Aziz Mian

Aziz Mian (1942-2000) has been an immensely popular and distinguished qawwal in many respects. First of all he did not belong to a musician lineage, secondly he did not receive any traditional training of qawwali, and yet he pioneered his own style and stood along with the most renowned qawwals of his time. Born in Buland City near Dehli, India, he migrated with his uncle Bashir Ahmad to Hindu Camp, Dev Samaaj Road Sant Nagar, Lahore at the time of Partition and started living with his Uncle. His Uncle Bashir Ahmad was used to visit the shrine of Data Gunj Bukhsh where Aziz Mian started reciting naat with Harmonium. In his childhood he was given into the guidance of Mian Yasin Chishti and was inspired by the teachings of Chishti Nizami Order. It was after 15 years of this devoted practice that he formed a Qawwal party.

Aziz Mian was a very literate man; he had Masters Degree in Urdu and Persian and had a serious command on religious doctrines. His most distinguishing feature was “mazmoon nigari” and his own evolved method of “girah bandi” which is better called as “girah nikas” at “muqaam-e-moula”. He had a photographic memory and learned by heart thousands of Urdu and Persian couplets. Due to his religious wisdom, he used the features of “mazmoon nigari” and “girah nikas” as tools for preaching Islam. He was very popular in the masses and particularly in Pakistan Army for his energetic performance.

Although Aziz Mian did not receive formal training in qawwali but even in the initial phase of career he was able to gain admiration and respect from qawwals such as Abdul Rehman Kanch Wala, Manzoor Ahmad Niazi, Sabri Brothers, Nathu Qawwal, Naushad, Yawar Ali Wajid Ali Matkay Wale, Moeen Niazi and Zaki Taji. In the presence of these qawwals, Abdul Rehman Kanch Wala said that after listening to Aziz Mian he was reminded of his teacher Ali Bakhsh Waiz. Aziz Mian was one of his kind of nobody paralleled him in terms of fluency he had for connecting couplets on spot. He performed all over the world and was given Pride of Performance by Pakistan Government. His sons Tabraiz Aziz Mian (1970-) and Imran Aziz Mian (1981-) are carrying his tradition forward (Masood 1995, p.72). They are also performed qawwali in USA and Europe.

Source: Qawwali Singing In Pakistan: Its stylistic diversity & notable exponents (Thesis, B.Musicology, NCA)