Originally known as Qamruddin Khan, Bismillah Khan was born on 21 March 1916 in Dumraon, Bihar and Orissa province, British India. He was a classical musician who played the shehnai, an oboe-like ceremonial horn of North India, with such expressive creativity that he became a prominent Indian classical music artist. In this article, you will know about his life, education, career, awards and recognitions etc. So, without further ado, let’s get started.
The outstanding talent of a classical musician who developed a fondness for shehnai among music lovers, Ustad Bismillah Khan can never be forgotten and will forever remain in everyone’s hearts. On his birth anniversary, MP Ravi Shankar Prasad took to Twitter to express his gratitude.
I pay tribute to India’s great Shehnai Maestro “Bharat Ratna” Ustad Bismillah Khan Ji on his birthday. pic.twitter.com/sxetC6ykfb
– Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad)
March 21, 2015
Biography of Bismillah Khan
|
Birth name |
Qamaruddin Khan |
|
Born |
March 21, 1916 |
|
Place of birth |
Dumraon, Shahabad district, Bihar and Orissa province, British India |
|
Die |
August 21, 2006 |
|
Place of death |
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India |
|
Job |
Musician |
|
Tool |
Shehnai |
|
category |
Indian classical music |
Bismillah Khan: Childhood
Born as the second son of Paigambar Khan and Mitthan, Bismillah Khan was earlier named Qamaruddin so that his name sounded similar to that of his older brother, Shamsuddin. However, when his grandfather Rasool Baksh Khan held him as a child, he uttered the word “Bismillah” and thus became known as Bismillah Khan.
The Khan family’s ancestors were musicians in the court of the Bhojpur kingdoms and his father was a Shehnai player in the court of Maharaja Keshav Prasad Singh. Born into a family of musicians, Bismillah Khan began developing his musical talent at an early age. Having grown up watching his father play the shehnai, he decided to follow in his father’s footsteps.
At the age of six, Bismillah began his journey to Varanasi, where he was trained by his uncle, Ali Baksh, who played the shehnai in temples and many ceremonies for Hindu gods as well as at weddings. He learned shehnai by accompanying his uncle to functions. As he developed a love for the instrument, he practiced many musical genres and ragas that helped him discover remarkable patterns in the shehnai that other musicians considered impossible.
Bismillah Khan: Career
Bismillah Khan started his career by performing in many stage shows. He got his first big break in 1937 when he performed at a concert at the All India Music Conference in Calcutta. After this performance, the Shenani became popular as a musical instrument and was highly appreciated by music lovers. Bismillah’s first break served as a turning point in his career as there was no turning back after that. He continues to perform in various countries such as the US, Canada, Bangladesh, West Africa, Japan, Iran, Iraq and Hong Kong.
Honored to play on the eve of India’s independence
Bismillah Khan received the rare honor of playing the shehnai at the Red Fort, Delhi on the occasion of India’s independence on the eve of 1947. His performance was considered a major attraction during the Independence Day celebrations created and reached thousands of households when it was broadcast live by Doordarshan.
Bismillah Khan: Personal life and family
Khan is known to lead a simple lifestyle. He travels everywhere by bicycle and rickshaw and eats simple food. Belonging to a joint family, he treats every member with love and respect. Although he had five sons, he also adopted a daughter.
Bismillah Khan: Cinematic performance
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Movie |
Description |
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Goonj Uthi Shehnai |
This Hindi film includes a shehnai performance by Bismillah Khan. |
|
Sanaadi Appanna |
In 1977, Khan traveled from Varanasi to Chennai to make a Kannada film titled ‘Sanaadi Appanna’. |
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Sange Meel Se Mulaqat |
This is a documentary on the life of Ustad Bismillah Khan, where he shares his journey to becoming one of India’s finest classical musicians. |
Bismillah Khan: Awards and recognition
|
Year |
Reward |
|
1956 |
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award from the Indian National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama |
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1961 |
Padma Shri, the country’s fourth highest civilian award |
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1980 |
Padma Vibhushan, the country’s second highest civilian award |
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1992 |
Talar Mausiquee from the Republic of Iran |
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2001 |
Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award |
Bismillah Khan: A living example of religious harmony
Although Khan was a Shia Muslim, he worshiped the goddess Saraswati and performed in both Hindu and Muslim rituals. There is also a story that recounts Khan’s interaction with Lord Krishna himself. It begins on his train journey from Jamshedpur to Varanasi, where he is to perform in a religious concert. During his journey, he came across a boy with dark skin, holding a flute. The boy was playing ‘raaga’ which Ustad could not recognize. He asked the boy to play a tune over and over again.
After arriving in Varanasi, Bismillah Khan is said to have played the same tune that he had learned from the mysterious boy he met on his journey. When contemporary musicians asked him about the new ‘raaga’, he discovered that he told them that the raaga he played was called ‘Kanhira’.
Bismillah Khan: Legacy
Ustad Bismillah Khan is one of the most legendary classical musicians who popularized shehnai in Indian classical music. He invented raagas and new patterns that had a significant impact on musicians. Although he did not take on many students as disciples who could carry on his legacy, he made such a lasting impact on music that it has become unforgettable.
In his honor, the Sangeet Natak Akademi has launched a new award titled ‘Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar’, given to young artists who bring a new perspective to the fields of music, dance and theatre.
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: pagasa.edu.vn