Saiful_Mulūk
The Singer | The Origins
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2001 saw a military escalation
a year with 'life under canvas' came with its blessings
a time to know your soldiers beyond ops & training
as I dined with them, laughed on their jokes, listened to their music, I got hooked to Saiful Muluk

It was none other than Alam Lohar, the undisputed king of Punjabi folk
Upbeat on the novel musical instrument "Chimta" as if Lohar and Chimta were made for each other
The iconic singer who gave new life to Punjabi folk renditions of Vaar or Qissa

In the wilderness of Gujrat in the company of my troops I listened to him singing Saiful Muluk
The Kalam, the Chimta beats superimposed on the melodious tunes from Alghoza had all the tricks to pull the strings of a wanderer heart, and I fell for it
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Alam Lohar is said to have memorized a major chunk of Saiful Muluk as he performed it on countless times at village fares, folk gatherings, audio/video recordings
Watch him here reading out the verses from the poem, check the flow, the inherent joy
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The love affair that began in the 'field days of Gujrat' was to mature into a devoted association with the saint and his poem
It would lead me to the book, to the saint and countless renditions of the poem both by old and modern day performers
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of all the singers Alam Lohar gave this poem its identity and the typical singing style that is copied to date

چاردیہاڑے حسن جوانی مان کیہا دلداراں
سِکدے اسیں محمد بخشا کیوں پرواہ نئیں یاراں

ਚਾਰ ਦੇਹਾੜੇ ਹੁਸਨ ਜਵਾਨੀ ਮਾਣ ਕੇਹਾ ਦਿਲਦਾਰਾਂ
ਸਿਕਦੇ ਅਸੀਂ ਮੁਹਮਦ ਬਖ਼ਸ਼ਾ ਕਿਉਂ ਪਰਵਾਹ ਨਈਂ ਯਾਰਾਂ

Lohar, a performing maestro earned the same fame as Chamkila did in the eastern half of Punjab and unfortunately the same fate, an untimely death
Alam Lohar died in a car accident
July being the anniversary of our great singer, let's say a little prayer https://twitter.com/meemainseen/status/1146371061392523265