HYDERABAD, Aug 26: Ar-rangements have been made for burial of tabla maestro Munawar Hussain alias Mania who died of heart attack in Islamabad on Saturday night.

He leaves behind five daughters and two sons. His body is being brought here from Islamabad.

Munawar Hussain, who was in his early 40s, had gone to Islamabad to perform in a programme at the auditorium of the Pakistan National Council of Arts. As soon as he resumed his seat after performance, he felt severe chest pain and was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

A pall of gloom hangs in the area of Jamal Shah Jo Pir where relatives and friends have gathered. His burial would take place in Tando Yousuf graveyard.

Munawar belonged to family of musician. He had inherited tabla skills from his maternal grand father Ustad Khan Ghulam Mohammad alias Ghulamoo.

He was proficient in tabla as he expounded different forms of music including pop, folk, classical and cultural songs.

He performed with Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, Noor Jehan, Mehdi Hassan, Mahnaz, Humera Channa, Ghulam Ali, Ghulam Abbas and a host of others.

“He belonged to unique breed of tablanawaz in Sindh province as he adapted different styles while playing his instrument”, said his sobbing relative Salam Feroze Sheikh, the son of late Ustad Feroze Gul.

Munawar Hussain travelled across globe several times with different singers. He got appreciation from world famous tablanawaz Zakir Hussain in England at a family function at the house of Zakir’s sister.

While he was performing, Zakir Hussain gave him “nazar” which means tribute in musicians’ parlance. As a mark of respect, his family said, he had preserved that currency note which bears signature of Zakir Hussain.

Munawar also performed with India’s ghazal king Jagjit Singh in Bombay in late 80s at a joint musical evening of Jagjit and Abida Parveen. He demonstrated his skills in live concerts with Noor Jehan. He was part of Abida Parveen’s 20 albums, containing popular melodies like Arey logo tumhara kya.

He was conferred Qalandar Lal Shahbaz, Sachal and Shah Latif awards. He had been playing his instrument for more than one and half decade and known composers including Tafo, Ustad Feroze Gul, Ghulam Ali, Niaz Ahmed, Amanat Gul had made use of his musical skills. Now his son Mahar Hussain 24, is emulating his father and has joined the field.