Remembering our Legends: Classical vocalist Bhai Lal Muhammad Amritsari

Among the practitioners of the art of classical vocalisation, the contributions of Sangeet Sagar Ustad Bhai Lal Muhammad Amritsari, who spent a major part of his life in the former princely state of Khairpur and other parts of Sindh, have been acknowledged by connoisseurs, critics, and members of the fraternity of musicians.
He hailed from the Rubabi clan of musicians, who lived and died for the cause of music. A majority of the followers of 'Gowaliar Gharana Kheyal' traditions lived in India before its political division enjoying the munificence of the rulers of princely states. However, a few of them migrated into Pakistan in or after August 1947. Included among them was calibev Ustad Bhai Lal Muhammad (1887-1962), who was a vocalist of high calibre, enjoying respect and approbation from votaries of classical music for his melodious renditions of classical compositions.
Popularly known as 'Baooji' among members of his fraternity, Bhai Lal Muhammad appeared on the musical firmament of the sub-continent as an illustrious member of a clan of musicians who were mostly associated with film industry and All India Radio where they worked as instrumentalists and composers. Born, bred and raised in Amritsar, Bhai Lal Muhammad was received rudimentary training in music (as is customary among members of Gharanas of professional musicians) by his father, Bhai Ata Muhammad.
However, he commenced his serious training in 1919, when he came under the tutelage of Bhai Mahboob Khan, the renowned Rubabi Sitar player from Kapurthala. Later, he benefited from the melodic wisdom and expertise of Ustad Faiz Muhammad Khan of Baroda, Ustad Nathan Khan of Agra, Beenkar Bandey Ali Khan of Kohlapur, and Pundit Bhaskar Rao Buabakullay.
Each Gharana of professional musicians has its own methods of voice production and disciplines to which its followers faithfully adhere. The differences of pitch, volume, and timbre are the most natural bases for the fashioning of various styles of singing.
The style of Bhai Lal Muhammad laid greater emphasis on Ghammak (trill), Aakar (tonal quality of the vocals), Taans and Paltas (flights and permutated combinations of notes) and the placing of musical phrases in a composition in consonance with the dictates of a raga. Bhai Lal Muhammad was equally good at singing Kheyal, Thumri and Dadra.
Moreover, as he used to tour and participate in Holi festival, in Sindh Bhai Lal Muhammad was honoured with several titles and certificates of recognition from the rulers of several princely States, Jagirdars and cultural organisations. However, the title he coveted the most was 'Sangeet Saagar', conferred on him at the annual Music Conference at Shikarpur before independence. It became a permanent affix with his name.
In September 1947, he migrated to Pakistan and settled in Lahore, where he broadcasted his music from Radio Pakistan for a couple of years. He also served Radio Pakistan for several years as a supervisor of music programes until such time when his voice completely failed him. Consequently, he lost his radio job, which hurt him both emotionally as well as financially. To keep his contact with the radio and music, as also to eke out a living, he started playing Dilruba (a string instrument, which is now extinct from Pakistani musical ethos) during the evening of his life.
In addition to singing, Bhai Lal Muhammad also worked for Columbia Gramophone Company during the early 1930s as a composer. His son, Ustad Ghulam Hasan Shaggan claims that Bhai Lal Muhammad was the inventor of many popular Punjabi songs, including "Lang aa jaa pattan Chenaan da yaar", which has now become an ineluctable component of Punjabi folk heritage.
Included in the list of his many pupils were clarinetist Alamgir Khan, Sarangi player Santo Khan, vocalists Bhai Desa, vocalist and composer Qadir Faridi, classical vocalist Sufi Khuda Bakhsh, folk singer Saeen Akhter Husain, Indian actor late Om Parkash, besides his son Ustad Ghulam Hasan Shaggan. The Sangeet Saagar died in Lahore on November 14, 1962 under extremely excruciating circumstances resulting from abject state of penury and privation.