Reshma is no more
Born in Bikaner in India’s Rajasthan state to a nomad family around 1947, her tribe migrated to Karachi shortly after partition. Reshma was a prodigious but accidental discovery. Spotted by a TV and radio producer literally from the roadside, all of 12 then, she sang for Radio Pakistan. With a voice that had enormous range and power, and simultaneously haunting and bewitching, her very first rendition, the age-old “Lal meri pat rakhio bala…” associated with Sufi mystic Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, made the singer and the song an instant hit. Many a more accomplished and well-known singer has attempted it before and since, including Madam Nur Jahan, but Reshma’s impact has stayed indelible and unmatched. Afterwards she kept audiences rapt with some of the greatest folk songs of all time. As talented as she was, Reshma wasn’t just limited to singing for Pakistani music industry, but also gave her voice to the Indian recordings and playback singing, garnering heaps of appreciation and a loyal fan base on both sides of the border.
Throughout her career that spanned about six decades, adulation Reshma received reflected in several awards, including state recognition through the prestigious civil award ‘Sitara-e-Imtiaz’ and a spot amongst the ‘Legends of Pakistan’. She inspired many young and promising singers. Most recently, Atif Aslam, Qurat-ul-Ain Baloch and Meesha Shafi put her on a pedestal by singing her numbers in their own pop style – in a way the ultimate homage. Given the sobriquet of ‘The Nightingale of Desert’, she was the queen of not just the folk music but the Pakistani music, as reflected in public acclaim from across the country – from urban centres to the rural hinterland.‘Haai O Rabba Nahion Lagda Dil Mera’, ‘Lambi Judaai’ and ‘Ankhyan Nu Rehan De Ankhyan De Kol Kol’ are a handful from her vast oeuvre that would keep her alive for ever.
Having captivated tens of millions with her unique renderings for around six decades, she passed away the other day after remaining in coma for nearly a month. Battling against the throat cancer she was diagnosed with in the 1980s, she still soldiered on – creating music, doing concerts and having an active professional life. At her death, tributes poured from across the world. Her music, the sheer, delectable mix of pathos and passion in her voice that made her stand out amongst her peers and successors will be remembered for ages to come. May her soul rest in peace!
