would rate him a step lower than Ekhlaaq because of one reason. When it came to reciting 4 stanzas, Ekhlaaq was unbeatable. He had complete mastery over rhythm and the ups and downs of each line. His breath control was perfect and at his peak he was faultless and matchless. 


There are other notable nauha reciters like Nasir Jahan who was known as the king. His recitation of Saalam-e-Aakhir and Ghabrayegi Zainab is a class apart. Then, there’s Nazim Hussain who created a furore when he recited Shaam ka Bazaar, Abid -e Beemar. It is nauhakhwaani at its best. The modern legend Nadeem Sarwar has his own style and way, though he has lot of studio support. The others created magic without any technical assistance. 


Coming back to Ekhkaaq, I would place him right at the top. I have heard and seen all the masters mentioned above (though not all of them live). Nasir Jahan gives Ekhlaaq the closest run for his money. I first saw Ekhlaaq reciting live when he was past his best but yet when I heard him, I was mesmerised. The nauha was Roke Zainab ne kaha Aye mere Abbas utho. It gives me goosebumps when I recall that moment. The other nauha that I heard was Teer Gardan pe Koi Khaaye Toh. There are no words to describe the experience. 


The old timers who followed Ekhlaaq right from the time he started reciting swear that when he stood in front of the mike there was complete silence and no one stirred. In the 70s and 80s, he recited some nauhas that till today have no comparison.  Below are my top 10 nauhas amongst the hundreds that Ekhlaaq recited:


Dukhiya Zainab Aai Hai

Mere Natwa Abid, Mere Neemja Abid

Abid se Raahe Shaam ki Mushkil na Poochiyae

Aye Doobte Sooraj Abhi Kuch Der Thehar Jaa

Rasool-e-Haq ke Madeena Humein Qabool Na Kar

Nabi ke Dil ka Chain Hai, Ali ki Noor-e-Ain Hai

Aye Mere Aaqa Salaam, Aye Mere Maula Salaam

Insaaniyat ki Pyaas Bhoojha Di Hussain Ne

Kehtae The Shah Rokar Abbas Tum Na Jaao

Ye Kaun Si Ada Hai, Aye Garidishae Zamana


He formed a formidable combination with Riaz Jarwali whose nauhas he recited the most. He also recited nauhas written by Kalib Jaunpuri and Naseem Akhtar Wasti Jaunpuri but his pairing with Riaz Jarwali was at a different level.


Now that Ekhlaaq is no more, his memories remain. I am sure he’ll be busy reciting nauhas in another world that he is in, captivating the cosmic beings. 


-          NZ

19.12.2019

BN:   210












Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Mother named me Haider

My mother named me Haider so said Ali son of Abu Talib to Marhab when he said that his mother had named him Marhab. If only Marhab had recalled, at this juncture, what his mother would tell him when he was a child. ‘My son, you’ll be a great warrior. Your fame would spread throughout the Arab world. But keep in mind one thing. If in any battle you come face to face with a man named Haider, do not fight him. Just lay down your sword.’ If Marhab had paid heed to his mother’s advice, he wouldn’t have met the fate he met with in Khaiber. But he was high on ego; drunk on his strength and fame, he thought, how anyone could fight him. He was Marhab – how anyone could challenge his might? In every battle, Ali always introduced himself as Ali son of Abu Talib. But in Khaiber, he introduced himself as Haider because he was aware of what Marhab’s mother had told Marhab. This is sufficient evidence of Ali’s knowledge of the unknown. If in Khaiber Ali had introduced himself as Ali a...
Read more

The Lady in Red

Yesterday after my morning prayer, I went for my 30- minute walk. My wife did not accompany me because she preferred the warmth of the bed to the cold outside. Usually, she does. I did not take the path that I normally take every day. The road was deserted and not a soul was in sight. I walked briskly, determined to do a certain number of steps within the time that I had. It was dark and the wintry breeze was making me shiver. I thought of the cosiness of my bed and for a moment was tempted to abandon the walk and go back home. But commitment is commitment. So, I kept walking. When I reached the end of the walking trail, I turned left instead of right. I don’t know why I did it. I should have turned right because that’s where the walker’s path continues. On the left is an alley between two high-rise buildings. Before I could turn back, I spotted a lady smoking a cigarette. She was wearing a long, red gown and her lips were painted with blood-red lipstick. Her tired eyes had da...
Read more

Zaidis and Wastis

                                                         Many people believe that Zaidis and Wastis are two separate surnames. The truth is that it isn’t. Zaidis and Wastis hail from a place in Iraq called Wasit. Wasti is actually Wasiti but over time, it became Wasti. They are descended from the fourth Imam Ali bin Hussain, also known as Zain-ul-Abedin. His eldest son’s name was Zaid. Hence the name Zaidi. These people are Sayyeds meaning they can trace their ancestry to the Holy Prophet. In the 11 th century, Sayyid Abul Farah Al Hussaini Al Wasti (son of Syed Daud al Hussaini), came to India from Iraq, with his twelve sons, and most of the Zaidis and Wastis in India and Pakistan are their descendants. Let me clarify one point here. There are Zaidis who are not Wastis. They are those who believe that Zaid and not Mohammad Baqir ...
Read more