Wandering life, magical voice: ‘Laili Khala’ captivates internet

She walks barefoot through the streets of the city. Sometimes in the market, sometimes in the bazaar, and sometimes sitting silently in the middle of a crowd of people. Everyone knows this woman, a familiar face of Faridpur city, as 'Laili Khala'. This woman, who chose a vagabond life, has now captivated netizens by singing.

Yesterday, at a program organized by Faridpur Sahitya Parishad on the occasion of Nazrul Jayanti, Laili Khala suddenly got up on stage to perform. When the woman wearing a worn sari started singing Nazrul's song 'Nayanbhara Jal Go Tomar...', the entire event fell silent in an instant. Her voice, singing and emotion touched the audience present. Later, when the video went viral on social media, the fascination spread to the net world as well.

Mofiz Imam Milon, Faridpur Sahitya Parishad General Secretary, said, Laili Khala has been a well-known person in the city for many years. She left her family long ago and went on the road. Although she is the mother of a son and a daughter, she has not returned to the family. The children are busy with their own lives, and Laili Khala's life is intertwined with the road and people.

It is said by word of mouth among the locals that she sometimes walked to Ajmer Sharif without a visa or passport.

She met Mofiz Imam Milon around 2000, when he was in charge of the District Shilpakala Academy. At that time, Laili would often come to Shilpakala and sit quietly. That's where her singing talent came to the attention of everyone. Later, with the help of the masters, she also learned to play the harmonium in a very short time.

Milon said, I asked her one day, why do you roam the streets like this? Then she said, 'I see people. There are so many types of people in the world, no one is similar to anyone. I like to watch people.’

She also said that Laili Khala can sing songs by Nurjahan, Lata Mangeshkar or Mehdi Hassan with such emotion that anyone who hears them is impressed.

Not only by ordinary people, she is now regularly invited to various cultural events in Faridpur. Laili Khala had won praise by singing in front of guests at the ‘Faridpur Heritage’ event on April 2. This time, her singing has impressed everyone at the Nazrul Jayanti event as well.

She performed two of Nazrul’s songs at the event organized at Moyez Manzil in Faridpur, known as a historical place of politics in the subcontinent. Later, the video of her singing went viral on social media.

Many people who watched the video wrote, ‘Layli Khala’s voice is amazing, she could have gone far if given the opportunity.’

Someone else wrote, ‘To sing Nazrul’s songs like this, you have to hold the art deep in your heart.’

Nayab Yusuf Ahmed, MP from Faridpur-3 constituency, was present as the chief guest at the event. Also present were Additional Superintendent of Police Fatema Islam, Chairman of the District Council Afzal Hossain Khan Palash, playwright and teacher Dr. Anupam Hayat, veteran journalist Badiuzzaman Chowdhury and local cultural figures. The event was presided over by social worker Professor MA Samad.