Hyderabad Fondly Remembers Pankaj Udhas

 Hyderabad: The death of legendary ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas has left the city in a grim mood, with many fans calling his music a salve for wounded hearts and given his connection with Hyderabad, frequently paying visits to the city.

One of his ghazals, ‘Chitti Aayi Hai’, from the 1986 movie ‘Naam’ was so profoundly impactful that it brought NRIs back home for good.

Udhas’s connection with Hyderabad is evidenced by his frequent visits to the residence of ghazal maestro Pandit Vittal Roa Shivturkar in Goshamahal, where he performed ‘riyaz’.

Sunil Rao Shivturkar, a nephew of Vittal Rao and a ghazal singer, recollected the late Udhas’s visits. “Pankaj Udhas used to visit my uncles’ place on several occasions, he used to do riyaz. They had a cordial connect. There were other renowned ghazal singers who used to visit his place whenever they were in town,” he said.

He added, “The last time I saw Pankaj Udhas’s performance in the city was before the Covid-19 lockdown at a music festival on Necklace Road, where his performance was stunning.”

Mahmod Zahoor Ahmed, an avid ghazal fan from the 1980s and a Banjara Hills resident, said “Among Mehdi Hassan, Talat Aziz and Ghulam Ali, whenever I feel low, I turn to Pankaj Udhas. I know several families who shed tears when the ghazal ‘Chitti Aayi Hai’ was played in the theatres… The lyrics were so powerful.”

Steve Adams, a singer and musician from the city, said, “The first show I attended was in 1990s. The show featured nine artists, including Anoop Jalota, Ashok Khosla, Jagjit and Chitra Singh, and Pankaj Udhas. His presence in cinema introduced ghazals to the common people, as it was mostly listened to by the upper classes in those days.”

Abhijeeth Bhattacharya, chairman of Sangitanjali Foundation, said, “We organised a ghazal night here at Whisper Valley with Pankaj Udhas. He was a friendly person, always helpful to the organisers. He is no more but his ghazals will live forever. Most of the ghazal lovers I know spent their evening listening to his ghazals upon learning about his death.”