Shehnai loses its master

He was buried at the Fatman graveyard this evening with full state honours. The government declared a day’s national mourning today as a mark of respect to the musician who was single-handedly responsible for making famous the classical instrument, traditionally played during marriages.

The Tricolour flew half-mast at all government buildings. President APJ Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh led the nation in mourning the Ustad.

In his condolence message, Kalam said: “He was a rare jewel and a musician who comes only once in a lifetime.”

Singh, in his statement, said: “A true symbol of our composite culture, Khan Sahib, through his mellifluous rendering of the shehnai, showed us that while God may manifest himself in many forms, piety finds its true expression through music.”

Khan, a staunch devotee of Goddess Saraswati, is survived by five sons and three daughters.

Born on March 21, 1916 into a family of court musicians in the former princely state of Dumraon in Bihar was trained under his uncle, the late Ali Bux ‘Vilayatu,’ a shehnai player attached to Varanasi’s Vishwanath temple.

The third classical musician after Pandit Ravi Shankar and M S Subbulakshmi to be awarded Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian honour, Khan strove to defy prejudice and convention in regard to shehnai and fought to win a place of dignity and honour for the instrument he loved.

Recognition and laurels came thick and fast to this artist. On August 15, 1947 he performed at the historic Red Fort in Delhi after Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru unfurled the national flag marking India’s independence. He turned down many offers luring him overseas, including one in which he was promised a replica in Banaras in the US. He rejected it saying, “you will not be able to bring my Ganga here.”

Despite his fame, Khan’s lifestyle retained its old world charm and he continued to use the cycle rickshaw as his chief mode of transport till his death.

“Koi doosra Bismillah Khan duniya bhar mein dhoondhne se bhi nahi milega.” (It’s impossible to find another Bismillah Khan), he would say candidly. His music conveyed the rest. He never parted with his shehnai. “His shehnai will not be buried with him. It will be passed on to his sons,” said his secretary, Javed.

Tabla legend Pt Kishan Maharaj said: “I have lost a dear friend. We shared a strong Banarasi connection. He was interested in wrestling and we would have wrestling bouts. At other times, we would cheer for contestants in local matches. He was fun to be with and had a knack of cracking jokes that would leave me breathless. I accompanied him to several concerts. His command on the blowing techniques was unmatchable, hard for even a flautist to live upto. That’s because Bismil practiced for at least 13 hours a day. I never really visited him at his place. I honestly felt awkward to see Ustad Sahib stay in such penury. The greatest of all maestros did not deserve to stay in such conditions.”

Thumri maestro Pt Chhunulal Mishra said: “His love for the Ganga really impressed people in Banaras. He was a store of compositions that spoke of his affection for the river and the philosophy attached to it. One such was Ganga Dware which he sang really soulfully. Ustad Sahib was all for communal harmony and he never made any show of it.”