Bismillah Khan

Infobox musical artist
Name = Bismillah Khan

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Img_capt = Ustad Bismillah Khan at Concert in 1964
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Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name = Qamaruddin
Alias =
Born = birth date|1916|3|21|mf=y
Died = death date and age|2006|8|21|1916|3|21|mf=y
Origin = India
Instrument = Shehnai
Genre = Indian classical music
Occupation = Shehnai
Years_active =
Label =
Associated_acts =
URL =
Current_members =
Past_members =

Ustad Bismillah Khan Sahib (March 21, 1916 – August 21, 2006) was a shehnai maestro from India. The term Ustad or Pandit in relation to Indian classical music implies Master or Guru.

He was the third classical musician to be awarded the Bharat Ratna (in 2001), the highest civilian honour in India.

Early life

Bismillah Khan was born on March 21, 1916 at Bhirung Raut Ki Gali, in Dumraon, Bihar as the second son of Paigambar Khan and Mitthan. He was named as Qamaruddin"Bismillah Khan: The Shehnai Maestro" by Neeraja Poddar, Rupa, New Delhi, 2004. ] to rhyme with Shamsuddin, their first son. His grandfather, Rasool Baksh Khan uttered "Bismillah" (the "basmala") after looking at the newborn, thus he was named Bismillah Khan. cite web
title = Biography of Ustad Bismillah Khan - from Geocities |url=http://www.geocities.com/whiteinkal/Ustad_Bismillah_Khan.html
accessdate=2006-08-24]

His ancestors were court musicians and used to play in Naqqar khana in the princely states of Bhojpur, now in Bihar. His father was a shehnai player in the court of Maharaja Keshav Prasad Singh of Dumraon Estate, Bihar.

Religious beliefs

Though a pious Shi'ite Muslim, he was also, like many Indian musicians, regardless of religion, a devotee of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of wisdom and the arts, cite web
title = Rediff Slides on Ustad Bismillah Khan |url=http://specials.rediff.com/news/2006/aug/21sld3.htm
accessdate=2006-08-21] and often played at Hindu temples, including the famous Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, on the banks of the river Ganga. cite web
title = BBC on Ustad Bismillah Khan |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5270968.stm
accessdate=2006-08-21] He also performed for Prem Rawat. [ [http://youtube.com/watch?v=TVLKvb51Pks YouTube - Bismillah Khan Performs Music For Guru Maharaji Prem Rawat ] ]

Training

He received his training under his uncle, the late Ali Baksh 'Vilayatu', a shehnai player attached to Varanasi's Vishwanath Temple.

Career

Khan was perhaps single handedly responsible for making the shehnai a famous classical instrument. He brought the shehnai to the center stage of Indian music with his concert in the Calcutta All India Music Conference in 1937. He was credited with having almost monopoly over the instrument as he and the shehnai are almost synonyms.

Khan is one of the finest musicians in post-independent Indian Classical music and one of the best examples of hindu-muslim unity in India.

His concept of music was very beautiful and his vision, superb.He once said, "Even if the world ends, the music will still survive" and he often said, "Music has no caste".

He played in Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Europe, Iran, Iraq, Canada, West Africa, U.S., USSR, Japan, Hong Kong and almost every capital city across the world.

His shehnai was so close to him that after the demise of his wife he began to refer to it as his begum, or wife. After his death, his shehnai was buried with him.

Performances at Red Fort

Khan had the rare honor of performing at Delhi's Red Fort on the eve of India's Independence in 1947. He also performed Raga Kafi from the Red Fort on the eve of India’s first Republic Day ceremony, on January 26, 1950. His recital had become a cultural part of India's Independence Day Celebrations, telecast on Doordarshan every year on August 15th. After the Prime Minister's speech from Lal Qila (the Red Fort,) in Old Delhi, Doordarshan would broadcast a live performance by the shehnai maestro. This tradition dated from the days of Pandit Nehru.

Awards and recognitions

Awards

*Bharat Ratna (2001)
*Fellow of Sangeet Natak Akademi (1994).
*Talar Mausiquee from Republic of Iran (1992).
*Padma Vibhushan (1980)
*Padma Bhushan (1968)
*Padma Shri (1961)
*Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1956)
*Tansen Award by Govt. of Madhya Pradesh.
*Three medals in All India Music Conference, Calcutta (1937)
*"Best Performer" in All India Music Conference, Allahabad (1930)

Recognitions

Bismillah Khan had honorary doctorates from
*Banaras Hindu University
*Visva Bharati University
*Santiniketan.

Others includecite web | title=Standard IX Textbook - Step to English, Chapter 13: Shehnai Maestro Bismillah Khan| publisher = National Council for Education Research and Training | url=http://www.ncert.nic.in/textbooks/IX/step_to_eng_TextBook/Chapter%2013.pdf | format = PDF | accessdate=2006-09-21]
* Was invited by the then Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to play shehnai on the first Independence Day (August 15, 1947) in Delhi's Red Fort.
* Participated in World Exposition in Montreal
* Participated in Cannes Art Festival
* Participated in Osaka Trade Fair
* His 80th birthday was celebrated by World Music Institute in New York

tudents

Ustad Bismillah Khan rarely accepted students, but in 1985 he had a meeting with Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji (the present master of the Namdhari Sikhs), where he saw a talented young boy called Baljit Singh Namdhari playing the tarshenai, and welcomed him as a student. Ustad Bismillah Khan & Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji had great mutual respect for each other. In 1999 he adopted two more tarshenai students, named Kirpal Singh and Gurbaksh Singh Namdhari.

Khan in films

Khan had a brief association with movies. He played the shehnai for Dr.Rajkumar's role of "Appanna" in the movie "Sanaadi Appanna". He acted in Jalsaghar, a movie by Satyajit Ray and provided sound of shehnai in "Goonj Uthi Shehnai". Noted director Goutam Ghose directed "Sange Meel Se Mulaqat", a documentary about the life of Khan.

Personal life

On August 17, 2006, Khan was taken ill and admitted to the Heritage Hospital, Varanasi for treatment. [cite news | title = Ustad Bismillah Khan hospitalised | url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1899702.cms | publisher = Times of India | date = 2006-08-17 | accessdate = 2007-03-13] He died after four days on August 21, 2006 due to a cardiac arrest. He was ninety years old. He is survived by five sons, three daughters and a large number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. [cite web | title = Bismillah Khan | work = Personalities | url = http://www.webindia123.com/personal/music/bismil.htm | publisher = webindia123.com | accessdate = 2007-03-13]

The Government of India declared one day of national mourning on his death. His body along with Shehnai was buried at Fatemain burial ground of old Varanasi under a neem tree with 21-gun salute from Indian Army. [cite news | title = India mourns legendary musician | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5272134.stm | publisher = BBC | date = 2006-08-21 | accessdate = 2007-03-13]

Legacy

Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, instituted the 'Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar' in 2007, in his honour. It is given to young artistes in the field of music, theatre and dance [ [http://in.news.yahoo.com/070221/43/6cc3e.html Sangeet Natak Akademi, Youth Awards, Feb 2007] ] .

Discography

Here is a list of selected works by Ustad Bismilla Khan.
*Sanaadi Appanna - Played shehnai for Dr.Rajkumar's role in the movie.
*Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959) - Provided shehnai
* [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000003HRV Maestro's Choice] (February 1994)
* [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000003HSL Megh Malhar, Vol. 4] (the other piece in the album is by Kishori Amonkar) (September 1994)
* [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000005SED Live at the Queen Elizabeth Hall] (September 2000)
* [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000005SE6 Live in London, Vol. 2] (September 2000)

References

External links

* [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1912543.cms Times of India: National mourning for Ustad Bismillah Khan]
* [http://www.documen.tv/asset/Banaras_Music_film.html Documentary about Bismillah Khan: BANARAS, MUSIC OF THE GANGES]
* [http://www.chembur.com/anecdotes/bismillah.htm Chembur.com Ustad Bismillah Khan]
*imdb name|id=0451190|name=Ustad Bismillah Khan