Nahid Niazi and Moslehuddin
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. |
Nahid Niazi and Moslehuddin
Briefly
Nahid Niazi and Moslehuddin were a married couple who were both well-known musicians and singers from Pakistan. They were part of a musical family, with both of their fathers being prominent musicians as well.
Nahid Niazi was born in 1950 in Lahore, Pakistan. She was the daughter of Ustad Mukhtar Begum, a classical vocalist, and the niece of the legendary Pakistani musician, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. Niazi started her musical training at a young age, and she went on to become a master of the ghazal, a form of poetic expression set to music.
Moslehuddin, born in 1951 in Lahore, was the son of Ustad Ashiq Hussain, a renowned sitar player. Like Niazi, Moslehuddin also began his musical education at a young age and became proficient in playing the sitar, a stringed instrument widely used in classical Indian and Pakistani music.
The couple met and fell in love while performing at a music festival in the 1970s. They got married soon after and began to collaborate on various musical projects.
Nahid Niazi and Moslehuddin were known for their unique style, which blended classical and folk music with contemporary elements. They released several albums together, including "Sajna Re" and "Ae Ishq-e-Junoon," which showcased their exceptional talent as musicians and vocalists.
The couple also performed extensively in concerts and music festivals both in Pakistan and internationally. They were known for their electrifying live performances, which featured their soulful singing and Moslehuddin's mesmerizing sitar playing.
In addition to their musical careers, Nahid Niazi and Moslehuddin were also involved in social activism. They used their music to raise awareness about important social issues such as gender inequality and poverty.
Articles about the couple
A charming voice from the past
By Ras Hafiz Siddiqui
Nahid Niazi has lived a life of relative seclusion following the death of her husband, music conductor/composer Moslehuddin in 2003. It just happened to be our good luck that she was visiting her son Feisal Mosleh (a musician in his own right) who lives in the San Francisco Bay area, when a group of Silicon Valley Pakistani-Americans organised a fundraiser for a charity organisation.
Both mother and son quickly volunteered to help out with the fundraiser, organised by The Citizens Foundation, which was held at a restaurant in Newark. Nahid was anxious to interact with the Pakistani and South Asian community after a long absence. This gave me an opportunity to chat with her.
Besides her good looks, Nahid has a gentle demeanour and charm that oozes a sense of confidence. Through her measured words one can gather that she has adapted well to her life in the United Kingdom, but nevertheless misses Pakistan very much. She visits her son in California off and on and likes to spend most of her time with her grandchildren, both in the US and UK, where her daughter Nermin lives. However, she admits that the loss of her husband Mosleh was and still is quite overpowering.
Nahid is the daughter of the late Sajjad Sarwar Niazi, a former director at Radio Pakistan. She married Moslehuddin, a Bengali, and the two went through a traumatic experience in 1971. The creation of Bangladesh led to many couples making painful decisions regarding their future together. Rumours regarding Bengali husbands leaving their West-Pakistani wives spread, which included rumours about Nahid’s own marriage, and had her family worried sick.
Nahid Niazi belongs to the golden age of Pakistani arts – an age that needs to be preserved. One can only hope more people will work towards properly archiving the past for the benefit of our future generations and in the process, utilise Nahid Niazi as an important resource
Moslehuddin and Nahid eventually conquered the division and started a new life in the UK. They made a big impact in their adopted country and rumour has it that Moslehuddin, the accomplished music composer, helped invent the famous South Asian dish ‘Chicken Tikka Masala,’ which has become an essential part of British gastronomy. “It is true,” Nahid confirmed.
Talking about her all time favourite song, Nahid said that she is very fond of her father’s composition Ek Baar Phir Kaho Zara, originally sung by Shamshad Begum. Her favourite female singers are Noor Jehan and Lata Mangeshkar. Amongst male voices, those of Mohammed Rafi and Mehdi Hassan as well as Ahmed Rushdi have a special appeal for her.
Nahid said that she is spending a lot of time learning the Bengali language. The need to understand more of what her husband wrote has inspired her to do so. On her future plans she said, “I am sorting out my life after Mosleh’s death. I am all set to return to Pakistan.” Thus, one can look forward to hearing from her in the near future.
Nahid Niazi belongs to the golden age of Pakistani arts – an age that needs to be preserved. While some individuals are making efforts for the same, one can only hope that more people will work towards properly archiving the past for the benefit of our future generations and in the process utilise Nahid Niazi as an important resource.
