"Ragi Nizami" - The Qawaali Singer

Shakuntala, who was very fond of music, invited a qawwaali singer of Delhi to her home. He was known as Raagi Nizaami. The man had six fingers in his left hand. He had just appeared on the scene during those days, but became a very famous qawwaali singer after he had sung before Shri Nathji. This always happened whenever any singer sang before Shri Nathji. The singer inevitably found fame following him. It was a measure of the divine benedictions that were always around Shri Nathji all the time that whoever came to him found worldly success following him.

One of Raagi Nizaami’s favourite qawaalis

before Shri Nathji was:

“Ram teraa gorakh-dhandaa main kyaa jaanoon

O Lord what know I of Thy riddles!”

And there was the one in which he said:

 “Main chalaa aayaa teri taraf Kadam lagzeedaa lagzeedaa

 I walked towards Thee, But ever so slowly

Main dekhtaa hoon tujhko Magar pausheedaa pausheedaa

I looked upon Thee But ever so veiled!”

Whenever Shri Nathji sat before any singer and listened to his words, Shri Nathji's countenance took on a benign smile and the radiant glow on his face became ever so much brighter. The singer was so affected by Shri Nathji that his singing and words took on a new meaning they had never taken before in his whole life. It was as if Shri Nathji had taken possession of his heart and soul and was singing through him. The effect of the singing became so profound that all who listened felt the divine grace of Shri Nathji go out towards them in the song.

Raagi Nizaami  also known as Sultan Ragi belongs to a very famous 'Sikandra Gharana' whose singers have the privilege to be known as Darbari singers of the Asthana of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia and Hazrat Amir Khusro for the past seven hundred years. His full name was Ustad Mehomood Nizami. After Shri Nathji’s belessings he become very famous. Later his two sons; Ustad Ghulam Farid Nizami and Ustad Chand Nizami, become popular. Now Ustad Chand Nizami and the two sons of his brother Ustad Ghulam Farid Nizami; Shadab Faridi Nizami and Sohrab Faridi Nizami, sing together. These three are better known as " Nizami Bandhu" in the world of music. They reside at 131, Dargah Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia, New Delhi.