The Kashmir Monitor
It took 24 years to build a majestic mausoleum of legendary singer Nusrat Fathe Ali Khan at his final resting place in Pakistan’s Jhang Road.
The mausoleum was built by the maestro’s nephew and world-renowned musician, Rahat Ali Khan.
When Nusrat passed away in August of 1997, he was buried near his parents’ resting place as per his will. When the construction of the mausoleum was completed, Rahat traveled to Faisalabad to personally oversee the progress.
Rahat said he had built this mausoleum on his own and no one had provided any financial aid for it.
“By the grace of Allah, we have brought it to completion,” Rahat told the reporters.
He said that he was grateful to Tahir Rafique Gohar, a disciple of Nusrat, for working day and night to make this mausoleum possible.
“Alhamdulillah, we don’t even need it [financial aid]. An artist of Nusrat’s caliber doesn’t need anyone’s help. He was and is a spiritual figure. Prayers from his mausoleum are accepted and will continue to be. If someone sincerely wishes something, that is also accepted. There are people who donate in his name and we have spent on building this mausoleum,” he said.
Rahat said he has suggested setting up a music academy in Nusrat’s name where children can be trained. He also demanded to convert late qawwal’s birthplace into a museum.
“Last year I made the same request that Khan Sahib’s ancestral home where he was born to be given the status of a museum. Relics of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and other elders of his family could be displayed in this museum so that his admirers from home and abroad could visit this place,” he said.
