Amritsar, college days and Nayyara Noor

Nayyara Noor, who died of cancer last Sunday in Karachi, was a prolific singer featured on PTV.

Celebrated Pakistani singer Nayyara Noor, adored by millions from both sides of the border for her soulful melodies, passed away after a brief illness, her family said on Sunday (File)

In the early 90s, Pakistan Television (PTV) was the staple diet of all television watchers along border areas of Punjab. Not because of propaganda, but because of the excellent serials which were telecast on that platform. And Nayyara Noor, who died of cancer last Sunday in Karachi, was a prolific singer featured on PTV.

Studying in college in Amritsar, and till now reared on Doordarshan diet of Rangoli, Hindi movies, Hum Log, Ye Jo Hai Zindagi etc, the sights and sounds of Pakistani music and dramas were ‘different’ and piqued interest.

Also Read | Nayyara Noor’s music was just like her — gentle and perfectly controlled with an old-world charm to it

Madam Noorjehan, Nayyara Noor, Farida Khanum, Tahira Syed (daughter of famous singer Mallika Pukhraj) and many others were the ‘distinct’ voices for some of us who had lived in various corners of India and were more accustomed to Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhonsle.

The soft, lilting voice of Nayyara Noor singing Faiz’s ‘Aaj bazaar mein pa-ba-jaulan chalo’ (walk in streets today wearing chains) created a haunting image of the dictatorship of General Zia Ul Haq in Pakistan.

In those days, when the TV antenna had to be shifted manually facing Lahore- to catch PTV signals (a second antenna was permanently directed towards Jalandhar Doordarshan) – she would often be seen on PTV singing the lovely song ‘Roothe ho tum tum ko kaise manaoon piya’.

The college years flew by, as they often do, and soon I was in the rough and tumble of a profession, earning a living, and Nayyara Noor and her songs were just a memory.

Also Read | Nayyara Noor showed a generation of ghazal lovers the power of singing poetry adorned only with a beautiful voice

But the ultimate vindication of Nayyara Noor’s magical voice was witnessed by me and my wife at Attari-Wagah Indo-Pak border in the early 2000s, when we had visited the area a short while after the Parliament terror attack/Operation Parakram. The Army deployment on borders had heightened patriotic feelings, and the usual antagonistic atmosphere at the retreat ceremony was even more charged up.

Story continues below this ad

Sitting close to the border gates, we were listening to the multitude of songs ranging from Indian patriotic songs, energetic patriotic slogans being shouted by Indian crowds and the counter bombardment by similar songs and slogans from the Pakistani side. Not much could be made out, however, about the Pakistani songs and slogans apart from a few snatches here and there.

Sitting in the row before us was a lady who appeared to be a tourist, infused with the patriotic spirit of the occasion, shouting slogans and waving a fist at the Pakistani side. Suddenly there was a lull as the music on the Indian side stopped for a few seconds. In that micro interval came wafting the voice of Nayyara Noor singing a famous Pakistani ‘mili nagma’ (loosely translated as a patriotic song) ‘Watan ki mitti gawah rehna’. The lady in front spontaneously said, “kitni pyari awaaz hai”.

Farewell Nayyara Noor. Your voice will live on.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram