Origins and History of Pakistani Music

I recently gave a keynote at an event organized by Pakistani-American Cultural Center in Silicon Valley, CA, USA.
The subject was Pakistani culture and music.

Here are some of the salient points of the presentation:

Importance of Music and Culture:

-Music Helps Define Each Nation’s Culture and Identity

-Culture Helps Project Soft Power and Softer Image of a Nation


-Soft Power is Often More Effective Than Hard Power...It's easier to resist a military invasion and much harder to resist a cultural invasion.

-Neglect of Music and Entertainment Leaves Undesirable Vacuum Often Filled By Unwelcome Alien Influences

- Origins of Indo-Persian Culture and Music:

-Sufi Saint Hazrat Amir Khusro 1253-1325.

- If Music Were Un-Islamic, then Khusro, a Devout and Pious Muslim Follower of Nizamuddin Aulia, Would Not Be a Musician.

Post-1947 Evolution

-Defining Artists and Songs of Each Decade

-North Indians and Pakistanis Share a Common Heritage of Indo-Persian Culture.

-Our Indo-Persian is heavily influenced by Persian-speaking Muslims From Central Asia

13th Century Sufi Saint Hazrat Amir Khusro’s Name Stands Out For His Key Contributions:

- Khusro Introduced Khayal and Tarana

- Khusro Invented Split Version of Tabla ( from Arabic word tabl, meaning drum) and Modern Sitar (from Persian Seh Tar, meaning three strings.)

- Harmonium Was Invented Later By the French in 18th Century

- Khusro Considered Father of Qawwali

- First Pakistani Film Teri Yad Released in 1948.

- Noor Jehan’s First Film Dupatta, Released in 1952, Became a Hit in India and Pakistan.

- Pakistani Film Industry Thrived As Many New Movie Theaters Opened With Growing Number of Viewers.

- Radio Pakistan Promoted Many Artists and Musicians…Noor Jahan and Mehdi Hasan Among Them

- Birth of Pakistan TV (PTV) in 1964

- New Music & Entertainment Shows on PTV Promoting Ghazal and Geet Singers.

- Film Armaan, Released in 1966, Gave Birth to Pakistani Pop Music Genre

- Popular Armaan Team of Suhail Rana, Mala and Ahmad Rushdi Inspired New Generation of Music Lovers.

- Sohail Rana’s “Kalyon Ki Mala” Children’s TV Show Spawned Young Artists Like Nazia and Zoheb.

- Growth of TV and Birth of the VCR Hurt Movie Theaters Business in 1970s.

- 1980s Started With Sohail Rana’s Student Nazia Hasan’s Disco Diwane

- Gen Zia ul Haq Ordered Headscarves on PTV in 1980s

- Music and Entertainment Suppressed on PTV

- Vital Signs Band Formed, Allowed to Sing Dil Dil Pakistan as Patriotic Music.

- Vital Signs’ Pop Music Spurred Middle Class Youth Culture in Pakistan

- Over 100 TV Channels Catering to Different Tastes During Musharraf Years 2001-2008

- Channels Devoted to News, Religion, Music, Fashion, Sports, Cooking, Etc

- Growth in Music & Entertainment Shows Spawning New Talent

- Gao Celebrity Ban Jao (Pakistani version of American Idol)

-Nachle (Dance Competition)

-Coke Studio (Regional and Sufi Music)

Here is a 3-part video of my presentation at PACC:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxJ9YPMRCrg


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sy-9hEn1MUg



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fRg8eOSxIs