Qawwal Bahauddin

Ustad Bahauddin Khan Qawwal (1934 – February 3, 2006) (Urdu: أستاذ قوّال بهاءالدين‎) was a Pakistani Qawwali musician. All five of his sons - Muhammad Najmuddin (born 1967), Saifuddin Mehmood (born 1971), Zafeeruddin Ahmed (born 1977), Mughisuddin Hassan (born 1979) and Ehtishamuddin Hussain (born 1981) - have followed in his footsteps. Traditional Qawwali singing heritage of the city of Karachi can still be felt and seen in a small neighborhood in Karachi named Qawwali Gali in the Saddar Town area, where a street is named after Bahauddin Qawwal.

Bahauddin Khan is descended from a family of musicians which traces its lineage back to the days of Amir Khusro of the 13th century of India. To propagate Islam throughout South Asia, Amir Khusro banded together twelve youngsters (12 Kids Band), and personally trained them in singing and performing Qawwali, a genre of devotional Sufi music. He appointed Mian Saamat as the leader of this group, which was named the Qawwal Bachche (the qawwal kids). The Qawwal Bachche, in turn, taught Qawwali to other aspiring students.

Bahauddin Qawwal was born in 1934 in British India and died in Karachi on 3 Feb 2006 in Karachi, Pakistan. He received formal musical training from his father, Suleman Khan, and his uncle, Sardar Khan.

He began giving public performances, and won prizes and acclaim, from the early age of six, individually and also as an active member of the group Manzoor Niazi Qawwal and party. In 1947, he was decorated as Nunhay Raagi, in 1949 he received Certificate of Performance, and in 1951 earned the title of Nunhay Hind Raagi from the Indian Prime Minister. In 2000, he was awarded with the title Tamgha-i-Imtiaz by the President of Pakistan, and in 2002 earned the title of Ustad from the Vice President of Mauritius and also received Gold Medal and Commemorative Shield from the Minister of Arts & Culture. In 2003, he received the "In the name of Allah" Award from Viqar-e-Adab, an organization working for the revival, propagation, development and betterment of arts & culture.

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