New Delhi, August 20: Music ripens the raw poems! It is said that art doesn’t come from outside, but it comes from within. Music is considered as the supermost art in Indian culture. Yesterday, nation missed a musician whose compositions answer the question – “Why to live?” - Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi, popularly known as Khayyam.
People usually love actor-actresses, singers and performers because we can actually see listen to them. But the creator of the melody always remains behind the curtain. Khayyam is one such person, who remaining on the backstage, filled the words with ‘soul’ and gave birth to hundreds of lovely songs that are engraved on the heart of every Indian forever. ‘Akele Mein Woh Ghabrate To Honge’, ‘Shaam-e-Gham Ki Kasam’, ‘Wo Subha Kabhi To Aayegi’, ‘Aasman Pe hai Khuda Aur Zameen Pe Hum’, ‘Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil Mein Khayal Aata Hai’, ‘Pyar Ka Dard Hai’….still linger on lips!
Khayyam was literally an era in Hindi music. Khayyam's music had the touch of ghazal but was rooted in Indian classical music. The compositions were soulful, melodious and emotional, the songs were rich in poetry and purpose and the style was noticeably different from the popular brand of music in those days, which used to be either semi-classical, ghazal or light and peppy. He was awarded the third-highest civilian honor, Padma Bhushan by the Government of India for 2011.
Besides a legendary musician, Khayyam was a devoted nationalist. He was in Army in World War II for a short period. He decided not to celebrate his birthday after terrorist attack on India's border post of Pulwama.
“India will remain grateful to Khayyam Sahab for giving us some of the most memorable compositions, which will be remembered forever. He will also be remembered for his humanitarian gestures to support upcoming artists. His demise is extremely saddening,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.