Punjabi
Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan
* Punjabi language
* Punjabi people
* Punjabi dialects and languages
Punjabi may also refer to:
* Punjabi (horse), a British Th ...
, ur, ملكہ پکھراج ) (1912 – 2004) was a highly popular
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 ...
and folk singer of Pakistan. She was generally known as "Malika", meaning "The Queen", publicly. She was extremely popular for her rendition of
Hafeez Jalandhri
Abu Al-Asar Hafeez Jalandhari ( ur, ) (born 14 January 1900 – 21 December 1982) was a Pakistani Urdu-language poet who wrote the lyrics for the National Anthem of Pakistan
's nazm song, ''Abhi tau main jawan hoon'' ("I am still young"), which is enjoyed by millions not only in Pakistan, but also in India. Others among her popular numbers in
Urdu language
Urdu (;"Urdu" ''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''. ur, , link=no, ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, In ...
were ''Lo phir basant aaii'', Quli Qutub's ''Piya baaj piyala piya jaey na'', and
Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Faiz Ahmad ''Faiz'' (13 February 1911 – 20 November 1984; Urdu, Punjabi:
فیض احمد فیض) was a Pakistani poet, and author of Urdu and Punjabi literature. Faiz was one of the most celebrated Pakistani Urdu writers of his time. Out ...
's ''Mere qatil mere dildar mere paas raho''.
Early life
Malika Pukhraj was born in Hamirpur Sidhar to a Singer family of professional musicians. She was given the name "Malika" at birth by Baba Roti Ram 'Majzoob', a spiritualist, in the Akhnoor area, and named ''Pukhraj'' (Yellow Sapphire) by her aunt who herself was a professional singer-dancer. Profile of Malika Pukhraj on tripod.com website. Retrieved 7 July 2022
Malika Pukhraj received her traditional musical training from Ustad Ali Baksh Kasuri, the father of legendary singer Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan.
Performing career
At the age of nine, she visited Jammu and performed at the coronation ceremony of Maharaja Hari Singh, who was so impressed by her voice that he appointed her as a court singer in his
Durbar
Durbar can refer to:
* Conference of Rulers, a council of Malay monarchs
* Durbar festival, a yearly festival in several towns of Nigeria
* Durbar floor plate, a hot-rolled structural steel that has been designed to give excellent slip resistance o ...
. She stayed there as a singer for another nine years.
She was among the well-known professional singers of India in the 1940s and after
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, she migrated to Lahore, Pakistan, where she received much more fame, through her radio performances with composer ''Kale Khan'' at Radio Pakistan, Lahore. Her voice is most suitable for 'folk songs of the hills' (Pahari Songs).
In 1980, she received the Pride of Performance Award from 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.All India Radio, for which she sang until the Partition in 1947, was celebrating its Golden Jubilee, she was invited to India and awarded with the 'Legend of Voice' award. Malika Pukhraj also recorded her memoirs in the novel ''Song Sung True''.
Personal life
Malika Pukhraj was married to Shabbir Hussain, a junior government official in the Punjab, and had six children including Tahira Syed, also a singer in Pakistan.Profile of Malika Pukhraj Dawn (newspaper), Published 4 February 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2022Tahira Syed 'Profile' on YouTube Uploaded 9 January 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2022
Filmography
Film
Death
Malika Pukhraj died in Lahore, Pakistan on 4 February 2004. Her funeral procession started from her residence at West Canal bank, and the ceremony was held in the house of her eldest son.
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