Esakhelvi wasn't just an artist, he was culture. He was being played everywhere when I was a kid: in trucks, in cars, in homes. I can't tell you how many times we sat around dholki in a house preparing for a wedding, to sing Kameez teri kaali.. and laughed

It's a shame that recently because he sang for PTI, some folks have called him names and stuff online. Some cancelled him or stuff but man, he is a giant.

He once came to Makhad on the request of Pir sahab. We were there in Makhad and there were buses, boats of people coming in

and langhar khana was overwhelmed. It was a coop where every chicken was headless. lol
The women were running around, and there are big GIANT degein in langhar khana. You have to stand on support to even put a spoon in it. Several of those in line with women around. What a scene

Imagine a big pipe of about 2 feet radius. So they cut those in half, and start fire underneath those. That's your one big tawa for rotiyan. 4 women 2 women on one side, 2 on another and this is how they make rotiyan.
I tell you langar khana is another world.

So the people kept coming.
Now imagine, this is one small village in a district that you don't hear in news; and yet the star power of Esakhelvi that boats, buses, cars are just coming in.

Can you imagine any artist managing to do that now?

Anyway, so he came in and was immediately overwhelmed by how many folks were there.
There were guys everywhere! So we stayed at home. Even my father did but we dragged our chairs outside in our courtyard. Set up tea and we waited for him to start singing.

Pir sahab had provided him with mic and the mosque had its loudspeaker attached to the system as well. (Not from the minar mind you, they placed it on the walls of langar khana for audience in homes)

And the moment he started singing, damn there was a huge roar.

Guys had lost it. Whatever he sang, they were singing with him. hahaha
Even he was surprised. We would hear his voice in between the roars and clapping. There was a general sense of being in some huge fest with the loudest crowd possible and the feeling... oh damn!

Me and my phupho we stepped out into the street and there were women, sitting and clapping.
Most of it was memory of a song. We would Kameez...kaali... and rest was filled by human memory.
We are clapping and laughing at how absurd this all is. It was fantastic!

Now, you probably can guess that it was not going to last long. haha
So after 1 and a half hr of all this... he excused himself. He thanked us all and left to go the pvt residence of Pir sahab.

And by the time sun set, a lot of hustle and bustle was over.

It was a great day. You don't get those now. Ain't no one who can manage this again.

Great artist!

Anyway, what a trip to the past. Thanks for reading. :)