A tribute to Madam Noor Jehan Options

[Inaam]

Usually it is an artist who follows the art. But in Noor Jehan’s case it was the art that followed her. Noor Jehan’s vocal timber was simply out of this world. She had a full-throated voice capable of handling lower register with remarkable command, equality that makes her equally at ease with Punjabi and Urdu songs. Her versatility had rendered a large number of her songs part of the region’s collective musical memory. It was her sweet and mellifluous voice combined with the precise diction, her authority on the Urdu and Punjabi vocabulary that led to the creation of the evergreen songs.
Probably no other single person is recognized as the largest contributor to Pakistani film music, no one else is synonymous with power and magic of Pakistani film music, whose mesmeric reign continues to amaze critics and devotees alike. By calling her the “Madam” or Malika-e-Trannum, we honor her, as she ruled or hearts for at least six decades in two countries and languages (in both Urdu & Punjabi), her contribution to our musical lives remained unmatched. Noor Jehan represented the essence of our musical and social culture. She was not easily intimidated and was very vocal with her feelings. She gave a vocal polish to Urdu and Punjabi Poetic verse that little has been able to match in South Asia.
Noor Jehan was not just a singing Diva, but also a Pakistani icon, In a country with few such icons exist she will be difficult personality to replace. She was a strong woman in a male dominated society, who had god’s gift of an incredible voice.
Some of the finest compositions that Noor Jehan sang in her incredibly long and successful reign were composed by Khawaja Khurshid Anwar, such a wonderful understanding between two talented minds. Khurshid Anwar was a master classicist and most of his songs were in a classical mould. The Miyan Ki Todi rendition of “ Jis Din Se Piya Dil Le Gaya” and Jaijaiwanti song “ Dil Ka Diya Jalaya” and a masterpiece in a style that almost completely describe the latter-day Noor Jehan, a wonderful Tilak Shyam composition “ Saagar Roe Lehrein Shore Machaein”. And who can forget Khawaja Sahib’s immortal renditions of “Heer Ranjha”, which Noor Jehan recorded with rare passion and feeling. She was very particular with these songs. Khurshid Anwar also regarded Noor Jehan as “Night-angle”. He made an entire film “Koyal” on her incredible vocal skills.
When Rasheed Atre composed the songs of “Mosiqar” he called aside Noor Jehan and said I’ve created these tunes only because you are going to render these songs. Who else could to do justice to these compositions? Rasheed Atre’s classic songs “Mujh Se Pehli SiMuhabbat” is called Noor Jehan’s best song. Another smashing classic by Atre set in a loose Bageshri framework “ Lat Uljhee Suljha Ja Re Baalam” still rank along the all-time favorite of Urdu Music lovers the world over.
Noor Jehan’s dedication and unrelenting humility ensured that the rapport between her and the music director enriched every song that she sang, specially the music directors of Punjabi films, saw no use for other female vocalists, and practically all of their songs were sung by Noor Jehan. They created masterpieces with the help of Noor Jehan. G.A Chishtee’s “Koi Navaan Laara La Ke” Wazir Afzal’s “Kehnde Ne Naina”, Salim Iqbals’s “Sanoo Nehr Wale Pul Te Bulaa Ke” Bakhshi Wazir’s “Jadon Holi Jai Lendaain Mera Naa”, Nazir Ali’s “Sayoon Ni Mera Mahi Mere Bhage Jagawan Aa Gaya”, Master Abdulla’s “ Ve Chhad Meri Veeni Na Maror”, Zulfiqar Ali’s “Mere Dil De Sheeshe Vich Sajna”, Taafu’s “Rab Jane Saano Te Toon Maar Sutya” and Wajaht Atre’s “ Ve Ik Tere Pyaar Menoo Milya” are few examples in this regards.
Beside this, Noor Jehan’s Urdu songs are also an all-too-true assessment of the highly adored Noor Jehan. The music directors of Urdu films also had rarely felt the need to turn to someone else and she alone was needed for their such songs: Nasir Bazmi’s “Ho Tamanna or Kya”, Khalil Ahmed’s “Hamaari Saansoo Mein Aaj Tak Woh”, Master Inaayat Hussain’s
“Sajna re kyoon bheege tore nain”, and Sohai Ran’s “Bansi Bajane Wale”. Films had sold on the strength of her vocal and gone on to become history. Music directors were believe and said “Madam is a trained singer and so versatile. She can sing any thing from classical even frothy songs. Madam Noor Jehan is a phenomenon. She in one of a kind”.
Noor Jehan always sang from the depth of her heart. She whole-heartedly threw herself into every song, opening up the inner meaning of the lyric, built a bridge to the musical godhead. And till her death, this phenomenal talent, this divine benediction had never declined. Arrogance is said to be the ruin of genius. But not this genius, as she was never thanking of herself as THE Noor Jehan, she had always done her job to the best of her abilities and then never looked back.
Co-artistes had been kept on their feet by the small wonder. Duets with Noor Jehan were always a tough competition for her male colleagues. Mehdi Hassan, Muneer Hussain, Masood Rana, Rajab Ali and Ahmed Rushdi, would be amazed by the sudden last minute improvisation in the final take. Improvisations that took the song beyond the stipulations of the composition into the realm of eternity. This heightened anticipation gave that added edge to scores of duets sung with other legends.
Generation of composers and singers looked up to Noor Jehan as their source of inspiration. In the early ‘80s, upon invitation from Bombay’s old fans, Noor Jehan visited India for that grand concert where Lata met her long-time friend in person. It had been a few years. People who attended the evening came back with their eyes a bit teary from the experience. In the Mid ‘80s, Asha Bhosle took a turn from her usual R.D Burman fare, and decided to experiment with Ghazal for a while. She released three albums. One was a joint collection with Hariharan, the second was with Ghulam Ali (Meraj-e-Ghazal) and third one titled “Kashish” was a tribute to Noor Jehan. In this collection, she sang some Noor Jehan’s originals, and she did really well in some songs. And we saw that, after Lata Mangeshkar, Asha was also trying to get close to Noor Jehan’s voice control.
True creativity can never be condemned it often spills over into other arts. Noor Jehan was a much respected non-films performer. By her own admission, she was found her non films composition more challenging than her film songs, No one can forget the albums of her Ghazals & Geets recorded for PTV’s program “Tarannum”, and “Sham-e-Qalamder” the best selling album, and songs like “ Ae Puttar Hattan Te Naeen Vikde” that brought tears to the eyes of millions. Noor Jehan declared “My patriotic songs are deeply moving, because I truly loves my country and through my voice, am willing to do anything for my motherland”.
In 1946, Noor Jehan sang that evergreen number “Aawaz De kahan Hai” and in 1996, after 50 years, she came up with “Ki Dum Da Bharoosa Yaar”. Different lines, different compositions, different yardsticks but only Noor Jehan and her melodious, magnetic appeal was the same. She was one that touched the emotions and lives of millions. So I will just end by saying “Thank You Madam!” for enriching our lives and for reaching the frontiers of musical excellence in the vocal arts.

[aj2001]