Shehanshah of Shehnaai - Page 5

Qwest ji, Thanks so much for all the articles. It is a reminder of an era gone by 😭 😭

This file photo shows Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan, who passed away today, conversing with his daughter Soma Bose in New Delhi.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

On the record

Ustaad Bismillah Khan, Shehnai Maestro

'So long as the shehnai is with me, what need do I have for anything else?'

Ustaad Bismillah Khan, the greatest living exponent of an evocative instrument, the shehnai, received the Bharat Ratna in 2001. The 91-year-old maestro talks to The Indian Express Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta on NDTV 24x7's Walk the Talk programme about his riyaaz, the oneness of divinity, his unflagging love for music, and above all, his faith in humanity

• Ustaad Bismillah Khan, I am very grateful to you for agreeing to speak to us on our programme.

Let me tell you I have very little to say, if it's to talk nonsense. I don't know anything but music; if you ask about that, I can say many things.

• You must practice for hours on end.

Oh endlessly. These temples of ours in Benaras—Balaji and Mangala Gauri—Balaji is a little lower, you have to go down the stairs, but Mangala Gauri is at a height. I don't visit them nowadays; but the stones are the same, aren't they? You bring gangajal, you go inside to offer it—but the stones outside are just the same. All you need to do is put your hand to them.

• And where you place your hand, music and the heart become one.

Yes, yes—just put your hand there and what joy you'll feel. You can't see it though, I'm afraid, it's not something to be seen.


• You have such power. If you sing just a few phrases from the Raag Malhar it begins to rain.

My forefathers used to perform at the Balaji temple. Do you know what they were paid? Rs 35 or 40 for a whole month. When my grandmother performed, do you know what the deal was fixed for? 14 annas.


• Khan saheb, you have never differentiated between religions, you believe all are one.

They are one, absolutely one. It's impossible for there to be division. This voice you hear, it's that that we call sur.


• I heard you once had an argument with a maulana from Iraq. He said music was blasphemy, and you made him understand that music is also a means to God.

Yes, I set him right.


• Tell us how you did it.

It was nothing. He said music is evil, a trap of the devil, and you mustn't fall into it. I said to him: Maulana, all I ask is that you be fair. Then I started singing, and when I finished I asked if this was blasphemy.


• You reached out to Allah through music. What did the maulana say then?

He was speechless, he had nothing left to say. I told him not to fall into these errors. I asked him if taking Allah's name in the raag was wrong—that was all I was saying, though it was in Raag Bhairav.


• So there is no difference between Hindu and Muslim in music—all music goes to one end?

Yes—that same Bhairav I sang—any number of Hindus would agree that it was Raag Bhairav.


• Khan saheb, among your contemporaries, you're in a league of your own. When you got the Bharat Ratna, no one was in disagreement, everyone said it was long overdue.

Look, this is the tool I use (holds up shehnai)—it is very dear to me.


• You keep it with you always—you sleep with it near you.

Yes I do. This is such a thing that when I lift it, I start thinking from my heart. As I said, the stones are the same, both inside and out. People sprinkle gangajal inside, but they never make an offering outside. I put my hand on the stones outside.


• I heard that Lata Mangeshkar called to congratulate you when you received the Bharat Ratna. What did she say to you?

Lata was overjoyed. She called me and said: Khan saheb, you've got the Bharat Ratna. By that time, other people had also told me, so I said: Yes, it's come to me too.


• Both of you had received it.

Yes, I congratulated her. Lata is very melodious, it must be said.


• Do you like listening to her?

Immensely. She has a magic in her voice that very few have. There was also Begum Akhtar...


• Yes, she used to sing ghazals and thumris.

She sang Deewana Bana De—it was a couplet. Many people have sung it, but when she sang, I would make it a point to go to the studio to hear her. And how she sang. I was asleep once—it must have been an hour or so after midnight. Somewhere, someone was playing one of the Begum's records.


• Which one?

The same one—Deewana Bana De. There was a strong breeze—I awoke and sat up to hear her sing. I was enjoying myself so much, I woke my wife up—she was very annoyed and she said, What's all this in the middle of the night? I told her to get lost.


• You said that to her?

Yes, I did. Well, she was my wife after all. The next day, I got to know that what I'd heard at two o'clock in the morning wasn't a record, but was Begum Akhtar herself.


• And which of Lata's songs do you like?

Not anything in particular, but it's her voice. As I said, not everyone has what she has. From the first time I heard her, I wanted to see whether or not she would keep her voice. But it's still there, intact till today. Other people lose their voice, not Lata.

Whenever she sings, it is always a pleasure.


• There was also that song you composed for Gunj Uthi Shehnai.

That, yes—Dil ka khilona— I composed it. What people have to say about it doesn't concern me, so long as they liked the melody. You can say anything you choose—if you want to call me names, I'm ready to take them, but only, please, be in tune. I composed and played that song for the world, and the world enjoyed it. But this sort of thing isn't to my liking.


• Is that why you didn't do any other work for film?

There's no way I would.


• Khan Saheb, your contemporaries—Pandit Ravi Shankar, Bhimsen Joshi, Balamurali Krishna from the South—what do you think of these musicians?

They are all very good—there's no doubt of that. Bhimsen Joshi and I were great friends.


• They're all your friends. Khan Saheb, all your contemporaries have made so much money—they've built huge homes, they have several cars, they live abroad. And here you are: still in your old neighbourhood, living so simply at your old home. Have you ever had regrets?

No, none. Here's what I say—if anyone wants to meet me, they will have to come here. I will not go anywhere, whether it's for a raja, a maharaja or anyone else. If I'm not in the mood, I won't go anywhere for any amount of money. Look, this is my means (touches shehnai to forehead). By the grace of God, when this is in my hands, all the wealth of the world could be brought to me, and I'd say: Get about your business, take it away. So long as this one thing is with me, what need do I have for anything else?


• No one should be grasping, agreed. But don't you think it would have been better, with your large family, if you had organised your records and performances, built a house, accumulated some wealth?

Yes, I have a family—but it isn't in my nature, all this nonsense. Is there no joy in music—is it all to be this foolishness? There is beauty in my voice—I could sing, and after a while there would be tears in your eyes.


• Everyone who hears you has tears in their eyes, and while they cry, they laugh as well.

Yes, but that doesn't happen for money.


• So, you are not bothered with money.

No, not at all.


• But you would say that other musicians have been greedy, that this isn't right?

Yes, there shouldn't be that. You don't know this—I had gone to Pakistan once, and I didn't feel at all at home there. There was this fence—look at one side and it's Pakistan, look at the other and it's Hindustan. I said to hell with it. I would say namaskaar to the Pakistanis and salaam alaikum to the Indians. I was there for about an hour—I couldn't take the place, but I had a good laugh.


• You didn't like it there?

No, not in the least. I just crossed the fence to say: I have been to Pakistan.


• But when Partition happened, didn't you and your family ever think of moving to Pakistan?

God forbid. Me, leave Benaras? Never.


• When India became independent, you performed at the Red Fort. Could you tell us about that?

How can I tell you about it? I can't express those feelings. I performed at the Red Fort—I went inside, there was a stage set up and it was a thrilling experience. But what exactly happened, who was there, I can't recall.


• You have seen so much of the world. You were born in 1914, when the First World War was on; you've also seen the Second World War, India's Independence—the whole world has changed. But at this time, what's happening in the world, violence, terrorism—what do you feel about it all?

Nothing. Tell me, how many people are there in Hindustan?


• More than a hundred crores.

Everyone has a mind, right? Everyone thinks differently. Each one of them can't be good, there will have to be some who will do bad.


• But, Khan saheb, the world has started talking about 'Islamic terrorism', as though terror were intrinsic to Islam. Do you feel bad about that?

No, it's not like that. Didn't I just tell you, there's only God. I can sing to Allah in Raag Bhairav.


• And you say that if you sing, it will start to rain.

Yes, it does.


• Well, it's started to rain now.

It's not like that. But a raag is a raag, you can't change a raag.


• What would you like to tell the world, and specially Muslims, about handling this problem?

I do not want to say anything to Muslims. (claps) These claps are the rhythm, the flow.


• You mean, when you are with the flow, you think of good things, bad thoughts will vanish of their own?

How many people will you reform? How many thousands of people there are.


• Yes, there'll always be a few bad guys left.

That will always happen. All the maulavis say one shouldn't drink liquor, but people still do, don't they? If others do wrong, let them. One should be firm about not doing so oneself.


• Khan saheb, tell me—you're 91 years old. You're playing still, and there's a glow in your face. How have you kept your health all these years—your health and your spirit? To look at you would lift a sad man's heart.

I'll tell you, it's not like that. When my wife passed away, I was very disturbed for a year. Everyone wanted me to remarry, but I listened to my heart. I have children, girls—what would become of them? I decided I wouldn't marry. This is my companion. (picks up shehnai)


• When your begum left, this was by your side?

Yes, this is all I have.


• So, who are you teaching now; who will take care of the shehnai after you?

My sons will be there.


• When you listen to today's film music—do you ever listen to A.R. Rehman?

No. I am not in that line. I went into films once or twice. They wanted me to do things their way. I said: Am I here to learn from you? I just packed up and quit. They think they have so much money—they'll throw a bit here and there, and I will be ready to do whatever they want. They could be playing all their lives, but they will never learn anything. I couldn't stand it. They thought they would dictate terms—that I should do what they told me. It's the other way around—I tell them what to do and they follow.


• Khan saheb, you played when the country attained independence, and you played at our 50th Independence Day.

My elder brother and I had ordered new clothes made of thick khadi specially for the occasion. There must be a recording of that somewhere, the country's independence celebrations. I don't know who would have it.


• What is your message now for the country?

I would say only this: all is still not lost. If you dedicate yourself to what you learn, if you practise it sincerely, you will lose all fear of what may befall you.


• You can forget all your troubles in music?

Things will happen around you, and you will stop minding them. It happens to me. I was waiting for you before the interview. That's alright. But I will not play for any and everyone. It takes two hours for me to tune this, and then it plays the way I want it to. It won't be that I'll wish it to do one thing and it will do something else. No. I will tell it what to do and it will do just what I say.


• Your message to the world is that people should think about peace, rhythm and harmony, and they will be freed of their troubles.

Look, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian—whoever they are, they're all one. Once people realise that and come into harmony with each other, there will be no more division.

The value of incidental skills

FAITHSCAPE || Renuka Narayanan

August 26, 2006
Ustad Bismillah Khan's life, when you think about it, holds several interesting reminders for harried people today. It goes beyond the way he built a brand out of virtually nothing. Not all of us can hope to be Bharat Ratnas. But we can see how the Big Idea exemplified by Khan Saheb's life can apply to our everyday lives. I'd rather not go down the path of critiquing how he should've managed his finances and family better. I'd rather not dwell on something that upset many music lovers in later years, his promotion of his tabla-playing youngest son. The dugdugi. which usually accompanied the shehnai and seemed to suit it better tonally, was virtually silenced in Khan Saheb's later concerts. Instead, he'd showcase his younger son, giving him as many as five long tabla solos in the course of one raga. Mood, melody and raga delineation went for a toss while the tabla-playing son spat out a storm of high-decibel sounds at high speed, sounding, alas, more like a popcorn machine gone berserk than his obvious role model, Ustad Zakir Hussain.

No, these regrettable things belong to the realm of human frailty and, presumably, family pressure on an old man and should be put away, especially the horrible lack of dignity in the spectacle of a Bharat Ratna-awardee wailing aloud for a gas agency. At another level, it's like Bapu-bashing. But what Bapu did 'right' was a million times greater than what we think he did 'wrong', isn't it?

Suppose we look instead at the personal take-home from this incredibly long life that was witness to so much in our history. Something apparently unrelated comes to mind unbidden: the story of Mrs Rajni Bector, a widow living in the Punjab. Some 15 years ago she made use of her skill as a good cook and built a brand called Cremica. It's now a rocking brand I'm told, not known much outside the Punjab, but great stuff: cookies, breads, sandwich spreads, salad dressings, salsa.

I remember reading about Mrs Bector long back as a plucky start-up story in a business magazine and somehow, never forgot her. I look for her products in Delhi and they're good. Why am I going to town on this lady I've never met? I guess the taste lingers and the story inspires because here's someone who parlayed an incidental domestic skill into a whole life.

So what connects these two lives, both from places marked by great rivers but otherwise unlinked? I guess it's their proven ability at having made something out of 'nothing'. All our lives have 'nothing' that holds great life-changing potential, if we think about it. But we don't need to feel oppressed to become shehnai maestros or businesswomen and win awards. Instead, suppose we focused on rewards? The personal kind that give meaning and interest to our everyday lives? For one, it seems a shame to waste precious evening hours just hanging out as one of the great mass of Educated Unskilled. Instead, in many parts of urban India, young people are taught to acquire accomplishments like music, dance, cookery, the care of house and garden, whatever. This translates into a lifestyle that improves the quality of everyday existence and can empower us enormously when things go wrong.

They can teach us to obsess with quality, with getting things 'right', with finding and giving pleasure. Famous lives are useful to us because they remind us that we all have the potential to get a kick out of this messy and often incomprehensible business of existence. In knowing how others managed things, we pick up clues on managing ours (politicians love reading biographies for this reason). The life of Ustad Bismillah Khan tells us clearly that if we find something we love doing and stick with it for its own sake without an eye on the main chance, that transformative magic happens, called 'quality'. And life appears in its best colours to us!

Wah Ustad 'Shenai' Khan

Shenai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan is no more. From 1916 to 2006, 90 long years - 30 years in pre- Independence and the double of that (60 years) in post-Independence India; he lived a life full of glorious events. Having closely seen almost all the giants in Indian Independence movement, Bismillah Khan's famed shenai was well chosen as the 'dhun' to be played from the ramparts of the Red Forts when the Union Jack was lowered and the Indian Tricolour was unfurled by Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru on the midnight of August, 14-15, 1947. And there could have been no month better than August for this pious soul to depart from his mortal body to rest in peace.
Living a life fully dedicated to a cause, then departing from this world, leaving an indelible mark, is something that speaks volumes about Ustad Khan. His favourite music instrument - 'shenai', a hardly one and half feet long black pipe with couple of flute type holes, to control the sweet, melodious sound, so delicately pooh-poohed by the maestro, kept his audience spell-bound, world-wide. A simple music that used to be played in Indian weddings, became an inalienable part of Indian classical music. It was just because of Bismillah Khan's single-minded devotion, dedication, determination and hard work

Though a devout Muslim, till his last breath, Khan sahib equally regarded Indian ethos as well by worshipping Saraswati, the goddess of Vidya (Knowledge). The closeness of his place of living at Varanasi with its famed Sankat Mochan temple where his uncle - Ali Bux 'Vilayati' was a temple musician, made Bismillah Khan more adept to the Hindu culture and way of life. During his 90 long years of fully accomplished life, Khan had witnessed several ups and downs in Hindu Muslim relations, particularly in his own home State- U.P. where communal atmosphere charged at every single drop of a hat right from the madness of the partition in 1945-47 till the volatile times of demolition of the Babri Mazjid in 1992, but the melodious sounds of Bismillah Khan's shenai remained unchanged. And that is the peculiarity of music, synonym of love of God. Hence it is said music and love knew no bounds.

That was the uniqueness of the maestro, which set him apart, and that even paved the way for adoring the crowning glory when he was decorated with the rarest of the rare honour - the Bharat Ratna. But the simplicity of this 'jewel of Varanasi' was such that he refused to move away from the city of his first love with the Ganga flowing around that gave 'Tal' to his 'Sur' through his 'shenai'.

May his soul rest in peace, though we painfully miss the sweetness of his music for a long time to come.

</>

Ustad played a key role in maintaining peace & harmony

HT Correspondent Varanasi, August 21

THE DEMISE of Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan, the shehnai magician of shehnai, has sent shockwaves among the 'peace lovers' in the society.

The 91-year-old shehnai maestro was a living legend and strong signature of Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb (communal harmony). It was Khan Saheb who played a significant role in maintaining brotherhood and communal harmony among a cross-section of society after March 7 twin bomb blasts at Sankat Mochan Temple and Varanasi Cantonment Railway Station in Varanasi this year.

Bismillah Khan had strongly condemned the twin bomb blasts and termed the blasts as an attack on the entire humanity. "There is only one God — name it Allah or Rama," the shehnai maestro had said.

"The culture of Varanasi is a confluence of different culture and no one could hurt it," he had stated.

"The twin bomb blasts in the city was an attack on humanity executed by some inhuman persons," Bismillah Khan had said.

The Hindu-Muslim unity showed that no anti-national or anti-social elements could break the cultural tradition of communal harmony and peace in Varanasi.

Eminent scholars of Varanasi believe that Khan Saheb made enormous efforts to disseminate communal harmony and maintain peace and brotherhood among a cross-section of society throughout his life.

Mufti-e-Shehar, Maulana Abdul Batin Nomani said, "Khan Saheb was the Rehnuma (patron) of Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb and his demise is a great shock to the peace-lovers."

Nomani, who had issued 'Fatwa' against those responsible for March 7 twin bomb blasts in Varanasi this year said that the demise of Bismillah Khan has come as a great shock for the secular minded people in the society.

Mahant of Sankat Mochan Temple Prof Veer Bhadra Mishra in his condolence message said, "Bismillah Khan was a great icon of communal harmony and his statement on twin bomb blasts played an important role in maintaining peace in the hours of crisis."

Prof Mishra said, "Khan Saheb had a great affection towards Kashi and Ganga and if people follow the path shown by Bismillah Khan then no one could distort communal harmony of the nation."

National
Varanasi drowns in tears at last goodbye to Ustad Varanasi, Aug. 21 (PTI): People of this temple city, where Ustad Bismillah Khan lived all his life and breathed his last often said that one could take the shenai legend out of Varanasi but never Varanasi out of him. And the scene at the Benia Bagh ground, where the body of the maestro was kept, reflected the people's emotion as weeping men, women and children of all religions and age came by to say their last goodbyes to the shehnai wizard who embraced this city all his life and carried its tales and memories everywhere he went. Khan would be buried in a graveyard in Fatman locality and the funeral namaz performed at Benia Bagh after which a procession would be taken out, his family said. Khan transcended religion and lived by the joys and sorrows of the people of this temple town and was known to always yearn for home even during his foreign trips that took him across the seven seas. He turned down many offers luring him overseas including one in which he was promised a replica of Banaras in America. He rejected it saying, "you will not be able to bring my Ganges here." Earlier in the day, a string of prominent visitors, including Uttar Pradesh Governor T V Rajeshwar, Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, PWD minister Shivpal Singh Yadav and UPCC President Salman Khursheed paid their last respects to Khan.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made at the Benia Bagh ground and en route the funeral procession, police sources said.

Originally posted by: Qwest

In one of the rare moment's music composer A.R Rehman facilitated the maestro with Amir Khusro life time achievement award. Ustad in an impromptu remark told Rehman; 'where were you, so far I have just heard of you, it is for the first time I am meeting you.' 'Nevertheless I take your name five times a day during my prayers, he quipped.' Rehman is one of the names of the God. He showered his blessings on the young musician and said 'he prays that God gives you a long life to attain the great heights in the music world.' To this Rehman shot back; 'even I take your name any number of times in a day, by saying Bismillah, before starting anything new. Bismillah means, 'I start in the name of Allah.' Rehman said that while listening to Ustad he felt crying, as so griping were his compositions. He said he was amazed that at 86, Ustad is playing the instrument like a kid. Rahman recalled, he had tried to learn playing Shehnai, but gave it up within a week finding it too difficult to handle.

really luved this part. Thanx Priya and Babu for the post. i was not getting the time to go through them. finally could read some and hve saved some.

Originally posted by: charades

Many thanks to Priya and as always Dada for all these Articles 👏 👏 👏

Please Enjoy the scores of One of his Album Badhai

These are all from First CD.

thanx VJ. hav started downloading. can yu also upload them on turbo tht way we can then download multiple tracks.

Bismillah Khan sings bhajans for children

The Pioneer
Monday, October 4, 2004


Indraprasth (Agencies) - Ustad Bismillah Khan may be identified with Shehnai, but the living legend of Indian music now finds the greatest fulfilment in singing the bhajan 'Raghupati Raghav Rajaram' to children.


"The applause that I get from the children when I sing the bhajan 'Raghupati Raghav Rajaram' gives me the greatest fulfilment," Khan, who was here to perform in a cultural programme to mark Gandhi Jayanti, said.


The 89-year-old Shehnai maestro said it gave him tremendous satisfaction to know that at least some of the children will remember the "old man" for the song that he sang for them.


Frail of health now and with limited mobility, Khan, however, talks zestfully about some of his most cherished memories, one of which is about his performance for schoolchildren in New York in 1972.


"I remember that performance vividly. As I finished a piece, I took a breather, but instead of applause, there was pin-drop silence. I was so furious, I said to myself, 'I play my heart out, and look at these children, they don't even bother to clap,'" he said.


"However, once my performance was over, there was a standing ovation, and it became clear to me that the children were so very moved by the sound of the shehnai, they forgot to clap. And then there were so many encores, it left me completely drained out," said the maestro, recalling his 1972 US tour.