Poet: Naaz Khiaalvi

Real Name Muhammad Siddique, Takhalus Naaz and known as Naz Khialvi due to reason that he belongs to a village named as "Khiaali". Khiaali is about 5 Km away from Tandlianwala which is tehsil of Distric Faisalabad. Tandlianwala is 60 miles aways from Faisalabad.

Naaz Khialvi is doing Urdu and Punjaabi poetry since last 30 years (aprox). As he bolongs to a remote area, therefore he got less chances to come in lime light. His only source of income is a punjabi radio program "sandhal Dharti" which he is hosting since many years. The program is being broadcasted from Radio Faisalabad. Naaz sahib is of 55 years age (aprox) but he is still unmarried. His poetry has reached the level of "miraaaj" but the media is in control.

"Tum Ik Gorakh Dhanda hoo" was just a routine poetry for Naaz shaib, but became special due to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Nusrat sahib belongs to Faisalabad and he had relations with radio people also. Somebody told him about Naaz sahib and he met Naaz sahib and requested personaly to write a qavaali for him. Naaz sahib did it for very little amount of money for Nusrat . How much revenue this qavali has earned? No body knows, it was a record breaking selling album. Same way Ata Ullah Niazi sung two cassettes comprising poetry of Naaz shaib. Both the cassettes were super hit. Naaz sahib asked Niazi that why he sung his poetry without his permission. In reply Niazi gave about 4000 rupees to Naaz sahib and he was more than happy.

These incidents show that Naaz sahib is a financially depressed person, like Mirza Ghalib. He lives in a rented one room accommodation in Tandlianwala. It is just a room without any furniture or bath room etc. The room is full of books and u will find Naaz sahib always either reading something or writing something. Poetry is his wife, his reason for life and his every thing.

I know Naaz Khiaalvi since my childhood. I belong to "Khiaali" and I was neighbour of Naaz Khiaalvi sahib. Later on we both shifted to Tandlianwala. The very very old poetry of Naaz sahib was also of the same standard. Now I am 36 year old.

After passing so much years with Naaz shiab I am now of the opinion that Naaz will never come in lime light. Because he is a darwaish. He does not write for fame. Pakistani big poets will never let Naaz shaib to come in front. If somebody from international community wants to, he may be able to project his work. A couple of months back when i met Naaz sahib in Tandlianwala, he told me that somebody called him from UK and boradcasted his telephonic interview live on radio. It shows that now people are trying to discover him. They will fully discover him, may after his death.

*The essay was written by one of Naaz Sahib's junior shagird (student), you can find more information about him here.