When ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh slammed a journalist for asking him about Pakistani music, he said, ‘Music ko alag mat kariye, Iske wajah se gadbad hui hai sab…’

When ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh slammed a journalist for asking him about Pakistani music, he said, ‘Music ko alag mat kariye, Iske wajah se gadbad hui hai sab…’

• Jagjit Singh believed music transcends borders and labels
• He valued melody and emotion over nationality in music
• His legacy reshaped ghazals, making poetry accessible to millions

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In a media landscape often obsessed with labels and borders, Jagjit Singh once offered a response so calm and precise that it still resonates decades later. In an old interview that has resurfaced online, a journalist asked him what he thought of Pakistani music. Rather than accepting the framing, Jagjit Singh gently dismantled it.

He pushed back on the idea that music could be boxed by nationality. For him, there was no such thing as Pakistani music or Indian music, only good music and bad music. Melody, emotion, and sincerity were what mattered. Geography, he implied, was irrelevant once a song touched the listener’s heart.

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Without hesitation, he said, “Music ko alag mat karo. Isko alag mat kariye. Music, music hai. Chahe unka ho ya hamara ho. Iske wajah se gadbad hui hai sab,” he said, pointing to the unnecessary trouble caused when creativity is forced into political or cultural boxes.

Throughout his career, Jagjit Singh openly admired and listened to legendary artists from across the subcontinent.

“Baaki purane fankaar jo hain, sabko sunta hoon main,” he added, acknowledging that great art demands respect regardless of its origin. His appreciation for poets, composers, and singers never depended on where they came from, only on the honesty of their expression.

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Jagjit Singh’s legacy stretches far beyond records sold or concerts performed. He reshaped the ghazal, bringing it out of elite halls and into everyday homes, making poetry accessible, emotional, and intimate for millions.

His voice carried restraint, dignity, and quiet depth, qualities that defined both his music and his worldview.

On October 10, 2011, Jagjit Singh passed away in Mumbai after suffering a brain hemorrhage. He was 70. His death marked the end of an era, but his music continues to live on, reminding listeners that true art transcends borders, language, and time itself.

Jagjit Singh is known as music and ghazal maestro in the music industry.