uhammed Rafi spent his formative years in Lahore. He must have roamed the streets of the city where he also resided for seeking music knowledge from the various ustads that made Lahore one of the most important cultural capitals of the subcontinent.

It is said that he often did his riyaz at Khirkhiri Shah Mazar behind Data Darbar, hoping to become a leading exponent of the shorter forms that were becoming more acceptable after the advent of the talkies. This new shorter format gave rise to the likes and dominance among the males of Kundan Lal Saigal. Noor Jehan had already established not only herself but the film song as a popular form of music after the mid 1930s.

Lahore then had a number of baihtahs where music mehfils were held regularly and the lovers of music congregated to quench their thirst. Jiwan Lal Matto’sbaithak was one such place.It was populated by singers/instrumentalists and was well-attended by the connoisseurs of music. He was also sought out because of his appointment in the radio. Radio was a major platform for the propagation of music as it could, through the airwaves, transmit music far and wide. It was the ardent wish of many to perform for the radio for wider acceptance and a seal of authority because radio meant attaining a certain standard.

At that time, Lahore also had many leading ustads.Ustad Waheed Khan’s presence was a boon for learners to benefit from.Ustad Chotay Ghulam Ali Khan, in the prime of his career, provided musical inspiration and guidance to the young Muhammed Rafi. The latter often trailed them and found himself gaining tips that only an initiated shagird could benefit from. Khawaja Feroz's baithak, too, was also well-attended.Ustad Tawalkul Hussain Khan presided over the musical proceedings while a young Khurshid Anwar weighed the prospects of choosing music as a career.

The 78-rpm gramophone had already revolutionised music.The microphone had changed substantially the way the sur was intoned. The longer forms, that stretched for hours, could not be recorded.Hence, smaller versions were marketed through discs. The ustads struggled with this truncated format and many were unable to adjust well enough to do justice to their music. The younger vocalists thus had an opening. The live performances, even when more virtuous, were a local affair. These did not reach the listeners far and wide.

Kundan Lal Saigal died in his prime. He was in his forties.His passing left a big void in film music among the male vocalists. Many were in the field but the void was not to be filled until the arrival of the right person and that happened to be Muhammed Rafi.

The younger aspirants opted for the newer versions as they did not have to do away with the baggage of transformation from one form to the other. The twin system worked for those who were flexible and adapted to the demands of the technology. There were only a few of those.

Kundan Lal Saigal died in his prime. He was in his forties.His passing left a big void in film music among the male vocalists. Many were in the field: GM Durrani, Pahari Saniyal, Surendar, Karan Diwan, to name a few, but the void persisted until the arrival of the right person; that happened to be Muhammed Rafi.

The music director to spot the talent was Shayam Sunder who recorded him for the film Gul Baloch in the early 1940s in Lahore. This breakthrough was enough for Mohammed Rafi who was then noticed by many other composers including Master Ghulam Haider. It was at that time that he, on advice, moved to the capital of film making in the subcontinent, Bombay.

Shayam Sunder also migrated around Partition and was much appreciated by those who were initiated into music. Both Om Prakash Nayyar and Madan Mohan worked with him as young disciples and vouched for his great understanding and acumen. Om Prakash Nayyar and Roshan had also worked with Khurshid Anwar when the latter did his stint at the All India Radio-Lahore before he ventured into films and made Kurmai for AR Kardar.

Muhammed Rafi sang in a chorus with KL Saigal in Shah Jahan for Naushad. He was more noticed when Feroz Nizami got him to sing a duet with Noor Jehan for the very popular film Jugnu.

He then went on to rule film song for the next twenty years. He too died comparatively young and like KL Saigal a few decades before him, left a void. Lahore is proud to consider Rafi as one of its sons.

The writer is a culture critic based in Lahore