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Baadshah Bismillah
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Ustad Bismillah Khan threw tantrums like a child but was taken care of like a fond old grand uncle
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SAYING IT WITH A SMILE The shehnai brought a childlike glee on his face Photos: BHAGYA PRAKASH K.
Sudden showers brought cheer to Bangaloreans. But SPICMACAY, the organisers of an unusual concert, weren't quite sure if it was reason to be delighted. It largely rested on how the 90-year-old, unparalleled shehnai legend Ustad Bismillah Khan, the star of the evening, would react. "Why do you look so forlorn? Baarish to Bhagwan ki den hain... " he surprised them by saying and broke into ever-so-many kajris that had rain for their theme, even as he was huddled up in the car with the organisers, waiting for the rain to subside. Instantly, there was a smile of relief on everyone's faces.
"Ustad is in a good mood," someone said in hushed tones, and it was duly passed on to the unknown neighbour. The precious piece of information did the rounds around the amphitheatre.
The compere at Vani Education Centre, looking gratified, announced the Ustad's great mood once again, and how the audience was destined to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime concert.
Ustad Bismillah Khan was brought to stage on his wheelchair, and the people pouring in continuously to an already packed amphitheatre gave the savant of shehnai a standing ovation. The Ustad gave his two-toothed characteristic grin, graciously accepted all the adulation and settled down.
And then came his torrential outburst. It wasn't melody of course, at least to begin with. He showered abuses on all who came his way, beginning from the mike technician to the lady who stood before him with her camera. Of course, the technician forgot that the shehnai was some two feet long, and that the mike needed to be kept at a distance and not close to the maestro's mouth. Even after the distance problem was set right, the mike continued to misbehave. No feedback for tabla.
The Ustad was furious. "Kahan ho... zara apni akal leke aao bhai... " he screamed. "Aur aap kya kar rahe hain... photo mat khinchna... " he looked daggers at the woman who was happily oblivious of the Ustad's ire. Anxious organisers were pacing up and down backstage, breaking into sweat despite the heavy rains, trying to make everything just right for the Ustad.
The first piece in raga Kafi began and everything was stunned into silence. The frail Ustad played a phrase here and there, but he had a 10-member group that played mostly. The high point of the concert was when they broke into the famous piece in Behag, which the Ustad had played for the landmark Kannada film Sanadi Appanna, "Karedaru Kelade". The audience drunk in every moment of the energetic rendition. Their eyes were glued to the Ustad, taking in each single gesture, every word of the grand old man. He kept talking throughout the concert; saying at least five times that shehnai was a difficult instrument, that Kajri was his favourite form, and that he couldn't live without his Ganga. The koel from the nearby tree cooed in approval and the Ustad was ecstatic.
Even as the concert was drawing to a close, I dashed into his room for an interview as promised earlier. "Don't even mention the word `interview'," warned Ustad's son Nazir Hussain Khan, who was on the tabla, and even gave me several tips on how to handle the temperamental musician. After a bit of fretting it dawned on me the interview it was not going to happen, for the Ustand was swamped by request autographs, photographs, and young and old alike queued up to fall at his feet.
The car was brought almost to the foot of the stage, the Ustad was packed into it and whisked away. People queued up on either side to catch that one last glimpse, touch those frail fingers peeping out the window... It was as if they were, with great affection, seeing off a grand uncle to his much-desired Kashi Yatre even as they fervently prayed for his well being and a safe coming back.
DEEPA GANESH
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