Allan Fakir (1932– 4 July 2000) ( Sindhi: ''علڻ فقيرُ'',
Urdu
Urdu (;"Urdu" '' folk singer
Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
. He was particularly known for his ecstatic style of performance, marked with extreme devotional rhetoric and Sufi dance-singing.
Early life
Allan Fakir was born in 1932 in the Aamari in
Jamshoro District
Jamshoro District ( sd, ضلعو ڄام شورو, ur, ), is a district of Sindh province, Pakistan. Jamshoro city is the capital while Kotri is the largest city of the Jamshoro District. The district borders Dadu district to the north. To the e ...
, Sindh. Allan's mother died soon after giving birth. He spent his childhood in Manjhand, a town between
Sehwan
Sehwan ( sd, سيوهڻ شريف, ur, ; also commonly referred to as Sehwan Sharif or ''Noble Sehwan'') is a historic city located in Jamshoro District of Sindh province in Pakistan and on the west bank of the Indus north-west of Hyderabad. The ...
and Hyderabad, Sindh.
He belonged to Mangrasi tribe. According to the traditions of this caste, Allan Fakir's father used to beat the drum and sing traditional songs at weddings and Faqir's brothers still do the same job.
Fakir is an
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
word, and implies a Sufi or a mystic. Thus in the real sense of the word, a 'Fakir' is someone who leads an independent life marked by piety, abstinence from material needs, and contentment in the available resources. It must not be confused with the rather loose usage of the same word implying a beggar, in the local languages Sindhi and
Radio Pakistan
Radio Pakistan serves as the national public broadcaster for radio in Pakistan. Although some local stations predate Radio Pakistan's founding, it is the oldest existing broadcasting network in Pakistan. The network was established on 14 Augus ...
and
Pakistan Television Corporation
Pakistan Television Corporation ( ur, ; reporting name: PTV) is the Pakistani state-owned broadcaster. Pakistan entered the television broadcasting age in 1964, with a pilot television station established at Lahore.
Background
Historical co ...
in Hyderabad, Sindh and helped him to learn the correct pronunciation of Bhitai's poetry.
Eventually, Allan became a performing legend.
Super-hit songs
* He sang a duet with pop singer Muhammad Ali Shehki, "Allah Allah Kar Bhayya, Humma Humma".
* A patriotic song "Itne bare jeewan saagar mein tu nein Pakistan diya, O' Allah, O' Allah" Sung by Allan Fakir, lyrics by
Jamiluddin Aali
Nawabzada Mirza Jamiluddin Ahmed Khan PP, HI (20 January 1925 – 23 November 2015), also known as Jamiluddin Aali or Aaliji, was a Pakistani poet, critic, playwright, essayist, columnist, and scholar.
Early life and career
Nawabzada Mir ...
Pakistan Television Corporation
Pakistan Television Corporation ( ur, ; reporting name: PTV) is the Pakistani state-owned broadcaster. Pakistan entered the television broadcasting age in 1964, with a pilot television station established at Lahore.
Background
Historical co ...
,
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former c ...
production (1973)http://tribune.com.pk/story/401396/in-memory-of-folk-singer-allan-faqir-remembered/, The Express Tribune newspaper, Published 30 June 2012, Retrieved 13 November 2016https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6hL8h00um4, Allan Fakir's song on YouTube, Retrieved 13 November 2016
Honors and awards
Allan Fakir received the following awards:
* President's
Pride of Performance
The Pride of Performance ( ur, ), officially known as Presidential Pride of Performance, is an award bestowed by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to recognize people with "notable achievements in the field of art, science, literature, sports, an ...
award in 1980
* Bukhari Award in 1984
* Shahbaz Award in 1987
* Shah Latif Award in 1992
* Kandhkot Award in 1993
Death
Allan Faqir died on 4 July 2000, at Liaqat National Hospital, Karachi. He left behind his wife, 3 sons and 2 daughters.https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/soc.culture.pakistan/YbyP5q4VLaw, Obituary and Profile on google.com website, Retrieved 13 November 2016