Jagjit Singh, the singer who made ghazals accessible

With simple lyrics and an easy singing style, Jagjit Singh touched audiences worldwide

It was September 23, 2011. Jagjit Singh and Ghulam Ali were to perform together at Mumbai’s Shanmukhananda Hall. A few hours before the show, Jagjit suffered a stroke. He eventually passed away on October 10 (this year is his 10th death anniversary), leaving behind a rich legacy of music.

For an entire generation, he was one of the most prominent voices in ghazal. His versatility helped make the genre extremely popular. Some of his ghazals such as ‘Baat niklegi to phir’, ‘Kal chaudhvin ki raat thi’, ‘Sarakhti jaaye rukh se naqaab’, ‘Sadma toh hai mujhe bhi’, ‘Woh kaagaz ki kashti’, ‘Honton se choolon tum’ and ‘Tum itna jo muskura rahe ho’ remain unforgettable.

Besides his deep, serene voice, what endeared him to listeners was his ability to move beyond the traditional format with innovative orchestration. His ghazal concerts featured not only the harmonium and tabla, but also guitar, keyboard, violin and mandolin.