`He was a symbol of humanism'
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Minister for Cultural Affairs M.A. Baby recalls his long association with Ustad Bismillah Khan.
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He brought people together with his word, deeds and life.
BREATHING MUSIC: Ustad Bismillah Khan and Minister for Cultural Affairs M.A. Baby.
I first had the fortune of listening to Khan Saheb (Ustad Bismillah Khan) at a music festival in New Delhi more than 25 years ago when I was all-India president of the Students' Federation of India. The magic in his music mesmerised me and whenever I could, I made it a point to attend his concert. I have lost count of the number of his concerts I have attended.
Many years later, after I became a Member of Parliament, I met him at his house in Varanasi in the company of violin virtuoso Dr. Rajam. His house in a narrow crowed galli in old Varanasi was filled with people as it housed a traditional Indian joint family. There must have been more than 65 people in that house. His children, grandchildren, Khan Saheb's brothers, their wives, children...Whatever money he got, he shared it with all of them. Guests were welcome to stay in his house with its limited facilities. No one was turned away. Food and accommodation would be offered to all.
Although he was one of the legends in Indian music, making money or leading an opulent life was never on his agenda. His simple lifestyle and house shorn of any luxury was proof of Khan's Saheb's utter disregard for these matters. He never used to bargain for his remuneration.
However, towards the fag end of his life, he had a feeling that he had been duped by many of those he had trusted. Then he used to compare his remuneration with those given to others in his field, haggle for his fees and so on. But if he felt that the organisers were genuinely interested in music, he would graciously agree to play for them and no questions were raised about money.
About a year ago, G. Rajmohan, president of the Kerala chapter of Swaralaya, and a few of us visited him at his house in Varanasi where he had been bedridden for some time. We gave him Rs.50,000 as a small token of our appreciation and knowing he liked perfumes, we gave him a bottle of attar. Sure enough, he did not give the money a second look, he was enchanted with his attar and smiled that wide endearing smile of his.
We invited him to Kerala and told him that he must come to Kerala for Ayurveda treatment. He readily agreed.
Travel by train
He would travel only by train and with a big entourage comprising his family. Three of his sons play the shehanai, the youngest is a tabla player. Once his son began accompanying him on the tabla, Khan Saheb would play for an hour or so and then he would watch and appreciate his son playing the tabla. Like a proud father. It was his simplicity and honesty that endeared him to many.
Khan Saheb was unique. When many junior to him used to insist on being booked into a particular five-star hotel in New Delhi, Khan Saheb used to insist that he be booked into an old lodge in Old Delhi, a down-to earth place that he used to stay each time he visited Delhi. There would be five or six beds in his room and his children and accompanying artistes would all stay together in that room.
I remember him sitting in that room, huddled in a blanket and smoking a beedi. Though he was a smoker, he was never out of breath; he used to say he learnt to hold his breath after many a near drowning experience. Although a good swimmer, he used to say that there were times when he was swept away by the waters of the river.
As an organiser, there were many interesting experiences that I shared with Khan Saheb. Swaralaya had associated with Dr. L. Subramaniam's Laxmi Narayana Global Music festival to conduct a concert in New Delhi with Khan Saheb. K.R. Narayanan, the then President of India, was the chief guest.
Taking into consideration his age and seniority, Khan Saheb was to play first for an hour and then L.S [L. Subramaniam]. The president let us know that he was keen on listening to both of them, he was supposed to stay for 90 minutes.
The concert began and Khan Saheb was in great form. But even after an hour, he continued to play with no sign of stopping. L.S. became restless and the President's protocol officer also became agitated. Finally, in my bad Hindi, I wrote a small note and sent it to the maestro. I merely reminded him that Dr. saheb [L. Subramanian] was waiting to play. He immediately broke into a smile like a child and quickly brought the concert to an end.
In fact, when L.S. called me after hearing of Khan Saheb's demise, we recounted this incident.
Class apart
Khan Saheb was a class apart. He was the rarest of musicians whose commitment was to music and music alone. There is a well-known story about him. A group of his ardent fans in the United States (U.S.)wanted him to relocate to the U.S. and begin his own school of music like many other stalwarts. They promised to provide him everything. Khan Saheb stumped them with two questions: Will you give me the Ganga? Will you give me Kashi Viswanath?
He used to say my riyaz and namaz are on the banks of the Ganga, overlooking the Kashi Viswanath temple. He lived and breathed music in that temple atmosphere.
He became a legend in his lifetime for his efforts to uplift the shehnai to the level of a classical instrument. It is impossible to think of the shehnai without thinking of Khan Saheb. At a time when the country is haunted by the spectre of communal violence, here was a musician whose life, mission and music transcended divides of all kinds. He brought people together with his word, deeds and life.
Just after the Partition, it seems he was approached by a group of Muslim leaders who wanted him to shift to Pakistan. He reportedly told them that Allah is everywhere and not only in Pakistan. He reminded them that this was his land and he wanted to stay put in India.
He was a great admirer of Fayaz Khan Saheb, the great vocalist, whose monument was vandalised by communal miscreants in Gujarat. There were many singers he admired.
Khan Saheb was a good vocalist and my family and I have heard him sing. In fact, it is said that it was the gayaki ang in his music that made his playing of the shehanai so magical.
In his passing away, we have lost one of the all-time greats of music. And one of the greatest living examples of humanism. Such personalities appear rarely.
I treasure my association with him.
SARASWATHY NAGARAJAN
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