As I sit on the parapet of my balcony, having a cup of tea in the middle of the night while listening to Nayyara Noor Jee’s heart fluttering voice, I smile inside out that Pakistan is gifted with a lady having such a dainty voice that makes you believe that life is beautiful. Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poetry in Nayyara Noor’s voice is a combination which can melt a stone cold heart or heal a shattered heart. Music heals and here’s a list of Nayyara’s treasure chest of music that can make life more bearable:
1. Aaj Bazar Mein
chashm-nam jān-e-shorīda kaafī nahīñ
tohmat-e-ishq-e-poshīda kaafī nahīñ
aaj bāzār meñ pā-ba-jaulāñ chalo
dast-afshāñ chalo mast o raqsāñ chalo
Faiz wrote this poem when he was jailed and taken out to go to the dentist and people recognized him on the road. The poetry and Nayyara Jee’s voice takes you to a mind palace where you can actually feel Faiz’s pain and witness all the scene.
2. Hum Ke Thehre Ajnabi
ham ki Thahre ajnabī itnī mudārātoñ ke ba.ad
phir baneñge āshnā kitnī mulāqātoñ ke ba.ad
kab nazar meñ aa.egī be-dāġh sabze kī bahār
ḳhoon ke dhabbe dhuleñge kitnī barsātoñ ke ba.ad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvBtfIP0pyM
This is, again, a Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Nayyara Noor combination which is gut-wrenching because Faiz wrote it after his return from Dhaka, Bangladesh in 1974, where he lost countless friends.
3. Raat Yun Dil Main Teri
raat yuuñ dil meñ terī khoī huī yaad aaye
jaisay vīrāne meñ chupke se bahār aa jaaye
jaisay sahrāoñ meiñ haule se chale bād-e-nasīm
jaisay bīmār ko be-vaj.h qarār aa jaaye
Even if some of us don’t know Nayyara Noor, we all know this classic gem as Dhoop Kinaray’s OST.
4. Vo Jo Hum Main Tum Main Qarar Tha
vo jo ham meñ tum meñ qarār thā tumheñ yaad ho ki na yaad ho
vahī yaanī va.ada nibāh kā tumheñ yaad ho ki na yaad ho
vo jo lutf mujh pe the beshtar vo karam ki thā mire haal par
mujhe sab hai yaad zarā zarā tumheñ yaad ho ki na yaad ho
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3kLeccY17k
This one is by Momin Khan Momin who was a Mughal era poet being contemporary of Mirza Ghalib and Zauq.
5. Ae Ishq Hmain Barbaad Na Ker
ae ishq na chheir aa aa ke hameñ ham bhūle huoñ ko yaad na kar
pehle hī bahut nāshād haiñ ham tū aur hameñ nāshād na kar
qismat kā sitam hī kam nahīñ kuchh ye taaza sitam ījād na kar
yuuñ zulm na kar be-dād na kar
ae ishq hameñ barbād na kar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhq9pa4pwKQ
Akhtar Shairani who’s considered the most romantic poet of Urdu language wrote this poem and Nayyara Noor’s voice brought the words to life with more intensity and depth reflecting Shairani‘s attachment to it.
6. Panchi Bawara Chaand Se Preet Lagaye
kaun bataye tujhe chakora
goray mann kay kalay
jun jun preet barhaye ga tu
tun tun wo ghat jaye
chaand se preet lagaye
panchi bawra chand se preet lagaye
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIJwU6MqX6o
This song has a rich history as it was first released in an Indian film Bhakta Surdas (1942) starring Madhubala and Dilip Kumar. DN Madhok wrote this song about unrequited love and Khursheed Bano sung it. Years later, our very own Nayyara Noor sung it with the same intensity doing justice to the beautiful poetry.
7. Ae Jazba E Dil Gar Main Chahoon
ai jazba-e-dil gar maiñ chāhūñ har chiiz muqābil aa jaa.e
manzil ke liye do gaam chalūñ aur sāmne manzil aa jaa.e
ai dil kī ḳhalish chal yūñhī sahī chaltā to huuñ un kī mahfil meñ
us vaqt mujhe chauñkā denā jab rañg pe mahfil aa jaa.e
We all remember this spirit awakening song in Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed‘s drama aired on PTV. Nayyara Noor put warmth into Behzad Lakhnavi‘s words sending chills down your spine.
8. Kabhi Hum Khoobsurat Thay
kabhi hum khoobsurat thay
kitabon main basi khushboo ki man’nid saans saakin thi
bohat say ankahay lafzon say tasweerain bnatay thay
parindon kay paroon per nazmain likh ker
duur ki jheelon main basnay walay logon ko sunatay thay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HtDfsqsXRo
Ahmed Shamim’s poetry and Nayyara Noor’s voice in Kabhi Hum Khoobsurat Thay bring tears to everyone’s eyes thinking about their childhood, lost loved ones or life in general.
9. Khwab Martay Nahi
khwab dil hain, na aankhain, na saansain
keh jo raiza raiza huwe tou bikhar jayen gein
jism ki mout say ye bhi mar jayen gein
khwab tou roshni hain, nawa hain, hawa hain
jo kalay paharon se ruktay nahi
khwab tou noor hain
khwab suqraat hain
khwab mansoor hain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IadMHPQ7nJU
This beautiful song was the OST of iconic PTV drama Zebunnisa penned by Ahmed Faraz.
10. Mera Dard Naghma-e-Besada
meray dard ko jo zabāñ milay
mujhe apnā nām-o-nishāñ milay
merī zaat kā jo nishāñ milay
mujhe rāz-e-nazm-e-jahāñ milay
jo mujhe ye rāz-e-nihāñ milay
mirī ḳhāmushī ko bayāñ milay
mujhe kā.enāt kī sarvarī
mujhe daulat-e-do-jahāñ milay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DolLoGQa3UY
This is again a Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Nayyara Noor’s collaboration in which Faiz beautifully talks about women rights and empowerment.
11. Har Chand Sahara
har chand sahara hai tere pyar ka dil ko
rehta hai magar ee ajab khauf sa dil ko…
woh khoab ke dekha na kabhi le ura neendein…
woh dard ke utha na kabhi kha gaya dil ko
yaan saans ka lena bhi guzar jana hai jee se…
yaan maarka-e-ishaq bhi ek khel tha dil ko…
This ghazal is about the internal turmoil a human being faces in their lives, and is every bit as beautiful
This is just a glimpse of Nayyara Jee’s legacy in our classic music industry. Go back to the golden era of our music when lyrics were pure and the music was distinctly gut-wrenching. What’s your favorite Nayyara Noor ghazal?
Cover image via: NayyaraNoor2 / YouTube
