Ustad Amanat Ali Khan ( ur, ; ; 1922 – 18 September 1974) was a Pakistani classical vocalist from the
Patiala gharana
The Patiala ''gharana'' (, ) is one of the vocal (tradition, school, or style of music) of Hindustani classical music, named after the city of Patiala in Punjab, India where it was established. The ''gharana'' was founded in the mid to late 19th ...
tradition of music and is widely regarded as one of the finest classical and ''ghazal'' singers of all time. Together with his younger brother,
Ustad
Ustād or ostād (abbreviated as Ust., Ut. or Ud.; from Persian language, Persian ) is an honorific title used in West Asia, North Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is used in various languages such as Persian language, Persian, , Azerbai ...
Bade Fateh Ali Khan
Ustad Bade Fateh Ali Khan ( ur, ; ; 1935 – 4 January 2017) was among the foremost Khyal vocalists in Pakistan, and a leading exponent of the Patiala Gharana tradition of music. He was the younger of the legendary singing duo Amanat Ali and ...
(1935 – 2017), he formed a famed singing duo that garnered widespread popularity across the Indian subcontinent. For his contributions to classical music, Amanat Ali was honoured (along with Fateh Ali) with the highest national literary award of Pakistan – the
Pride of Performance
The Pride of Performance ( ur, ), officially known as Presidential Pride of Performance, is an award bestowed by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to recognize people with "notable achievements in the field of art, science, literature, sports, an ...
– by the
President of Pakistan
The president of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=s̤adr-i Pākiṣṭān), officially the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is the ceremonial head of state of Pakistan and the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces. Khan was especially noted for ''
khayal
Khyal or Khayal (ख़याल / خیال) is a major form of Hindustani classical music in the Indian subcontinent. Its name comes from a Persian/Arabic word meaning "imagination". Khyal is associated with romantic poetry, and allows the perfor ...
'', ''
thumri
Thumri () is a vocal genre or style of Indian music. The term "thumri" is derived from the Hindi verb ''thumuknaa'', which means "to walk with a dancing gait in such a way that the ankle-bells tinkle." The form is, thus, connected with dance, dra ...
'', and ''
ghazal
The ''ghazal'' ( ar, غَزَل, bn, গজল, Hindi-Urdu: /, fa, غزل, az, qəzəl, tr, gazel, tm, gazal, uz, gʻazal, gu, ગઝલ) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a ...
'' styles of singing and has been described as "the maestro of the Patiala gharana." He stands with singing icons like
Mehdi Hassan
Mehdi Hassan Khan ( ur, مہدی حسن خاں , translit=) 18 July 1927 – 13 June 2012) was a Pakistani ghazal singer and playback singer for Lollywood. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential figures in the history of gh ...
, having left behind a legacy of hundreds of classical and semi-classical songs.
Early life and background
Amanat Ali Khan was born in 1922 in
Hoshiarpur
Hoshiarpur () is a city and a Municipal corporations in India, municipal corporation in Hoshiarpur district in the Doaba region of the Indian state of Punjab, India, Punjab. It was founded, according to tradition, during the early part of the ...
(in present-day
Punjab, India
Punjab (; ) is a States and union territories of India, state in northern India. Forming part of the larger Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, the state is bordered by the States and union territories of India, Indian states of Himachal ...
) to Ustad
Akhtar Hussain Khan
Akhtar ( fa, links=no, ) means "star" in Persian. It is a unisex name. It is also a common surname. A variant spelling is Akhter.
Notable people with the given name or surname include:
Given name Akhtar
* Akhtar Aly Kureshy Pakistani lawyer a ...
who was a distinguished vocalist in the patronage of the
Maharaja of Patiala
The Maharaja of Patiala was a maharaja in India and the ruler of the princely state of Patiala, a state in British India. The first Maharaja of Patiala was Baba Ala Singh (1695–1765).
Yadavindra Singh became the maharaja on 23 March 1938. H ...
. He was the grandson of
Ali Baksh Jarnail
Ustad Ali Baksh Jarnail Khan (1850 – 1920) was an Indian classical singer. Together with his friend Fateh Ali Khan, he founded the Patiala Gharana in the 19th century. They used to sing together as a team back then.https://www.swarganga.org/art ...
, one of the founders of the Patiala vocal gharana of classical music. Amanat Ali and Fateh Ali both trained under the tutelage of their father. After the
partition of India
The Partition of British India in 1947 was the Partition (politics), change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: ...
in 1947, Amanat Ali migrated to
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
with his family.
Career
Khan, along with his brother Fateh Ali, started performing at the Maharaja of Patiala
Yadavindra Singh
Maharaja Sir Yadavindra Singh () was the 9th and last ruling Maharaja of Patiala from 1938 to 1971. He was also an Indian cricketer who played in one Test in 1934.
Early life and family
Born at Patiala City in Patiala State, within the ...
's court when he was still in his mid-teens. Both brothers made their public singing debut in 1945 in Lahore, at a concert sponsored by an influential music patron, Pandit Jeevanlal Matoo. In 1949, the duo performed at the prestigious All Bengal Music Conference in
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
(then Calcutta), India, which brought them widespread recognition in both India and Pakistan. Thereafter, both brothers toured South Asia extensively and became representatives of the
Patiala gharana
The Patiala ''gharana'' (, ) is one of the vocal (tradition, school, or style of music) of Hindustani classical music, named after the city of Patiala in Punjab, India where it was established. The ''gharana'' was founded in the mid to late 19th ...
across the subcontinent. Khan was a prolific performer on PTV and
Radio Pakistan
Radio Pakistan serves as the national public broadcaster for radio in Pakistan. Although some local stations predate Radio Pakistan's founding, it is the oldest existing broadcasting network in Pakistan. The network was established on 14 August ...
and was one of the few vocalists in the 1960s and 1970s to gain popularity and critical acclaim for both classical and ''ghazal'' format''s'' of singing.
Khan possessed an in-depth understanding of Urdu poetry which helped him not only select the works of renowned Urdu poets to use in his ''
ghazal
The ''ghazal'' ( ar, غَزَل, bn, গজল, Hindi-Urdu: /, fa, غزل, az, qəzəl, tr, gazel, tm, gazal, uz, gʻazal, gu, ગઝલ) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a ...
s'' but also interpret their meanings fully in his musical renditions. He was especially known for his skill with melodic ornamentations and progressive intensification of ''taans''. One of the best-known thumris sung by the Amanat Ali-Fateh Ali duo – ''Kab Aaoge Tum Aaoge'' – was composed by Amanat Ali and is considered a classic. The song is also representative of the duo's efforts in making classical music accessible and appealing to all segments of the population.
Indian playback singer
Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar () (born as Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 06 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is widely considered to have been the greatest and most influential singers in India. Her cont ...
(1929 – 2022) trained in
Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the classical music of northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It may also be called North Indian classical music or, in Hindustani, ''shastriya sangeet'' (). It is played in instruments like the violin, sita ...
with Amanat Ali Khan for a brief period of time in the early stages of her career, before Khan migrated to Pakistan with his family in 1947.
Throughout his career, Khan sang numerous patriotic songs, most notably "Chand Meri Zameen Phool Mera Watan" and "Aye Watan Pyare Watan." Along with composers such as
Sohail Rana
Sohail Rana (born 31 March 1938) is a Pakistani music composer for films and television. He was introduced by actor Waheed Murad in Pakistan film industry and gained popularity when singer Ahmed Rushdi sang his compositions in such films as A ...
and Mian Shehryar, Khan is credited with recognising "the necessity of establishing simple-to-grasp anthems that would augment the national morale of the masses" and for incorporating literary knowledge into his work.
Artistry and voice
Amanat Ali was said to have possessed "prodigious talent" and a "gifted voice." It is said that while Fateh Ali had mastery over ''ragas,'' Amanat Ali had great command and dexterity in ''sur'' (''
svara
Svara or swara (Devanagari: स्वर, generally pronounced as ''swar'') is a Sanskrit word that connotes simultaneously a breath, a vowel, the sound of a musical note corresponding to its name, and the successive steps of the octave or '' ...
'')''.'' He was particularly well known for his full-throated and flamboyant singing style in the upper registers, while Fateh Ali was more adept at singing lower notes, thus complementing each other during their performances. Khan was lauded for simplifying the structure of complex
Hindustani classical raga
A ''raga'' or ''raag'' (; also ''raaga'' or ''ragam''; ) is a melodic framework for improvisation in Indian classical music akin to a melodic mode. The ''rāga'' is a unique and central feature of the classical Indian music tradition, and as a ...
s and his vocals have been variously described as soft, sensuous, and smooth. He is considered by many as the most prominent scion of the Patiala gharana.
Death
Khan died of a ruptured appendix at the relatively young age of 52 in
Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
,
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
on 18 September 1974, only a few months after the death of his father, Akhtar Hussain. One of his sons,
Asad Amanat Ali Khan
Asad Amanat Ali Khan ( ur, ; ; 25 September 1955 – 8 April 2007) was a Pakistani classical vocalist and ''ghazal'' singer belonging to the Patiala Gharana tradition of music. In a career spanning 32 years, Khan sang over 1,000 songs for P ...
(1955 – 2007), after a highly successful career as a classical vocalist and ''ghazal'' singer, died from cardiac arrest on 8 April 2007 in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
,
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
. Both father and son are buried in
Mominpura Graveyard
The Mominpura Graveyard is a Shia cemetery in Lahore, Pakistan. It is one of the oldest graveyards in Lahore, and contains over 10,000 burials according to its records. Many graves are hundreds of years old. Established by the Qizilbash family, t ...
near Lakshmi Chowk in
Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
. After the passing of his brother and lifelong singing partner, Fateh Ali struggled with depression and stopped singing for several years. He eventually resumed performing with his youngest brother
Hamid Ali Khan
Ustad Hamid Ali Khan ( ur, ;
born 1953) is a Pakistani classical singer. He belongs to the Patiala gharana. Being a representative of the Patiala gharana, Hamid Ali Khan is an exponent of ghazal and classical singing. He has released seve ...
and Amanat Ali's son Asad Amanat Ali Khan.
Discography
Some of Amanat Ali Khan's most popular songs are:
* "Mora Jiya Na Lage"
* "Pyar Nahi Hai Sur Se"
* "Kab Aaoge Tum Aaoge"
* "Dil Mein Meethe Meethe Dard"
* "Aalam-o-Masaib Se"
* "Piya Nahi Aaye"
* "Chup Dhawen Te"
* "Mah-e-Nau Ko Kya Pata"
* "Piya Dekhan Ko"
* "Kabhi Jo Nikhate Gul"
* "Data Tore Dwar"
* "Piya Nahi Aaye"
* "Tum Re Daras"
* "Chand Meri Zameen Phool Mera Watan"
* "Aye Watan Pyare Watan"
Some of Khan's most well-known ''
ghazal
The ''ghazal'' ( ar, غَزَل, bn, গজল, Hindi-Urdu: /, fa, غزل, az, qəzəl, tr, gazel, tm, gazal, uz, gʻazal, gu, ગઝલ) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a ...
s'' are:
* "Yeh Aarzoo Thi Tujhe Gul Ke"
* "Mausam Badla"
* "Yeh Na Thi Hamari Qismat"
* "Insha Ji Utho" (first performed on
Pakistan Television
Pakistan Television Corporation ( ur, ; reporting name: PTV) is the Pakistani state-owned broadcaster. Pakistan entered the television broadcasting age in 1964, with a pilot television station established at Lahore.
Background
Historical co ...
in January, 1974)''''
* "Honton Pe Kabhi Unke"
* "Ab Haq Mein Baharon Ke"
* "Meri Dastaan-e-Hasrat"
* "Ae Dila Hum Hue Paband"
* "Kaise Guzar Gai Hai Jawani"
* "Yaar Ko Maine"
* "Jo Guzri Mujh Pe"
* "Ek Khalish Ko"
* "Khudi Ka Nasha Charha"
* "Har Ek Simt"
* "Ae Dil Hum Huwe"
* "Aa Mere Pyar Ki"
* "Maze Jahaan Ke Apni Nazar Mein"
* "Tere Hote Huwe"
* "Har Ek Simt"
* "Mujhe Dil Ki Khata Par"
See also
*
Hamid Ali Khan
Ustad Hamid Ali Khan ( ur, ;
born 1953) is a Pakistani classical singer. He belongs to the Patiala gharana. Being a representative of the Patiala gharana, Hamid Ali Khan is an exponent of ghazal and classical singing. He has released seve ...
(a noted exponent of the
Patiala gharana
The Patiala ''gharana'' (, ) is one of the vocal (tradition, school, or style of music) of Hindustani classical music, named after the city of Patiala in Punjab, India where it was established. The ''gharana'' was founded in the mid to late 19th ...
and youngest brother of Amanat Ali Khan).
*
Asad Amanat Ali Khan
Asad Amanat Ali Khan ( ur, ; ; 25 September 1955 – 8 April 2007) was a Pakistani classical vocalist and ''ghazal'' singer belonging to the Patiala Gharana tradition of music. In a career spanning 32 years, Khan sang over 1,000 songs for P ...
(an accomplished classical and ''
ghazal
The ''ghazal'' ( ar, غَزَل, bn, গজল, Hindi-Urdu: /, fa, غزل, az, qəzəl, tr, gazel, tm, gazal, uz, gʻazal, gu, ગઝલ) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a ...
'' singer and a son of Amanat Ali Khan).
*
Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan
Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan ( ur, ; ; born 26 February 1965) is a Pakistani pop and classical singer, songwriter, and composer belonging to the Patiala Gharana tradition of music. He was the lead vocalist of the Pakistani pop rock band Fuzön ...
(an accomplished pop, classical, and playback singer and the youngest son of Amanat Ali Khan).