Iqbal Bano
Encyclopedia
Iqbal Bano PP
(1935, Delhi
- 21 April 2009, Lahore
) was a highly acclaimed female Ghazal
singer from Pakistan
. She was best known for her semi-classical Urdu ghazal songs and classical thumris, but also sang easy-listening numbers in 1950s films.
, British India. From a young age, she developed a love for music. It was a crucial moment of her life when her friend's father told Bano's father, "My daughters do sing reasonably well, but Iqbal is blessed in singing. She will become a big name if you begin her training." Her father allowed her to study music.
In Delhi, she studied under Ustad Chaand Khan of the Delhi Gharana
, an expert in all kinds of pure classical and light classical forms of vocal music
. He instructed her in pure classical music and light classical music within the framework of classical forms of thumri
and dadra
. She was duly initiated Gaandaabandh shagird of her Ustad.
, Delhi, where she sang on the radio.
In 1952, aged 17, she married into a land-owning family in Pakistan
. She moved to Multan with her husband who promised her that he would never try to stop her from singing, but would rather encourage and promote her. She was a star by the 1950s, singing soundtrack songs for famous Urdu films like Gumnaam (1954), Qatil (1955), Inteqaam (1955), Sarfarosh (1956), Ishq-e-Laila (1957), and Nagin (1959).
Iqbal Bano was invited by Radio Pakistan for performances. Her debut public concert was in 1957, at the Lahore Arts Council. She was considered a specialist in singing the ghazal
s of Faiz Ahmed Faiz
. In 1985, Bano roused a strong crowd of 50,000 people in Lahore by singing Faiz's passionate Urdu anthem, Hum Dekhenge, although his works were banned by General Zia ul-Haq's military regime. In due course she generated more and more public appeal and became a specialist in singing the kalam of Faiz Ahmad Faiz. She also sang ghazals of Nasir Kazmi
, also ghazals in Persian
. She also sang Persian poetry, which became popular in Iran and Afghanistan. In pre-1979 Afghanistan, she was often invited to the annual cultural fair, the Jashn-e-Kabul.
In light classical, her presentation of Thumris in raags Khammach (kahay sataey mohe), Tilak Kamode (sautan ghar na ja), Des (Naheen parey mohe chaen), Peelo (gori torey naina karaj bin kalay) and others are renderings which have become all time great.
Music lovers noted some similarities between Bano and Begum Akhtar
, especially some marked resemblances in their styles of singing. Bano's recitals stuck to a classical style
that lays more stress on the raag purity.
Pride of Performance
Pride of Performance , is one of the highest civil award given and conferred by the Pakistan Government to Pakistan's citizens in recognition of distinguished merit in the fields of Literature, Arts, Sports, Medicines, and Science for civilians in most particular cases.The announcement of civil...
(1935, Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
- 21 April 2009, Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
) was a highly acclaimed female 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...
singer from 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...
. She was best known for her semi-classical Urdu ghazal songs and classical thumris, but also sang easy-listening numbers in 1950s films.
Early life
Iqbal Bano was born in DelhiDelhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, British India. From a young age, she developed a love for music. It was a crucial moment of her life when her friend's father told Bano's father, "My daughters do sing reasonably well, but Iqbal is blessed in singing. She will become a big name if you begin her training." Her father allowed her to study music.
In Delhi, she studied under Ustad Chaand Khan of the Delhi Gharana
Delhi gharana
The Delhi Gharana is the oldest of all tabla gharanas, and is also the first to establish improvisation rules. It was founded in North-East India, and is easily one of the most, if not the most, common Gharana used today.-History:...
, an expert in all kinds of pure classical and light classical forms of vocal music
Vocal music
Vocal music is a genre of music performed by one or more singers, with or without instrumental accompaniment, in which singing provides the main focus of the piece. Music which employs singing but does not feature it prominently is generally considered instrumental music Vocal music is a genre of...
. He instructed her in pure classical music and light classical music within the framework of classical forms of thumri
Thumri
Thumri is a common genre of semi-classical Indian music.The text is romantic or devotional in nature, and usually revolves around a girl's love for Krishna. The lyrics are usually in Uttar Pradesh dialects of Hindi called Poorbi and Brij Bhasha...
and dadra
Dadra
Dadra refers to two separate but originally linked concepts in Hindustani classical music.-Dadra tala:This is a Hindustani classical tala , consisting of six beats in two equal divisions of three. The most commonly accepted theka or basic pattern for this tala is dha dhi na, dha tu na...
. She was duly initiated Gaandaabandh shagird of her Ustad.
Career
Ustad Chaand Khan referred her to All India RadioAll India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
, Delhi, where she sang on the radio.
In 1952, aged 17, she married into a land-owning family in 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...
. She moved to Multan with her husband who promised her that he would never try to stop her from singing, but would rather encourage and promote her. She was a star by the 1950s, singing soundtrack songs for famous Urdu films like Gumnaam (1954), Qatil (1955), Inteqaam (1955), Sarfarosh (1956), Ishq-e-Laila (1957), and Nagin (1959).
In Pakistan
Her husband died in 70's, after which she moved to Lahore from Multan. It was observed that her temperament was particularly suited to vocal genres like thumri, dadra and ghazal.Iqbal Bano was invited by Radio Pakistan for performances. Her debut public concert was in 1957, at the Lahore Arts Council. She was considered a specialist in singing 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...
s of Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Faiz Ahmad Faiz was a Pakistani intellectual, poet, and one of the most famous poets of the Urdu language. He was a member of the Anjuman Tarraqi Pasand Mussanafin-e-Hind and an avowed Marxist. In 1962, he was awarded the Lenin Peace Prize by the Soviet Union...
. In 1985, Bano roused a strong crowd of 50,000 people in Lahore by singing Faiz's passionate Urdu anthem, Hum Dekhenge, although his works were banned by General Zia ul-Haq's military regime. In due course she generated more and more public appeal and became a specialist in singing the kalam of Faiz Ahmad Faiz. She also sang ghazals of Nasir Kazmi
Nasir Kazmi
Syed Nasir Raza Kazmi, was a renowned Urdu poet of Pakistan. He was one of the greatest poets of this era, especially in the use of "ista'aaray" and "chhotee beher". Kazmi was born on December 8, 1925 at Ambala in British India.-Education and Career:Kazmi was educated at Ambala, Simla and Lahore...
, also ghazals in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
. She also sang Persian poetry, which became popular in Iran and Afghanistan. In pre-1979 Afghanistan, she was often invited to the annual cultural fair, the Jashn-e-Kabul.
In light classical, her presentation of Thumris in raags Khammach (kahay sataey mohe), Tilak Kamode (sautan ghar na ja), Des (Naheen parey mohe chaen), Peelo (gori torey naina karaj bin kalay) and others are renderings which have become all time great.
Music lovers noted some similarities between Bano and Begum Akhtar
Begum Akhtar
Akhtari Bai Faizabadi or Begum Akhtar was a well known Indian singer of Ghazal, Dadra and Thumri.She received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for vocal music, and was awarded Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan by Govt. of India...
, especially some marked resemblances in their styles of singing. Bano's recitals stuck to a classical style
Classicism
Classicism, in the arts, refers generally to a high regard for classical antiquity, as setting standards for taste which the classicists seek to emulate. The art of classicism typically seeks to be formal and restrained: of the Discobolus Sir Kenneth Clark observed, "if we object to his restraint...
that lays more stress on the raag purity.