Happy Birthday Mehdi Hassan: 5 Melodies by the ‘Shahnshah-e-ghazal’

Bionous

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posted on 2 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Mehdi Haasan's voice had just the right amount of pain that would immediately connect with listeners’ souls.

Music is a language that has the potential to transcend physical as well as spiritual barriers. Mix it with soulful words, and you have, what can be considered, a god-like potion of harmony. One such concoction is a Ghazal. Enchanting, melodious, and soothing, ghazals have a special place in the world of music. They have the power to connect with the deepest of feelings.

There have been a few legendary ghazal singers who managed to produce magic with their voices. Mehdi Hassan tops the list. His voice had just the right amount of pain that would immediately connect with listeners’ souls. He was the rightful owner of the title, ‘Shahanshah-e-ghazal.’ The Nightingale of India, Lata Mangeshkar, once called his voice the “Voice of God."

Here are the top 5 ghazals by Mehdi Hassan that are immortal in the hearts of all ghazal listeners:

GULON MEIN RANG BHARE

Written by Faiz Ahmed Faiz, this ghazal was beautifully cradled by Hassan’s voice. Faiz wrote this while he was in jail. The complexity of the language was unriddled by Hassan’s simple yet soulful voice. This ghazal gave Hassan the fame that he deserved. It has been used in multiple Bollywood movies.

ZINDAGI MEIN TOH SABHI

Starting and ending the ghazal with the line, “Zindagi mein to sabhi Pyaar Karte hain, main toh mar ke bhi meri Jaan Tujhe chahoonga," it makes it the ultimate love anthem. It accurately elucidates the emotions of lovers who want to be together beyond the boundaries of death. This composition was set in Raag Bhimpalasi.

RANJISH HI SAHI

Written by Ahmed Faraz, this ghazal is one of the most popular among the ghazal listeners and one of the best works of Mehdi Hassan. Set in Raag Yaman, this ghazal beautifully showcases how a loved one is happily welcomed, even if pain and agony come with it.

PYAAR BHARE DO SHARMILE NAIN

Heard and popularized in the 1974 movie ‘Chahat,’ this ghazal is yet another epitome of perfection sung by Mehdi Hassan. The lyrics, written by Khwaja Parvez, exhibit immense love and the apprehensions of lovers.