Karam Din Tapai Wala

There are a very few qawwals greatly admired by the maestros of khayal gayaki. Bada Karam Din Tapai Wala was one such qawwal that listening to him Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan could not hold back his tears. Karam Din Khan (1902-1962) was born in Jalandhar, India and spent the greater part of his life in India. After partition he moved to Faisalabad, Pakistan. He got his training from his Uncle Rurray Khan who was the father of Bakhshi Salamat Qawwal. Being a spiritual follower of Baba Meere Shah in India and a darbari qawwal of Baba Lasoorri Shah in Faisalabad, he performed at various venues like Kaliar Sharif, Shrine of Nizam-ud-din Auliya, Ajmeer Sharif in India and all over Pakistan. His famous qawwali was in “raga talang”. “tere ishq nachaya kar k thayya thayya re”. He was an expert composer, a nisbati ghazal gayak, and was influenced by khayal gayaki, even the thekas he mostly used were ektaala, teental, and jhaptal. His qawwalis were recorded by HMV and Young India Company in India and later by Rehmat Gramophone Company in Faisalabad. As a vocalist of tremendous potential, his sons and disciples made a name for themselves too. His son Mattay Khan needs special attention.