Just got to know that Iqbal Bano passed away on 21st April in Lahore, Pakistan. She was born and brought up in Delhi.

Listening to her sing Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poetry is deeply moving. Among many well loved songs by her, my favorite is “dasht-e-tanhaai mein”:

dasht-e-tanhaai mein,
ai jaan-e-jahaan, larzaan hain
teri avaaz ke saaye,
tere honthon ke saraab

dasht-e-tanhaai mein,
duri ke khas-o-khaak tale
khil rahe hain tere pehlu ke saman aur gulaab

uht rahi hai kahin qurbat se
teri saans ki aanch
apani khushbuu mein sulagti hui
maddham maddham

dur ufaq par chamakati hui
qatra qatra
gir rahi hai teri dil daar nazar ki shabnam

is qadar pyaar se hai jaan-e jahaan rakkhaa hai
dil ke rukhsaar pe
is vaqt teri yaad ne haath

yun guman hota hai
garche hai abhi subah-e-firaaq
dhal gaya hijr ka din
aa bhi gaye vasl ki raat . . .

Goodbye, Iqual Bano, and thanks for all the songs.