Parveen Nazar پروین نظر | |
|---|---|
| Born | Parveen Begum (1950-06-05)5 June 1950 |
| Died | 19 September 2011(2011-09-19) (aged 61) Bahawalpur, Pakistan |
| Genres | Kafi |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1970 – 2011 |
Spouse | Ustad Nazar Hussain Khan (husband) |
| Awards | Pride of Performance Award by thePresident of Pakistan (2009)[1] |
Parveen Nazar (Urdu:پروین نظر; 5 June 1950 - 19 September 2011) was a Pakistani folk singer specializing in theSufi devotional genre ofkafi.[2] She was known asThe Queen of Kaifi.[2] She was primarily associated withRadio Pakistan and was honored for her contributions to folk music.[2]
She was a respected figure, particularly within the Seraiki cultural belt, and was known for her vocal technique and dedication to classical and spiritual music.[2] Her performances were preserved by the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage,Lok Virsa.[3][2]
She was born inRanipur,Sindh, Pakistan.[2] Parveen and her parents then moved to the town ofKhanqah Sharif, a suburb ofBahawalpur.[2] She developed an early interest in classical music and received formal training from Ustad Fateh Ali Khan Hyderabadi of theGwalior Gharana.[2] She came from a background where music and traditional culture were significant. Her practice and dedication to the art form garnered local recognition, with audiences appreciating her powerful voice and distinct style.[2]
Parveen Nazar established herself primarily through live performances across Pakistan.[4][2] She was a noted performer at various national and regional cultural festivals.[5] The mother of actressesAnjuman andGori went to a Nazar's performance at a musical event.[5] She liked Nazar's singing and introduced her to a Radio Station director and then the director called her to Radio Pakistan and she sang a folk song there. Then she became a prominent singer at Radio Pakistan.[5]
Nazar began her professional singing career at Radio Pakistan, starting at its stations inBahawalpur andMultan in 1984.[4] She was renowned for her expressive renditions of kafi, a solo genre based on Sufi poetry.[2] Her repertoire drew from the works of revered Sufi poets, includingKhwaja Ghulam Farid,Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai,Bedil Sindhi,Bulleh Shah, andShah Hussain.[4] In addition to kafi, she performedghazals and traditional matrimonial songs forRadio Pakistan.[4]
Her dedication and style earned her admiration within the Seraiki community and a strong reputation for classical singing across the country.[4] Her songs, ghazals, and mystical poetry are preserved in the archives of variousRadio Pakistan stations and have also been broadcast onPakistan Television Corporation.[2]
A significant portion of Parveen Nazar's recognition comes from her association with Lok Virsa inIslamabad.[2] She performed full-length concerts and appeared at numerous festivals organized by the institute, which aims to preserve and promote Pakistani folk heritage.[2] These performances were instrumental in bringing her music to a wider audience.[4] She is particularly celebrated for her powerful delivery and ability to connect with the audience during live events.[2] The National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage, Lok Virsa, recorded and preserved several of her performances.[5]
In March 2009, she was honoured withPride of Performance Award by theGovernment of Pakistan for her contributions to music.[6]
The Bahawalpur Arts Council honored Nazar at a ceremony at Rashidiya Hall, where she was "crowned" and presented with prizes by fans and socio-cultural organizations.[2] At another ceremony in Quetta, a former Federal Minister for Water and Power presented her with a gold medal.[2]
Much of Nazar's kafi work was composed by her husband, the musician Ustad Nazar Hussain Khan.[2][7] He was a student of classical musician Ustad Umeed Ali Khan and served him inHyderabad for a decade.[2]
She died in 2011 atBahawalpur,Pakistan.[5]
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Title | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Pride of Performance | Award by thePresident of Pakistan | Won | Arts | [6] |