In 2011, he appeared at Coke Studio (season 4) and sang three songs: Ni Oothaan Waale, and Pyaar Naal.[1]
In September 2017, he appeared again in Coke Studio (season 10) and sang Sab Maya Hai with his traditional band.
Early life
Esakhelvi was born on 19 August, 1951 in Isakhel, in the Mianwali District of West Punjab province of the Dominion of Pakistan (now in Punjab, Pakistan) into a Punjabi-speaking NiaziPashtun family. The Thali dialect is spoken in his family. Attaullah developed an interest in music as a child, but it was strictly forbidden in his home.[3][4][5] Despite the restrictions on music in his home, Attaullah secretly sought to learn more about it.[4] His school teacher made him practice the songs by Mohammed Rafi and Mukesh and told him never to stop singing. Attaullah tried to explain his passion for music to his parents and convince them to let him sing, but they forbade him to continue singing.[4] Disillusioned, Attaullah left home when he was 18 years old.[4] He travelled extensively within Pakistan and supported himself by working from Mianwali. He is most popular in rural areas of Pakistan and many other countries in the world.[2]
Musical career
Esakhelvi continued his training after leaving his parents' home and often recorded himself on cassette tapes that he later distributed.[4]
He was invited by a company in Faisalabad to record folk songs in their studio, and he recorded four albums in one recording session.[4] The albums were released at the end of 1977 and became national bestsellers.[3][4]
In 1980, Esakhelvi performed in the United Kingdom for the first time. It was also his first concert abroad. His albums were eventually released in the UK under various labels, including Hi-Tech, OSA, and Moviebox.
He has performed Na`at and Kalaam by famous Sufi poets, such as Mian Muhammad Bakhsh's Saiful Maluk and Bulleh Shah's Keey Bay Dardan Sang Yaree. He also sang the songs written by S M Sadiq, a famous lyricist, in Punjabi, Urdu, and Hindi. Attaullah Khan visited India in 2014. The Times of India wrote: "A Sufi concert, Ibaadat, organized in association with the Navbharat Times, was recently held at Purana Quila in the capital. Pakistani folk singer Attaullah Khan performed for the first time in Delhi at this event. Khan sang his Achha Sila Diya Tune Mere Pyaar Ka and other Pakistani Sufi hits for the audience. The concert was organized by the AAS group, an NGO that works to spread awareness about cervical cancer among women and ways to prevent it, and this concert was organized to spread that message."[7]
Personal life
Attaullah Khan received his early education from Esakhel.[8] He relocated to Lahore after becoming a professional musician, performing in Punjabi, Urdu, and English. He has been married five times – his fourth wife Bazgha being a former actress. He has four children from fourth and fifth wives. His daughter, Laraib Atta, is a professional VFX artist who has worked for several Hollywood films.[9][10] His son, Sanwal Esakhelvi, is also pursuing a career in music.[1]
Legacy
He is considered a folk icon in Pakistan and is widely considered one of the most popular folk singers in Pakistan. The constant companion of Pakistani truck drivers is the lilting tunes of Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi. This Mianwali-born vocalist, with his swashbuckler moustache, kameez shalwar, and shawl on one shoulder, became the poster boy for traditional Pakistani music.[1][2]
Singing in various Punjabi dialects, his searing, impassioned songs became popular almost from the moment he recorded his first session for Radio Pakistan, Bahawalpur, in the mid-1970s.[8] For years, Esakhelvi reigned supreme and unchallenged, in a universe that existed parallel to the cultured music salons of the elite.[8]
He has recorded more than 50,000 songs in seven languages.[1][3] He has received a lifetime achievement award from Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and had his name entered in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1994 for the highest number of audio albums released.[3]
