Master Ashraf Khan was born in 1880 at Indore and died in 1962 at Danalamdi near Ahemadabad. Like Inayat Khan R. Pathan, he had chosen a spiritual path at the end of his career. However, around 1940 he had played roles in many stage plays and in films. His father Munnavar Khan and mother Najbi passed away when Ashraf was an infant. Their Hindu family friend Baburao brought him up like his own child. Since childhood, he was fond of singing and acting. As a result, he got an opportunity in Gujrati and Parsi ‘Natak Mandali’ where he learnt music. Although his mother tongue was Urdu and he knew Pushtu well, he learnt Gujrati and began to speak like a born Gujrati.
Master Himmat Meer brought him on Gujrati stage. He used to play male roles and sing on stage. Some of his popular drama were - Malavpati, Siraj-Udaulla, Sattano Mad, Samudra Gupta, Sansaar Sagar, Ek Abla, Kalankit Kon, Sukanya Savitri, Arabka Sitara, Sharabka Jam, Daulat-e-Jung, Mandlik etc. Gramophone
Company issued discs of his popular songs. His most famous role was ‘Prithviraj’ from play ‘Malavpati’ that was played for over 2500 times. He played this role at the age of 80, when President of India felicitated him in 1960. He had a trained, cultured, voluminous, sweet voice and hence was called as ‘Kundanlal Saigal of Gujrathi stage’. Later in the era of talkie films, he acted in several films including fifteen in which he was a hero. His heroines were: Zebunnisa, Mehtab, Sardar Akhtar, Iqbal Begum (mother of Meena Kumari) and Sandhya. Some of his most popular films are: Bhartruhari, Gul-Bakavali, Veer Kunal, Husnaka Gulam, Idka Chand, Malti Madhav, Roop Basant, Ajamil, Amirjadi, Dilara, Tislami Talwar, Bahadur Beti, Sakhi Lutera, Kamroon Deshki Rani, Janeta Phool Naiyya, Baghban and Roti. He became famous with the role of mad professor in film Roti. His song ‘Ro ro nain gavae sajanava aan milo’ from film ‘Baghban’ was hit and it was based on one Punjabi folk song.
In his prime time of career, he used to live in 12th lane of Khetwadi in Girgaon. In this lane he had bunglow number eight where he was all the time amidst the company of his friends from all walks of life. Around 1950, his spiritual guru Peersaheb Gulam Sarvar asked him to take over his mission and hence slowly he withdrew himself from the glamorous world of stage and films. Ashraf Khan passed away in 1962. His darga is located at ‘Dana-Limdi’ – a place on Ahemadabad-Mumbai highway. Every year a large ‘Urus’ – festival is held in his memory and the place is visited by his devotees and disciples. Over fifty songs of Ashraf Khan are available on 78 rpm records, earliest being three songs from ‘Chitra Bakavali’, (C.1904), a gujrathi drama staged when he was with Parsi theater Company.
He is believed to be the originator of the Gujarati gazal gayaki recorded on gramophone discs. His Bhairvi record ‘Chali ja Mori’ (HMV N 4123) was most popular. His Jogiabhajan is popular even today and the words are;
“Utha Jaga Musafir Bhor bhai, Ab Rain Kahan Jo Sovat Hain
Jo Sovat hain woh Khovat hai, Jojagat Hain woh Pavat Hain “