Fans pen letters for NFAK on 21st anniversary

Qawali maestro Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is being remembered around the world on his 21st death anniversary today in prayers, letters and artwork.

Having extended six hundred year old family tradition of creating Sufi music and evergreen qawali, NFAK goes remembered as the 'Shahenshah-e-Qawwali' (The King of Kings of Qawwali).

Despite ancestral background in Sufi music, Nusrat reportedly struggled his way into music as his family expected him to become a doctor among his four siblings.

Nusrat then staged his first public appearance at the age of 16, at the chehlum of his father and the-then popular vocalist Fateh Ali Khan.

Nusrat, with a life span of forty eight years, dedicated 125 albums for the world of Sufi music and has scored many leitmotifs throughout the time.

Many of his songs' covers have gone popular around the world after NFAK’s original music like 'Wohi Khuda Hai', 'Tumhein Dillagi Bhool jani Parraygi', 'Mere Rashk e Qamar', 'Dulhay Ka Sehra Suhana Lagta Hai', 'Yeh Jo Halka Halka Suroor Hai', 'Afreen Afreen', 'Mast Nazron se Allah Bachaye', and 'Tu Kuja Man Kuja', among others.

NFAK made several collaborations with international singers  Eddie Vedder, Peter Gabriel, Jeff Buckley, and Michael Brook- including a  world record in music.

NFAK died on August 16, back in 1997, following a cardiac arrest  in London.