MULTAN: Pakistan is a land enriched with several genres of music with an unending list of singers, lyricists and composers. Its folk music is one of the powerful and prominent art forms having deep roots in the culture and the people.

Tufail Niazi, Alam Lohar, Mai Bhagi, Abida Parveen, Iqbal Bahu, Reshma, Hamid Ali Bela, Pathanay Khan, Faiz Mohamad Baloch, Attaullah Esakhelvi, Mahjabin Qazalbash, Allan Fakir, Arif Lohar, Saieen Zahoor and Faqira Bhagat are the giants of folk music and the list goes on.

Krishan Lal Bheel, who passed away on May 7, was also in the league of the some of the folk singers mentioned above.

Bheel, who had received the Pride of Performance, was one of the leading folk singers of Pakistan and a representation of music of Cholistan. Born at Chak 26/MP at Jamaldin Wali Road, Sadiqabad, he was second in the siblings and was fond of singing since childhood.

Sukhdev, the late singer’s elder brother, said: “We belonged to a humble family. Our father was a religious person. Krishan used to croon while grazing goats in the area in his childhood. He was inspired by legendary folk singer Mai Bhagi of Thar and listened to her songs eagerly”.

Jalal Chandio, a folk singer hailing from Sindh, was another favourite of Krishan, Sukhdev said, adding that his brother had started singing in 1980. He leant music from Chandio and former MPA Lala Mehr Lal G took him for first recording at Radio Pakistan, Bahawalpur. The politician introduced him to Station Director Nasrullah Khan Nasir.

The folk singer sang over 1,000 songs and received a number of awards while his home was full of awards and appreciation certificates, Sukhdev said. The legendary singer could sing in eight languages, including his mother language, Marwari, Sindhi, Hindi, Seraiki, Urdu, Punjabi and Thari.

Marwari is a language spoken by all whether the Hindus or the Muslims in Marwar, an area of Rajasthan, Sukhdev explained. He said Krishan Lal performed in Cholistan Thar Jeep Rally this year which was his last performance.

Sukhdev appealed to government to build a boundary wall of the Pattan Minara graveyard in Krishan Lal’s name where he was laid to rest as it was an ancient cemetery of the Hindu community. The late singer had around 100 students while 16 of them are singing, including Dittu Lal G and Jamil Lal Debu Pardesi.

Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) Director General Dr Fouzia Saeed paid tribute to Krishan Lal Bheel, saying he had a high stature and had no complaints with life.

“He was contented and a mystic and brought good name to the country by representing it internationally. I have a long association of 30 years with Bheel community. I, along with Yasir Nauman and others, had initiated a movement to revive ‘Manganiar’ music which was dying. After reviving it, I converted my attention to the Bheel community and wrote a booklet to trace its history for information of all specially the youth,” she explained.

She told the APP that Manganiar, Kohli, Bheel and Meghwar were indigenous castes of the area who owned this region.

“We wrote their history for which Krishan Lal and other Ustaads cooperated with us a lot. Lakha G Bheel’s family was big family of the area. They were storytellers. It was the last family of storytellers and after death of Lakha G, his team and kids joined Krishan.”

Dr Fouzia Saeed announced to hold a befitting tribute to iconic folk singer under the PNCA wherein singers of Cholistan would be invited. “Krishan will live in our hearts even after his demise because music never dies,” she remarked.

Former broadcaster and educationist Dr Nasrullah Khan Nasir said Krishan belonged to a nomad family and he (Nasir) introduced him at the Radio Pakistan, Bahawalpur. Krishan used to call him ‘Murshid’ and had a great respect for him.

“He was so much involved in music that he got his songs recorded at radio even on his wedding day. When I came to know about it, I immediately called him for recording for a concert and sent him home to tie the knot.”

For centuries, Cholistan has possessed unexplored folk heritage, which was unexposed because no one bothered to excavate the treasures it has, Dr Nasir informed.

“Voice of Cholistan” as Krishan Lal was called died of kidney complications in Rahim Yar Khan and leaves and treasure of music and legacy behind to follow by others.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2020