Written by: Muhammad Awais
Posted on: October 21, 2020 | 
| 中文
Alam Lohar with his Chimta
With his brightly colored outfits, his signature instrument and a bright smile, Alam Lohar bewitched audiences with his impassioned renditions of Punjabi Sufi poetry. His story of humble beginnings to international acclaim is one fit for the cinema. But his artistic journey has been equally important to the history of music in Pakistan, as he has been vital to bringing Punjabi folk music to the mainstream.
Alam Lohar was born in 1928 in the Aach Goach District in Gujrat to a family of lohars or blacksmiths. Growing up, he was more inclined to read and listen to Punjabi Sufi poetry than he was interested in his studies, and began performing kalaam (spiritual poetry) for the public at the age of eight. In an interview with Radio Pakistan, Lohar explained that he was deeply touched by the rich and moving poetry of Punjab, and he wanted to do his best to contribute to that tradition.
He popularized the “chimta”, an instrument that closely resembles the long metal tong used to flip roti (flatbreads) on the stove. Its signature clapping sound is a vital aspect of Lohar’s music, and serves as a nod to his personal history as the son of a blacksmith. It has now become a popular sound featured in Punjabi folk music.
Alam Lohar
According to Lohar’s own account on Radio Pakistan, when the organizers asked people from his village about a performer, he was selected to travel to Lahore at the age of 15 to sing at a festival. Impressed by his voice, someone approached him to record his song on the plate (of a gramophone). He arrived at the studio, confused as to why the record producers wanted him to forge a plate for them, unaware of what a recording device looked like. However, after his first record outsold more copies than any other singer in the 1970s, he entered the fold of Radio Pakistan as an established professional.
Lohar is best known for introducing Punjabi folksongs to mainstream audiences, and for popularizing the “Vaar”, an epic Punjabi folktale ballad or ode to the great historical figures of Punjab. Lohar particularly enjoyed performing the epic romance ballads like Sassi Pannu and Sohni Mahiwal; he famously recorded 36 renditions of Waris Shah’s Heer Ranjha in different styles and forms.
A Cover of Alam Lohar's Duets with Punjabi Singer Biba
Some of his notable songs like ‘Saif-ul Malooq’, ‘Dharti Panj Daryawan Di’ (The Land of Five Rivers) and ‘Jugni’, helped bring Punjabi folk music into popular culture. During his lifetime, he made countless film cameos and television performances, with his instantly recognizable colorful garb.
In addition, he helped popularize the “Jugni”, a Punjabi narrative device often used in folk songs to improvise and incorporate present situations into the lyrics. Folk singers like Lohar often used the Jugni to make spiritual observations, as a way to understand the world and invoke the name of God. According to some historians, Lohar took to the idea while reading Bulleh Shah’s poetry, aiming to evoke the same profound reactions from the audience.
An Early PTV performance
The event that helped him gain international recognition, was Queen Elizabeth’s 1977 Jubilee, when a singing competition was arranged between the Commonwealth countries. Lohar received the Best Performance Award for his unique and high-spirited performance of Jugni, which won over audiences. He became an embodiment of the joy, vibrancy and spirit of Punjabi poetry and culture, which was to be showcased with pride. Many in Pakistan referred to him as the ‘Lion of Punjab’, due to the gusto with which he performed Punjabi melodies around the country and abroad.
His life came to an unfortunate end in 1979, when a truck collided with his vehicle, and he was buried on the outskirts of the town of Lalamusa. Then-president Zia-ul-Haq posthumously awarded him a Pride of Performance Award in 1979. His son Arif Lohar, took up his mantle, singing his father’s songs all over the world, and establishing the Alam Lohar Memorial Trust with his brothers in his father’s honor.
Arif Lohar
From the 1950s to his death in 1979, Lohar dominated folk music in Pakistan, and helped popularize Punjabi music all over the world, with hundreds of albums and recordings. Music enthusiasts still continue to associate Lohar with his Jugni, remembering him with fondness as the man with the wide smile and deep love for his culture.
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