Nasrat Parsa
Encyclopedia
Nasrat Parsa was a popular Afghan
singer. Up until his murder, he continued his music in exile from Hamburg
, Germany
, occasionally touring other countries.
, Afghanistan
. His family, especially his oldest brother Najibullah Parsa, was already involved in music to a certain extent and the environment of a musical household helped materialize Nasrat’s artistic talents. According to Nasrat's personal account, he was first discovered after singing the songs of Ahmad Zahir
on a national radio broadcast. After the singer heard the renditions of his songs by the 7 year old Nasrat, he got in touch with the child and invited him to sing with him. Thus was Nasrat’s formal initiation into singing.
and the ensuing disruptive guerrilla fighting, Nasrat Parsa and his family left Afghanistan in 1981 for Pakistan
and subsequently to India
. They took residence in the capital city of New Delhi
, a popular destination for most war civilians. There, the 12-year-old Nasrat was said to delve into studying music to find comfort from the negative psychological effects of the war. He attended the school of music under the apprenticeship of classic Indian singer Daish Pandi. Although the classical music of Afghanistan and Indian classical music
differ a bit in tone and rhythm, the training nonetheless gave Nasrat a foundation to prepare his voice and gave encouragement to the amateur to pursue his interest professionally. He also studied with Ustad Monawar Ali Khan, a leading authority in certain Indian music
styles who taught him details of musical instruments and notes. It was these lessons that would prepare him for performing the ghazal
that he later became known for in Europe.
. Establishing contact with other fellow countrymen in Hamburg
, Nasrat became more involved in the music scene with the other exiled singers and musicians. There, he taught Waly Hedjasi, better known as VALY, a highly acclaimed musician.
From his initial involvements in private parties to the formal weddings where strong singing background is considered, Nasrat's name ranked high on the choice list. At this time, he started working on recording professional albums as well. His initial works met with moderate notability; however, they were commercially steady in success.
At weddings he was acclaimed for the warm welcoming of the bride and groom with his number Maa Destmal Aawordaim (ما دستمال آورديم ) (Gohar Album) which roughly translates as “we‘ve brought our brother’s bride.” This album established Nasrat as a respected singer and also garnered him praise of critics. As a matter of fact, the monumentalizing of the bride and groom union following the entrance anthem of Ahesta Boro
(آهسته برو) in weddings with the hit song of the Gohar Album is now a strong tradition of Afghan weddings.
His performances hereon became regular, and he often teamed with other singers to perform in various cities outside of Germany.
, Canada
, on the occasion of Mother's Day
, opening a comprehensive tour that was scheduled to include several cities in North America
. At the height of his popularity, and on the occasion of promoting his upcoming album Dil, the singer flew to Canada where he performed to a large crowd of fans, some of whom saw him live on stage for the first time.
During a break on his concert, Nasrat was approached by a group of 3 young men claiming to be his fans. They asked him, aggressively, if he would sing more upbeat songs. He stated to them that he could not because he was not prepared to perform such songs. The singer maintained his composure and was respectful to the attending mothers who came to his concert on the occasion of Mother's Day.
After the end of the concert, Nasrat was with his brother, Najib Parsa. At that moment, the three young men returned, and they asked the singer's autograph and to make a picture with him. One of the infuriated men, dissatisfied with the justification, punched the singer in the face. This caused him to slump in shock and lose his balance. Nasrat fell down a flight of stairs, hitting his head on one of the concrete cases, and became immediately unconscious.
The singer was brought to hospital, but failed to recover from his injuries. At 11:15pm on the following day, Nasrat Ali Parsa, 36, was pronounced dead at a Vancouver hospital.
and given a conditional sentence.
, United States
, drew thousands of sorrowful fans. Other cities, in the United States, Canada, Europe
, Australia
, and Afghanistan also held similar mourning sessions. His grave is situated in Frankfurt
, Germany in Mainzer Waldfriedhof.
. The event, which drew many fans and sympathizers, called for a conscious effort to respect all singers from Afghanistan. Furthermore, it called for active action against violence in future concert events to protect the other musical assets of Afghanistan. The vigil was held with an Islamic theme to honor his family’s religious tradition. Similar ceremonies were also held thereafter in various cities around the world in honor of the singer. His nephew, Haris Parsa, has continued to perform Parsa's songs.
INDIAN MUSIC
Afghan
Afghan may refer to:* The country of Afghanistan, as abbreviated in reports as Afghan, or Afg.* Someone or something related to Afghanistan, see also Demography of Afghanistan* Afghan cuisine...
singer. Up until his murder, he continued his music in exile from Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, occasionally touring other countries.
Background
Nasrat Ali Parsa was born in a suburb of KabulKabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. His family, especially his oldest brother Najibullah Parsa, was already involved in music to a certain extent and the environment of a musical household helped materialize Nasrat’s artistic talents. According to Nasrat's personal account, he was first discovered after singing the songs of Ahmad Zahir
Ahmad Zahir
Ahmad Zahir was a singer, songwriter, and composer from Afghanistan. He is considered an icon of Afghan music and is sometimes called the "King of Afghan music"...
on a national radio broadcast. After the singer heard the renditions of his songs by the 7 year old Nasrat, he got in touch with the child and invited him to sing with him. Thus was Nasrat’s formal initiation into singing.
Emigration to India
Due to Soviet occupation of AfghanistanSoviet war in Afghanistan
The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers...
and the ensuing disruptive guerrilla fighting, Nasrat Parsa and his family left Afghanistan in 1981 for Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and subsequently to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. They took residence in the capital city of New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, a popular destination for most war civilians. There, the 12-year-old Nasrat was said to delve into studying music to find comfort from the negative psychological effects of the war. He attended the school of music under the apprenticeship of classic Indian singer Daish Pandi. Although the classical music of Afghanistan and Indian classical music
Indian classical music
The origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music...
differ a bit in tone and rhythm, the training nonetheless gave Nasrat a foundation to prepare his voice and gave encouragement to the amateur to pursue his interest professionally. He also studied with Ustad Monawar Ali Khan, a leading authority in certain Indian music
Music of India
The music of India includes multiple varieties of folk, popular, pop, classical music and R&B. India's classical music tradition, including Carnatic and Hindustani music, has a history spanning millennia and developed over several eras. It remains fundamental to the lives of Indians today as...
styles who taught him details of musical instruments and notes. It was these lessons that would prepare him for performing the ghazal
Ghazal
The ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
that he later became known for in Europe.
Immigration to Germany
After a few transition years in India, Nasrat and his family immigrated to GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Establishing contact with other fellow countrymen in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Nasrat became more involved in the music scene with the other exiled singers and musicians. There, he taught Waly Hedjasi, better known as VALY, a highly acclaimed musician.
From his initial involvements in private parties to the formal weddings where strong singing background is considered, Nasrat's name ranked high on the choice list. At this time, he started working on recording professional albums as well. His initial works met with moderate notability; however, they were commercially steady in success.
At weddings he was acclaimed for the warm welcoming of the bride and groom with his number Maa Destmal Aawordaim (ما دستمال آورديم ) (Gohar Album) which roughly translates as “we‘ve brought our brother’s bride.” This album established Nasrat as a respected singer and also garnered him praise of critics. As a matter of fact, the monumentalizing of the bride and groom union following the entrance anthem of Ahesta Boro
Ahesta Boro
Ahesta Boro is a musical composition played to welcome the bride and groom's entrance to the wedding hall in weddings in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and parts of Pakistan. Usually the accompanied couple is walked slowly under the sanction of the Qur'an as the attending...
(آهسته برو) in weddings with the hit song of the Gohar Album is now a strong tradition of Afghan weddings.
His performances hereon became regular, and he often teamed with other singers to perform in various cities outside of Germany.
Death
On May 7, 2005, Nasrat Parsa performed a concert in VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, on the occasion of Mother's Day
Mother's Day
Mother's Day is a celebration honoring mothers and celebrating motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, yet most commonly in March, April, or May...
, opening a comprehensive tour that was scheduled to include several cities in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. At the height of his popularity, and on the occasion of promoting his upcoming album Dil, the singer flew to Canada where he performed to a large crowd of fans, some of whom saw him live on stage for the first time.
During a break on his concert, Nasrat was approached by a group of 3 young men claiming to be his fans. They asked him, aggressively, if he would sing more upbeat songs. He stated to them that he could not because he was not prepared to perform such songs. The singer maintained his composure and was respectful to the attending mothers who came to his concert on the occasion of Mother's Day.
After the end of the concert, Nasrat was with his brother, Najib Parsa. At that moment, the three young men returned, and they asked the singer's autograph and to make a picture with him. One of the infuriated men, dissatisfied with the justification, punched the singer in the face. This caused him to slump in shock and lose his balance. Nasrat fell down a flight of stairs, hitting his head on one of the concrete cases, and became immediately unconscious.
The singer was brought to hospital, but failed to recover from his injuries. At 11:15pm on the following day, Nasrat Ali Parsa, 36, was pronounced dead at a Vancouver hospital.
Sentence of offender
The man who punched him was found guilty of manslaughterManslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
and given a conditional sentence.
Funerary services
On May 12, 2005, Nasrat Parsa’s body was flown back to Germany for burial. The grief-stricken bereaved family members and fans around the world individually held services to honor the late singer. Notably, the funeral held at Sayed Jamaladen Masjid by Habib Qaderi on May 15, 2005 in Orange CountyOrange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, drew thousands of sorrowful fans. Other cities, in the United States, Canada, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and Afghanistan also held similar mourning sessions. His grave is situated in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, Germany in Mainzer Waldfriedhof.
Laguna Beach vigil
On May 13, 2005, a candlelight vigil was held in memory of the late singer in Laguna Beach, United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The event, which drew many fans and sympathizers, called for a conscious effort to respect all singers from Afghanistan. Furthermore, it called for active action against violence in future concert events to protect the other musical assets of Afghanistan. The vigil was held with an Islamic theme to honor his family’s religious tradition. Similar ceremonies were also held thereafter in various cities around the world in honor of the singer. His nephew, Haris Parsa, has continued to perform Parsa's songs.
Quotes
Discography
- درگاه
Darga (Spring 1992)
- دنیا
Donya (Winter 1995)
- گهر
Gohar (Summer 1996)
- سایه
Saya (Summer 1997)
- نگاه
Negah (Summer 1998)
- Live In Concert-Germany (Spring 2000)
- ناز
Naaz (January 2004)
- دل
Dil (Fall 2005, released posthumous)
INDIAN MUSIC
- Hindi Songs (Spring 2002)
Notable songs
| RANK | SONG | ALBUM | YEAR | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maa Desmal Awordem | Gohar | 1996 | Wedding Song |
| 2 | Masoma | Naz | 2004 | Saifo Saifo Saifo was a Tajik folkloric singer, eventually originally from Murghab, Tajikistan or Badakhshan, Afghanistan. He is remembered for his controversial and provocative lyrics, much of it he improvised as he sang. He believed the power of verbal freedom should rule over both studio recording... 's Masoma Rendition |
| 3 | Laily Majnoon | Naz | 2004 | Love Song |
| 4 | Dil | Dil | 2005 | Reflective Mood |