Kotwal’s ghazals on CD

Orthodontist Dr Navroze Kotwal has penned the lyrics for eight Urdu ghazals while the famous singer Anup Jalota has composed and sung the music for an album titled Aashiqana, Ghazals to Remember which was released on October 18, 2014 by noted ghazal singer Talat Aziz. In English the word aashiqana would connote fervent, zealous, fervid and ardent.

Cover of CD of ghazals with Urdu lyrics by Dr Navroze Kotwal

When Kotwal initially approached him, Jalota agreed to sing two of the ghazals. Later, he said he would sing four. A few months down the line Jalota informed the poet that he would make an album of all the eight ghazals. Kotwal is hopeful that even those not familiar with Urdu shayari (poetry) or Indian music will enjoy listening to the album. The eight recorded ghazals include Koi sabab zaroor tha (There was a reason undoubtedly), Subah hoté hi (As dawn broke) and Téré lab ko hansné ki aadat (Your inclination to smile). The CD album is available at Rhythm House and Crossword in Bandra and other music stores, priced at Rs 199.
Kotwal’s album is the culmination of his fascination with the lyrical language since his school days. He first started reading Urdu shayari in the Devnagiri script but later learnt the Urdu script before writing Urdu shayari, ghazals and nazms. Several of his ghazals and nazms have been published in Urdu magazines and newspapers. Kotwal has explained that "a ghazal is composed of a series of couplets… In a nazm the poet expresses himself in a verse format (see ‘Love of the lyrical language,’ Parsiana, May 21, 2009).”
Dhiren Raichura, who arranged the music for the album employed the best instrumentalists from the Indian music industry. Vidhi Sharma lent her voice to the album, Kotwal informed Parsiana.
Kotwal may be contacted by telephone at 9820763567 or by email at drnavrozekotwal@hotmail.com