Abida Parveen is a prominet Pakistani Sufi singer often dubbed as the Sufi Queen of music.
Born and raised in Larkana-Pakistan into a Sindhi Sufi family, she was trained by her father Ghulam Haider. Abida Parveen starting performing in early 1970s and came into global prominence in the 1990s. Since 1993, Parveeen has toured globally, performing her first international concert at Buena Park, California. Abida Parveen also features in Pakistan's popular musical show Coke Studio and was a judge on the pan-South Asia contest show Sur Kshetra.
Parveen is best known for her songs Yaar ko Humne from the album Raqs-e-Bismil and Tere Ishq Nachaya which is a rendition of Bulleh Shah's poetry. Pakistan's second highest civilian award the Hilal-e-Imtiaz has been bestowed upon her by the President of Pakistan for 2012. Parveeen is referred as one of the world's greatest mystic singers. She sings mainly ghazals and her forte, Kafis, a solo genre accompanied by percussion and harmonium, using a repertoire of songs by Sufi poets. Abida Parveen sings in Urdu, Sindhi, Saraiki, Punjabi and Persian.
Abida Parveen was born in mohalla Ali Goharabad in Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan. She received her musical training initially from her father, Ustad Ghulam Haider, whom she refers as Baba Sain and Gawwaya. He had his own musical school where Parveen got her devotional inspiration from. She and her father would often perform at shrines of Sufi Saints. Parveen's talent compelled her father to choose her as his musical heir over his two sons. Growing up, she attended her father's music school, where her foundation in music was laid. Later Ustad Salamat Ali Khan of the Sham Chorasia gharana also taught and nurtured her. Abida Parveen always remembers that she was never forced towards this occupation and she sang her first complete kalam when she was only 3 years old.
Parveen has a distinct clothing style which she has created out of ease and comfort. She wears long simple frocks buttoned up to the top covered with a coat. She is always accompanied by an ajrak, a sindhi duppatta,which she claims comes from the dargah (mausoleum) of Sufi saint Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and her wardrobe is full of it. Parveen always wears her curly hair untied and natural.
Diplomat Javed Malik, who is Pakistan’s Ambassador at Large currently, presented Sufi maestro Abida Parveen with an "Ambassador's Recognition Award" on Jan 26.
The accolade was given to the singer at a ceremony in Dubai where fans snapped pictures of the legend while she performed. Speaking on the occasion, Javed Malik said: "Sufi poetry symbolises the message of peace, friendship and positive human relations, which is highly relevant today because it encourages people to overcome their differences and promotes understanding through dialogue."
He added: "As Pakistanis, we feel proud to see Abida Parveen acclaiming international fame for herself and our country, and therefore we present her this special award.”
Praising the spectacular way in which Abida Parveen has distinguished herself as a music icon of modern times through her unique style and genre of music, Javed remarked that Pakistan’s social fabric was rich with poetry, art, literature and music.
