PESHAWAR: Noted Pashto folk singers mesmerised the participants by singing inspiring poetry of Ghani Khan at a musical concert here on Thursday.

The Bacha Khan Trust arranged the function titled ‘Re-sing Ghani Khan’ at Bacha Khan Markaz in connection with Ghani Khan’s week-long death anniversary events. Music buffs, political activists and fans of Ghani Khan attended the event.

ANP leader and director of Bacha Khan Trust Aimal Wali Khan in his opening remarks said the basic aim of the event was to explore new melodies and themes through the poetry of Ghani Khan as he had varied tastes, vast knowledge, and lofty thoughts and had his own way of saying things with confidence and commitment.

Mr Khan said poets, artists and research scholars would be encouraged to conduct their literary, cultural and academic activities under the auspices of the Bacha Khan Trust.

The ANP leader said ecstasy, musicality and sublimity of creative images were the hallmarks of Ghani Khan’s poetry and art. “He was a true pilgrim of beauty, worshipper of love, a messenger of humanism and master of word images.”

Fayyaz Kheshgi, noted folk singer, said every single poem of Ghani Khan carried a philosophic idea and required a different melodic tune to sing it and it could not be done without understanding that very sublime thought. He said Ghani Khan could play sitar and knew the intricacies of Pashto music. He sang ‘Har Sa Da Rab Dee/Za Uew Makhaam La Raghaly Yem (Everything belongs to Allah/I have come here just to spend an evening) and spellbound the audience.

Ali Baba Khan, a rising vocalist was the first to sing Ghani Khan’s celebrated poem ‘Za Uew Mast Shan Lewantoob Yem’ (I am an ecstatic lunacy) and introduced ‘Pure Sufi Rock Band’, his music group in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. His band comprising Ali Baba Khan, Jerry Michael, Joel Michael, Ustad Mohsin, Qazi Umar and Jalal Khan registered impact on the participants.

The young vocalist in his brief talk said credit went to the living legend Sardar Ali Takar for discovering the Ghani Khan’s romantic sensibilities and deep philosophic under-currents and not only made it easier for youth but also made them fall in love with magic of his unconventional way of expression. “The trio of Sardar Ali Takar, Gulzar Alam and Shakeela Naz should be credited for exploring Ghani Khan in his true colours,” Mr Khan observed.

Fazal Wahab Dard, a senior folk sensation, said that singing Ghani Khan Kalam was not that easy because every time the musician had to invent a new composition to correspond to the sublime thoughts of a poet with many shades. He was a Sufi in his own right, he added.

Noted folk singers including Aslam Salik, Naeem Muhklis, and Moeez Khan also performed at the function.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2019