For poets like Ahmad Faraz and Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Mehdi Hassan was the preferred voice for their ghazals. For Lata Mangeshkar, his voice was like the voice of God. For the Indian subcontinent, Mehdi Hassan was indeed the 'king of melody' who inspired scores of singers after him. For India, Pakistan and Nepal alike, Mehdi Hassan was unrivaled.

Born in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district, Hassan’s tryst with music began at the tender age of 6 under the tutelage of his father and uncle. After having trained for two years, he gave his first performance at just 8 in the court of Maharaja of Baroda.

In this episode of Urdunama, we explore the musical journey of one of ghazal’s greats.

Tune in.

Vocals: Aditya Roy

Host, Writer and Sound Designer: Fabeha Syed

Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

Release date

Audiobook: 13 June 2020