The Best of Shah Hussain (Set of Two Audio CDs) [Audio CD] Abida Parveen, Hans Raj Hans, Wadali Brothers and Barkat Sidhu

About the CD Shah Hussain (1538-1599) commonly known as Madho lal Hussain
lived during the era of Mughal emperors Akbar and Jehangir. Shah Hussain
belonged to a poor family but was highly educated as his poetry is full of
symbolism. It is said that he adopted the name of his Hindu disciple Madho Lal
to immortalize their friendship. Shah Hussains kafis depict love for God,
affection for human beings and the mortality of the physical world. His kafis
have been sung by all leading singers. Singer Hamid Ali Bela devoted all his
life to singing the Sufi saint's kafis. The kafis of this popular romantic
Sufi saint of Lahore added to Sufi poetry its peculiar element of masti
(rapture) and introduced enraptured dancing and passionate singing. The credit
of introducing the element of the popular love-legends of Punjab (Heer Ranjha
and Sohni Mahiwal) to Sufi verse and utilizing their persons, places, motifs
and incidents as images, metaphors and allegories also to him. The rhythm and
the refrain of Shah Hussain's kafis are so balanced as to bring about a
varying, evolving musical pattern folk songs that draw on the emotional
experience of the community record the reactions to the cycle of birth and the
play of desire against the rhythms of hope, despair, exultation and nostalgia.
The poetry of Shah Hussain, characterized with simplicity combined with a rare
lyrical quality, had great appeal for the masses. Not only common people but a
number of rulers also had great devotion for him. Prince Dara Shikoh, the
eldest son of emperor Shah Jahan, records in his work Hasnat al-Arifin that
"Prince Salim (later Jahangir) and the ladies of Emperor Akbar's harem
entertained respect