Latest news with #Mardan
Shafaq News
4 days ago
- General
- Shafaq News
Kirkuk's master: Ali Mardan's timeless echo
Shafaq News In the heart of old Kirkuk, where Sufi chants once rose with the dawn, the voice of Ali Mardan still echoes—the same sound that once shaped the vision of a blind boy turned master of Iraq's most intricate musical tradition. Four decades after his death, Mardan is not merely remembered; he is relived—through notes, verses, and the shared heritage of a city that once thrived on plurality. A Child of Kirkuk's Heart Born in 1904 in the spiritual heart of Kirkuk—the Talabani Tekyeh—Mardan's first exposure to music came not through conservatories but through the sacred rituals of zikr and Quranic recitation. When he was rebuked by an uncle for singing maqams at home, he fled in tears to the Sufi lodge. The sheikh there, recognizing the child's rare gift, told the family: 'This boy has a voice that will never be repeated. Let him learn.' From that moment on, Mardan immersed himself in the deep waters of Kurdish, Turkmen, and Arabic maqams. He studied under teachers of diverse backgrounds: Sunni mullahs, Persian masters, and Arab scholars. A Voice of Many Tongues Mardan's mastery of maqam defied boundaries. Over his 35-year career, he recorded more than 1,000 songs and 76 Kurdish maqams, blending elements from Arab, Persian, Turkmen, and Kurdish traditions—not as mimicry, but as synthesis. This was especially vital in a city like Kirkuk, where linguistic and cultural diversity has long been a defining feature. Mardan's musical choices reflected that multicultural fabric: he sang classical Kurdish poetry, played Persian rhythms, and interpreted Arabic maqams on instruments like the oud, kamancheh, and tanbur. In the 1960s, his voice crossed borders—recorded not just in Baghdad, but in Tehran, Kermanshah, Beirut, Amman, and Damascus. He became the first Kurdish artist to be broadcast widely across Arab radio stations, subtly introducing Kurdish maqam to a regional audience often unfamiliar with its intricacies. Bridge Across Cultures Mardan's maqams carried historical memory, linguistic pride, and emotional depth. His musical teaching, especially to students at the Model Institute for the Blind in Baghdad, helped institutionalize this memory for future generations. His son Abdel Qader told Shafaq News, 'My father wasn't just a maqam singer. He was a living school. I still keep his recordings on old records.' After his death in 1981, his body was returned to Kirkuk, where he was buried near the same Sufi tekyeh that gave him sanctuary as a child. Even in death, he remained close to his origins. In 2020, a memorial statue was unveiled in his honor in Kirkuk, drawing artists from across ethnic lines. The Ali Mardan Center for Maqam Studies now offers instruction to students in Arabic, Kurdish, and Turkmen musical forms, serving as both a music school and a cultural bridge. Annual festivals continue to commemorate his art, drawing readers, singers, and scholars from around the region. As one local musician remarked during a recent commemoration: 'Ali Mardan reminds us that Kurdish identity does not close doors. It opens them to every tradition it can carry with dignity.' Mardan's legacy is a reminder of what is still possible when communities choose to document, teach, and share—not only to preserve culture but to revive the very idea of coexistence.
Arab News
09-06-2025
- Arab News
Over 50 killed, dozens injured in accidents and shootings during Eid in northwest Pakistan
PESHAWAR: At least 55 people were killed and 50 others injured in various incidents across Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province during the three days of Eid Al-Adha, rescue officials said on Monday. The fatalities were reported in traffic accidents, drowning incidents, fires and gun violence across multiple districts, including the provincial capital, Peshawar. The injured were taken to local hospitals for medical treatment, according to a statement released by Rescue 1122. 'The total number of deaths across the province during the Eid holidays has reached 55,' Shah Fahad, Director General of Rescue 1122 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said. 'Fifty others were injured in shooting incidents and provided emergency medical aid.' According to the data, Rescue 1122 responded to about 2,000 emergencies and provided medical assistance to 1,897 individuals across the province during Eid. These included 1,400 medical emergencies, 349 traffic accidents, 112 fire incidents, six drowning cases and 50 crime-related incidents. In Peshawar alone, the agency handled 418 emergency calls, including 43 road accidents, 338 medical cases, 20 fire incidents and eight gun-related injuries. A total of 431 patients were transported to hospitals in the city. District-wise, the highest number of fatalities was reported in Mardan (14) and Peshawar (13). Fire incidents on festive occasions in the province are often caused by barbecues or fireworks, while traffic accidents typically stem from congestion, reckless driving by youth and occasional road rage. Drowning incidents occur when people visit rivers or lakes for boating without adequate safety measures, and gun-related injuries often result from either criminal activity or celebratory gunfire.
Arab News
30-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Heavy rains, thunderstorms claim more than 25 lives in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Heavy rains and thunderstorms have killed eight people in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, authorities said on Friday, taking the nationwide death from rain-related incidents to at least 26. Moist currents have penetrated Pakistan over the past one week and under the influence of this weather system, isolated heavy rains and hail and thunderstorms have lashed several areas in upper and central parts of the country. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said fresh downpours, which began on May 27, have damaged 25 homes in Mardan, Swabi, Peshawar, Shangla, Swat, Torghar, Mohmand, Mansehra and Haripur, killing eight and injuring 21 people. 'Among the deceased are five men, two women, and a child,' the PDMA said in a statement. 'The injured include ten men, five women and six children.' Earlier this week, Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority chief Irfan Ali Kathia confirmed heavy rains had killed 18 people and injured 110 people in the eastern province. Pakistan has seen erratic changes in its weather patterns which have led to frequent heat waves, untimely rains, storms, cyclones and droughts in recent years. Scientists have blamed the events on human-driven climate change. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast that the current spell of rains will continue till May 31. 'PDMA has instructed local administrations to provide immediate support to affected families and ensure that the injured receive proper medical care,' the KP authority said. 'Citizens are urged to report any emergencies by calling 1700.' In 2022, devastating floods, blamed on human-driven climate change, killed more than 1,700 Pakistanis, affected another 33 million and caused the country over $30 billion in economic losses.
