Qawwal Bahauddin Khan
Encyclopedia
Ustad Bahauddin Khan Qawwal (1934 - February 3, 2006) was an Pakistan
i Qawwali
musician. All five of his sons - Muhammad Najmuddin (b. 1967), Saifuddin Mehmood (b. 1971), Zafeeruddin Ahmed (b. 1977), Mughisuddin Hassan (b. 1979) and Ehtishamuddin Hussain (b. 1981) - have followed in his footsteps.
Bahauddin Khan is descended from a family of musicians which traces its lineage back to the days of Amir Khusro
. To propagate Islam throughout South Asia, Amir Khusro banded together twelve youngsters, and personally trained them in Qawwali, a genre of devotional Sufi music. He appointed Mian Saamat as the leader of this group, which was named the Qawwal Bachche (the qawwal kids). The Qawwal Bachche, in turn, taught Qawwali to other aspiring students.
Bahauddin Qawwal was born in 1934. He received formal musical training from his father, Suleman Khan, and his uncle, Sardar Khan. He began giving public performances, and won prizes and acclaim, from the age of six, singly and also as an active member of Manzoor Niazi Qawwal and party. In 1947, he was decorated as Nunhay Ragi, in 1949 received Certificate of Performance, and in 1951 earned the title of Nunhay Hind Ragi from the Indian Prime Minister. In 2000, he was awarded with the title Tamgha-i-Imtiaz
by the President of Pakistan, and in 2002 earned the title of Ustad from the Vice President of Mauritius and also received Gold Medal and Commemorative Shield from the Minister of Arts & Culture. In 2003, he received the "In the name of Allah" Award from Viqar-e-Adab, an organization working for the revival, propagation, development and betterment of arts & culture.
In 1956, Bahauddin left the court of the Nizam of Hyderabad
, and migrated to Pakistan. There he started afresh with his cousins Raziuddin A. Khan and Manzoor A. Khan Niazi, as Manzoor Niazi Qawwal and party, which included his brother and other nephews also, under the patronage and guidance of his father, Suleman Khan.
In 1966, Bahauddin went solo under his own name, and in 1969, in recognition of his masterly rendition of Qawwali, eminent personalities and lovers of Qawwali crowned him Ashraf-ul-Mousiqaraan.
Bahauddin performed all over the world, touring Europe, the Middle East, East and South Africa, Iran and India several times.
The National Centre for the Performing Arts in India has recorded his classical style of Qawwali on the Golden Tape for safe-keeping up to 200 years, as a reference and guide for researchers and scholars. Dr. Zoe Ansari, a research scholar and historian, recorded him for inclusion on a two- cassette audio-biography of Amir Khusro. The French broadcasting authorities and the BBC
have also recorded Bahauddin for purposes of research and reference. His Qawwalis in Urdu, Persian and Arabic are regularly telecast in Pakistan. They have also been sent to Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and some Central Asian Countries on special requests.
Bahauddin Qawwal and his family have been continuously attached to Sufi orders for the last seven centuries. They have been granted permanent rooms adjacent to the shrines of Moinuddin Chishti
, Nizamuddin Auliya and Alauddin Sabir Kaliyari
, in Ajmer, Delhi and Kalyar respectively, due to their regular services to and continuous attachment with these Sufi saints. Furthermore, the descendants of Nizamuddin Auliya conferred a Certificate of Affiliation on him and turbaned him and his sons in recognition of their family's attachment to the Sufi order of Nizamuddin Auliya.
Bahauddin held many positions at different organizations dedicated to the revival and development of Qawwali. He has released 9 VCDs/CDs and 39 video/audio cassettes and records. In 1978, Hilton Movies recorded a Qawwali of his for their film Gardish.
Bahauddin's sons have followed in his footsteps. In May 1999, Lok Virsa invited his sons Najmuddin and Saifuddin to perform at Islamabad at the National Youth Festival. In November–December 2005, they toured the UK, performing 13 concerts in 10 different cities. They went on to tour Switzerland in January 2006, performing in 6 cities. These concerts were arranged to raise funds for the victims of the 2005 Kashmir earthquake
. Najmuddin and Saifuddin were recorded by Iran Radio, Zahidan, during their visit to Iran in 2000, and by the government network Pakistan Television as well the private ARY Digital
network. They have received Hazrat Amir Khusro Award and New Qawwali Talent Award for their performances. They released an audio-cassette in 2003 and in 2004.
After Bahauddin's death, the Sindh
Minister for Sports and Culture established the Bahauddin Qawwal award in his honor.
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...
i Qawwali
Qawwali
Qawwali is a form of Sufi devotional music popular in South Asia, particularly in the Punjab and Sindh regions of Pakistan, Hyderabad, Delhi, and other parts of northern India...
musician. All five of his sons - Muhammad Najmuddin (b. 1967), Saifuddin Mehmood (b. 1971), Zafeeruddin Ahmed (b. 1977), Mughisuddin Hassan (b. 1979) and Ehtishamuddin Hussain (b. 1981) - have followed in his footsteps.
Bahauddin Khan is descended from a family of musicians which traces its lineage back to the days of Amir Khusro
Amir Khusro
Ab'ul Hasan Yamīn ud-Dīn Khusrow , better known as Amīr Khusrow Dehlawī , was an Indian musician, scholar and poet. He was an iconic figure in the cultural history of the Indian subcontinent...
. To propagate Islam throughout South Asia, Amir Khusro banded together twelve youngsters, and personally trained them in Qawwali, a genre of devotional Sufi music. He appointed Mian Saamat as the leader of this group, which was named the Qawwal Bachche (the qawwal kids). The Qawwal Bachche, in turn, taught Qawwali to other aspiring students.
Bahauddin Qawwal was born in 1934. He received formal musical training from his father, Suleman Khan, and his uncle, Sardar Khan. He began giving public performances, and won prizes and acclaim, from the age of six, singly and also as an active member of Manzoor Niazi Qawwal and party. In 1947, he was decorated as Nunhay Ragi, in 1949 received Certificate of Performance, and in 1951 earned the title of Nunhay Hind Ragi from the Indian Prime Minister. In 2000, he was awarded with the title Tamgha-i-Imtiaz
Tamgha-i-Imtiaz
Tamgha-i-Imtiaz , English: Medal of Excellence, is state organized honour of State of Pakistan. It is the fourth-highest decoration given to any civilian in Pakistan based on their achievements. While, it is civilian award, it can also be bestowed to Military officers of the Pakistan Armed Forces...
by the President of Pakistan, and in 2002 earned the title of Ustad from the Vice President of Mauritius and also received Gold Medal and Commemorative Shield from the Minister of Arts & Culture. In 2003, he received the "In the name of Allah" Award from Viqar-e-Adab, an organization working for the revival, propagation, development and betterment of arts & culture.
In 1956, Bahauddin left the court of the Nizam of Hyderabad
Nizam
Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad popularly known as Nizams of Hyderabad was a former monarchy of the Hyderabad State, now in the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Maharashtra in India...
, and migrated to Pakistan. There he started afresh with his cousins Raziuddin A. Khan and Manzoor A. Khan Niazi, as Manzoor Niazi Qawwal and party, which included his brother and other nephews also, under the patronage and guidance of his father, Suleman Khan.
In 1966, Bahauddin went solo under his own name, and in 1969, in recognition of his masterly rendition of Qawwali, eminent personalities and lovers of Qawwali crowned him Ashraf-ul-Mousiqaraan.
Bahauddin performed all over the world, touring Europe, the Middle East, East and South Africa, Iran and India several times.
The National Centre for the Performing Arts in India has recorded his classical style of Qawwali on the Golden Tape for safe-keeping up to 200 years, as a reference and guide for researchers and scholars. Dr. Zoe Ansari, a research scholar and historian, recorded him for inclusion on a two- cassette audio-biography of Amir Khusro. The French broadcasting authorities and the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
have also recorded Bahauddin for purposes of research and reference. His Qawwalis in Urdu, Persian and Arabic are regularly telecast in Pakistan. They have also been sent to Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and some Central Asian Countries on special requests.
Bahauddin Qawwal and his family have been continuously attached to Sufi orders for the last seven centuries. They have been granted permanent rooms adjacent to the shrines of Moinuddin Chishti
Moinuddin Chishti
Sultan-ul-Hind, Moinuddin Chishti was born in 1141 and died in 1230 CE. Also known as Gharīb Nawāz "Benefactor of the Poor" , he is the most famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order of the Indian Subcontinent. He introduced and established the order in South Asia...
, Nizamuddin Auliya and Alauddin Sabir Kaliyari
Alauddin Sabir Kaliyari
Alauddin Ali Ahmed Kaliyari also known as Sabir Kaliyari was a prominent South Asian Sufi Saint of Chishti Order in 13th century, a successor to Baba Fareed , and the first in the Sabiriya branch of Chishti Order....
, in Ajmer, Delhi and Kalyar respectively, due to their regular services to and continuous attachment with these Sufi saints. Furthermore, the descendants of Nizamuddin Auliya conferred a Certificate of Affiliation on him and turbaned him and his sons in recognition of their family's attachment to the Sufi order of Nizamuddin Auliya.
Bahauddin held many positions at different organizations dedicated to the revival and development of Qawwali. He has released 9 VCDs/CDs and 39 video/audio cassettes and records. In 1978, Hilton Movies recorded a Qawwali of his for their film Gardish.
Bahauddin's sons have followed in his footsteps. In May 1999, Lok Virsa invited his sons Najmuddin and Saifuddin to perform at Islamabad at the National Youth Festival. In November–December 2005, they toured the UK, performing 13 concerts in 10 different cities. They went on to tour Switzerland in January 2006, performing in 6 cities. These concerts were arranged to raise funds for the victims of the 2005 Kashmir earthquake
2005 Kashmir earthquake
The 2005 Kashmir earthquake was a major earthquake centered in Pakistan-administered Kashmir known as Azad Kashmir, near the city of Muzaffarabad, affecting Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It occurred at 08:52:37 Pakistan Standard Time on 8 October 2005...
. Najmuddin and Saifuddin were recorded by Iran Radio, Zahidan, during their visit to Iran in 2000, and by the government network Pakistan Television as well the private ARY Digital
ARY Digital
ARY Digital, a subsidiary of the ARY Group, is a popular Pakistani television network available in Pakistan, the Middle East, North America and Europe. The ARY Group of companies is a Dubai-based holding company founded by a Pakistani businessman, Abdul Razzak Yaqoob . The network caters to the...
network. They have received Hazrat Amir Khusro Award and New Qawwali Talent Award for their performances. They released an audio-cassette in 2003 and in 2004.
After Bahauddin's death, the Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
Minister for Sports and Culture established the Bahauddin Qawwal award in his honor.