Kali Kali Zulfon Ke Phande: Noose of Jet-Black Locks*

I still remember the day the All India Radio announced the death of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in London. It was a hot summer evening in 1997 and I had just finished my dinner.

My introduction to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was through a friend, who had been a devout fan of him, in spite of not understanding most of the lyrics, composed in Punjabi. He had bought many of Fateh's cassettes and I had the privelege to listen to the songs over a glass of vodka or wine! Over the next few years, "Kali Kali Zulfon" had become the theme song during our drinking sessions. Until we left the dormroom, not a single time did we drink without being in the the shade of the kali kali zulfon (jet-black locks).

An overweight man fond of food, Khan was warned by his physicians to cut down his intake of food. Apprently, he did not pay much atention to their words!

It is really amazing that in a lifespan of 49 years, one could churn out 125 albums! But then this was none other than the Shahenshah-e-Qawwali (The Emperor of Qawwali).

*In memorium: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (13th October, 1948 - 16th August, 1997).
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Acknowledgements: http://www.music-reviewer.com/12_97/pix/nfa2.jpg; for the picture