By Nabeel Anwar Dhakku

Dawn, Sunday Magazine, January 18th, 2015

From the Thal desert to the lush green plains of central Punjab and the pluvial Potohar, his voice echoed from every nook and corner of Punjab. Through his inimitable style of singing, Mansoor Ali Malangi gave a unique touch to the folk music of Punjab, ruling over the hearts of thousands of Punjabi music lovers for four decades.

He passed away last December but the pathos and exceptional sweetness in his voice complemented by his immortal melodies will continue provide solace to his devoted listeners. His songs are still played over and over again on tractors ploughing the fields of Punjab, on trucks traversing national highways and on computers and cell phones, especially in Punjab.

Malangi’s songs reflected the culture of Punjab. The lyrics captured the pain, suffering and longing of women who wait for the return of loved ones who are earning their livelihood away from home. In several songs, the woman is tearful and yearns for the return of her beloved. His epic song Koi rohi yaad karendi dhola, wal aa toon is a rendition of this heart wrenching situation. In a nod to folklore, the suffering of Sassi was featured in many of his songs.

Malangi was born on Jan 1, 1947 in Garh More village of District Jhang and named Mansoor Ali. His father Pathan Ali was a sarangi player so Malangi inherited this musical talent from his father. “I started singing from the age of seven”, Malangi said in his last interview to a popular entertainment TV channel.

The singer who released over 200 audio albums is fondly remembered by countless fans

Malangi was only 18 when his first song was broadcast on Radio Pakistan Lahore in 1965. But the song Ik phull motiye da maar ke jaga sohniye previously sung by Kausar Malik, (a folk singer at Radio Pakistan Multan) shot Malangi to fame in 1974.

“It was the spell of Mansoor Malangi’s voice that the song became an instant hit and every Punjabi was humming this song”, claims Irshad Ali, a tabla master and Malangi’s close friend who used to perform with him since 1973.

Malangi was a poet and a composer, weaving his personal experiences into his lyrics. In 1982, when he had an accident and was hospitalised, he came up with Surgeon puchhia duss Malangi ae chot kithon aai aye, a song that enthralled the audience at a PTV concert.

Malangi was a passionate lover and although his love was not unrequited, it took him to prison. His beloved, who eloped with him in the early years of Zia’s regime, succumbed later to family pressure in court and told the judge that she was actually kidnapped by Malangi who was jailed for a month.

This experience, however, empowered Malangi’s melodies with more pathos and he wrote the song Inaan sohniyan dil diyan choraan toon, taoba Maula bachaway, a beautiful narration of the situation which took him to jail.

On hearing about Malangi’s death, famous folk singer Talib Hussain Dard said that Mansoor was not only the king of folk music, but was also a fine person.

According to Mushtaq Soofi, the eminent poet, writer, Punjabi scholar and chairman of the Punjab Adabi Board said, “After Tufail Niazi, Mansoor Malangi’s was the sweetest singing voice of Punjab. He was naturally gifted with a crystal clear voice that haunts us with its overwhelming emotional power.

With an unparalleled command on sur, his singing was effortless, usually the hallmark of a great folk singer. He was comfortable both with studio recording as well as live concert, a quality rarely found among vocalists. He enthralled masses as well the connoisseurs.”

Malangi had a special connection with Chakwal and he visited every year to perform in musical concerts and buy a pair of Kohati chappals made by Sajawal Khan of Hazro Kohati Chappal Makers, located in the heart of city on Talagang Road.

“He was the only Punjabi folk singer to have made the Punjabi dohra (quatrain) popular with a touch of humour, freshness and originality to the Punjabi mahiya (couplet),” said Professor Sada Hussain, the Head of English Department at Government Post Graduate College Chakwal.

“Malangi had power over Punjabi audiences, being the only singer from Central Punjab besides Attaullah to be popular in Potohar and Lahore as well. I cannot imagine a truck driver taking off on a long journey without Malangi’s music.

“Mansoor had a variety in expression,” said Sohail Abid, the man behind folkpunjab.com. Besides his greatest hits like Ik phull motiye da and Keri ghalti hoi aye zalim, he gave us many other marvellous songs like Balocha zalman and Mahi diyan nazan ton main lakh lakh var han.

Malangi also sang in Urdu and Sindhi. “He composed the famous ghazal by Mohsin Naqvi, woh jis ka naam bhi liya. Many tried to copy his compositions but in vain,” said Professor Sada Hussain.

Malangi spent a humble life in his own village. “His land and culture was so dear to him that he could not think of settling down anywhere else,” says his son Shahid Mansoor Malangi who is following in his late father’s footsteps.

Malangi married thrice and left behind eleven sons and eight daughters. Malangi was awarded the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz in 2012.

“Sadly, he was misconstrued as a Saraiki singer whereas he was more like a minstrel of Punjab, a unique voice from Jhang, the land of Heer,” says Soofi.

In his last TV interview in 2012, Malangi looked lost and depressed. When the host Farah Hussain asked him to sing a song of his own choice, Malangi sang, Zindgi da safar mukhtasar mukhtasar/ Main vee keetaa magar mukhtasar mukhtasar. Indeed, life is short.