The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan

The Sound of Music

Part - II

The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan

Ustad Bismillah Khan

Character Sketch of Ustad Bismillah Khan

Ustad Bismillah Khan was a Shehnai master of great national and international fame. He was a great musician. Ali Bux, his maternal uncle, perfected him in music. Shehnai was brought to the classical stage by Ustad Bismillah Khan. He practiced for hours and worked very hard to attain perfection. It was his melodious music that made him the first Indian to greet tireless independent India. Ustad Bismillah Khan created many new rags. He was given many awards and he even received the “Bharat Ratna''. He was a true patriot who declined many offers to settle abroad. He was a true artist but a simple man. He had great regard for Hindustani Classical Music.

Summary and Explanation

This chapter throws light on the origin of Shehnai and the life of all-time great Shehnai Vadak —Bismillah Khan. The winner of Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of India, his dedication to music and his love for India.

"Pungi”, a musical instrument, was banned by Emperor Aurangzeb, because of its shrill and unpleasant sound. In fact, it was regarded more as a noise maker rather than a musical instrument. It was modified and perfected by a barber who belonged to a family of professional musicians. He played it in the chamber of the king. Its sound was so appreciated by the emperor that it was made a part of Naubat. Since it was played for the first time in Shah's chamber by a Nai, it came to be known as Shehnai.

Traditionally, it was played in the temples and on every auspicious domestic occasion also. Its sound was regarded as auspicious. But it was treated as an incomplete musical instrument, not capable of creating independent pages. But Bismillah broke this myth.

Bismillah belongs to the Benares Gharana. He was born in 1916 at Dumraon, in Bihar. As a 5 year old, he used to visit the Bihariji Temple and sing Bhojpuri "Chaitya" there. For his melodious singing he used to earn a big Laddu from the local Bhojpuri King. At the age of 6, he moved to Benares. There under the guidance and training of his maternal uncle, Ali Bux, he started picking up the finer nuances of shehnai. He used to spend most of his time practicing on the banks of the River Ganges. The themes of his music were deeply affected by the sounds of flowing water of the Ganga.

Bismillah Khan played shehnai in this film

Quick Revision Notes

• Shehnai replaced pungi which had a  shrill unpleasant sound.

• Pungi’s tonal quality was improved by a nai (barbar) of sah (emperor Aurnangeb); hence it was named as shehnai.

• Ustad Bismillah Khan is a Shehnai Maestro. Bismillah khan took to music early in life when he was 3 years old in the company of his maternal uncle.

• He used to sing ‘Chiata’ in Bihariji temple and practiced shehnai  in Vishnu temple and Mangala Maiya temple of Varanasi.

• His life is a source of simplicity and communal harmony.

• Bismillah khan got his big break with the opening of All India Radio in Lucknow in 1938.

• He also played shehnai on 15 August, 1947 from Red fort in presence of Pandit Nehru.

• Bismillah khan gave many memorable performances both in India and abroad.

• He also gave music in  two movies ‘Gunj Uthi shehnai’ and ‘Sanadhi Apanna”.

• He was so fond of his motherland India, Benaras and the  holy Ganga that he refused an offer to be the Head of Shehnai school in the USA.

• In 2001, Ustad Bismillah khan was awarded India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna.

Answer the following textual questions in 30–40 words.

From Page: 26 (in the text)

Question 1: Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?

Answer: Aurangzeb banned the playing of musical instrument pungi because it had a shrill, unpleasant sound.

Question 2: How is a shehnai different from a pungi?

Answer: Shehnai has a better tonal quality than pungi. It is a natural hollow stem pipe with holes on its body and is longer and broader than the pungi. Shehnai is, in a way, an improvement upon the pungi.

Question 3: Where was the shehnai played traditionally? How did Bismillah Khan change this?

Answer: The shehnai was traditionally played in royal courts, temples and at wedding ceremonies. Bismillah Khan invented new ragas with the shehnai and brought this instrument onto the classical stage.

Question 4: When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?

Answer: Bismillah Khan got his big break when in 1938 the All India Radio opened its Radio Station at Lucknow. He played shehnai from the radio station regularly and his music became popular through it.

Question 5: Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15 August 1947? Why was the event historic?

Answer: On 15th August 1947, Bismillah Khan played the ‘Raag Kafi’ on his shehnai from the Red Fort and greeted the entire country. The event was historic as it was the day when India gained independence from the British rule. (Bismillah’s performance was followed by the historic speech – ‘Tryst with Destiny’ given by India’s first Prime Minister – Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.)

Question 6: Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.?

Answer: Bismillah Khan was attached to the temples of Benaras, the river Ganga and Dumraon. He could not live away from them and so he refused to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.

Question 7: Find at least two instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras.

Answer: Bismillah’s love for India and Banaras are shown by the fact that when he refused to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A. Secondly, when he was honoured with the Bharat Ratna, he declared that Indian Classical music was India’s richest heritage.

Benaras and Ganga that inspired Bismillah Khan’s music

From Page: 26

I. Complete the following sentences. Beginning with a to-verb, try to answer the questions in brackets.

1. The school sports team hopes _____ (What does it hope to do?)
2. We all want  _____ (What do we all want to do?)
3. They advised the hearing-impaired child’s mother _____ (What did they advise her to do?)
4. The authorities permitted us to _____ (What did the authorities  permit us to do?)
5. A musician decided to _____ (What did the musician decide to do?)

Answer:

1. The school sports team hopes to win the match.
2. We all want to go to succeed in our life.
3. They advised the hearing-impaired child’s mother to consult a doctor.
4. The authorities permitted us to construct the building.
5. A musician decided to open a music school for children.

II. From the text on Bismillah Khan, find the words and phrases that match these definitions and write them down. The number of the paragraph where you will find the words/phrases has been given for you in brackets.

1. the home of royal people (1) ______________ .
2. the state of being alone (5) ______________ .
3. a part which is absolutely necessary (2)_________________ .
4. to do something not done before (5) ________________ .
5. without much effort (13) ____________ .
6. quickly and in large quantities (9) _____________ and ______________ .

Answer: 1. the royal residence 2. solitude 3. indispensable 4. invent 5. effortlessly 6. thick and fast

From Page: 27
III. Tick the right answer:
1. When something is revived, it (remains dead / lives again).
2. When a government bans something, it wants it (stopped / started).
3. When something is considered auspicious, (welcome it / avoid it).
4. When we take something, we find it (boring / interesting).
5. When you appreciate something, you (find it good and useful / find it of no use).
6. When you replicate something, you do it (for the first time / for the second time).
7. When we come to terms with something, it is (still upsetting / no longer upsetting).

Answer: 1. lives again, 2. stopped, 3. welcome it, 4. interesting, 5. find it good and useful, 6. for the second time, 7. no longer upsetting.

From Page: 28
Consult your dictionary and complete the following table. The first one has been done for you.

Use these words in phrases or sentences of your own.

Answer: Some sentences using these adjectives are as follows:
1. Nowadays, the internet is an indispensable resource for researchers.
2. She was impressed by my dressing sense.
3. He is afraid of the dark.
4. I enjoy the company of my paternal uncle.
5. He was showered with countless gifts.
6. My grandmother gave me a priceless piece of advice.

Words Note:

Banned - prohibited; Shrill - very sharp; Generic name - scientific name (a name given to a class or group as a whole). Reeded - wind instruments which have reeds like the flute, the clarinet, etc. Revived - brought back to live. Hollow - empty from inside. Auspicious - favorable. Indispensable - inevitable. Ensembles - troupe; things (here, instruments) considered as a group. Paternal ancestors - ancestors of the father. Captivated - attracted. On end - for a very long time without stopping, continuously. Apprentice - trainee. Haunt - a place you like to come, where you like to visit many times a day. Solitude - being alone; single. Recital - performance. Souvenirs - memorial. Chartbuster - record breaker. Celluloid - old fashioned way of referring to films. Venture - project that often involves risk. Emphasise - impulse; to lay stress on something. Conferred - given. Coveted - much desired. Replicating - making a copy of something. Yearning – longing, having a desire for something. Devout - righteous; studious.

From Page: 25

I. Tick the right answer:
1. The (shehnai, pungi) was a ‘reeded noisemaker.’
2. (Bismillah Khan, A barber, Ali Bux) transformed the pungi into a shehnai.
3. Bismillah Khan’s paternal ancestors were (barbers, professional musicians).
4. Bismillah Khan learnt to play the shehnai from (Ali Bux, Paigambar Bux, Ustad Faiyaaz Khan).
5. Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to (Afghanistan, U.S.A., Canada).

Answer: 1. Pungi  2. A barber  3. Professional musicians  4. Ali bux  5. Afghanistan

Extract Based Questions (3 marks each)

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.

Passage 1:
The young boy took to music early in life. At the age of three when his mother took him to his maternal uncle’s house in Benares (now Varanasi); Bismillah was fascinated watching his uncles practice the shehnai. Soon Bismillah started accompanying his uncle, Ali Bux, to the Vishnu temple of Benares where Ali Bux was employed to play the Shehnai. Ali Bux would play the shehnai and Bismillah would sit captivated for hours on end.

Question:

(i) Where did the young boy spend his life at the age of three ?
(ii) What fascinated the young boy ?
(iii) Who was Ali Bux and where was he employed ?

Answer:
(i) At the age of three, the young boy spent his life at his maternal uncle’s house in Benares.
(ii) Shehnai and the practice of shehnai by his uncles fascinated the little boy.
(iii) Ali Bux was Bismillah Khan’s maternal uncle. He was employed at the Vishnu Temple of Benares.

Passage 2:
Awards and recognition came thick and fast. Bismillah Khan became the first Indian to be invited to perform at the prestigious Lincoln Centre Hall in the United States of America. He also took part in the World Exposition in Montreal, in the Cannes Art Festival and in the Osaka Trade Fair. So well known did he become internationally that an auditorium in Tehran was named after him. Tahar Mosiquee Ustaad Bismillah Khan.

Question:
(i) What special recognition did Bismillah Khan achieve ?
(ii) Bismillah Khan promoted Shehnai to international level. How?
(iii) The word in the passage means “prominent”.

Answer:
(i) The special recognition that Bismillah Khan achieved was to be the first Indian to perform at Lincoln Central Hall.
(ii) Bismillah Khan promoted Shehnai to international levels by participating in the World Exposition, Cannes Art festival and Osaka Trade Fair.
(iii) Prestigious.

Passage 3:
When India gained independence On 15th August, 1947, Bismillah Khan became the first Indian to greet the nation with his* Shehnai. He poured his heart out into Raag Kafi from the Red Fort to an audience which included Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who later gave his famous “Tryst with Destiny” speech.

Question:

(i) How did Bismillah Khan greet the nation? ’
(ii) Who delivered the speech “Tryst with Destiny” ?
(iii) Find a word from the passage that means “gathering of persons for the purpose of hearing a speaker”.

Answer:
(i) Bismillah Khan greeted the nation by playing Raag Kafi on his Shehnai.
(ii) Jawaharlal Nehru.
(iii) Audience.

Passage 4:
His first trip abroad was to Afghanistan where King Zahir Shah was so taken in by the maestro that he gifted him priceless Persian carpets and other souvenirs.

Question:

(i) Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to which country?
(ii) What did Zahir Shah present Bismillah Khan ?
(iii) Find word from the passage which has the same meaning as “momenta”

Answer:
(i) Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to Afghanistan.
(ii) Zahir Shah presented Bismillah Khan priceless Persian carpets and souvenirs.
(iii) Souvenirs

Passage 5:
When India gained independence on August 15,1947, Bismillah Khan became the first Indian to greet the nation with his shehnai. He poured his heart out into Raag Kafi from Red – Fort to an audience which included Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

Question:

(i) When did India gain Independence ?
(ii) Which Raag did Bismillah Khan play from Red Fort ?
(iii) What do the words “poured his heart out” here refer to?

Answer:
(i) India gained independence on 15th August, 1947.
(ii) Bismillah Khan played “Raag Kafi” from the Red Fort.
(iii) Played from the depth of his heart.

Answer the following questions in 30–40 words. (2 Marks Each)

Question 8: How did ‘pungi’ transform into a Shehnai?

Answer: ‘Pungi’ a musical instrument was banned because of its shrill and unpleasant sound. But a nai modified and perfected it and played it for the first time in Shah's chamber, thus it came to be known as ‘Shehnai’.

Question 9: Who had brought shehnai to the classical Stage? What was he honoured with?

Answer: Shehnai was brought to the classical stage by Ustad Bismillah Khan. He started picking up the finger nuances of Shehnai under the guidance of his maternal uncle Ali Bux. He had been honoured with Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan.

Question 10: How do we know that the sound of Shehnai is considered auspicious?

Answer: We know that the sound of the Shehnai is considered auspicious because it is played in temples, and is a must for all happy occasions like marriages.

Question 11: How did “Pungi” get its new name ? What was it ?

Answer: Pungi was modified and perfected by a barber which was very much appreciated by the emperor.
Since it was played for the first time in Shah’s chamber by a Nai, it came to be known as ‘Shehnai.’

Question 12: What place did Shehnai have in the past ? What place has it now ?  

Answer: In the past, the Shehnai was a part of the traditional ensemble of nine instruments found at royal courts. Then, it was used in temples and weddings but now it is also used in classical concerts.

Question 13: Why did Bismillah Khan regularly go to the nearby Bihariji temple in his childhood and what did he earn ?

Answer: At the age of 5, Bismillah Khan would regularly visit the Bihariji temple to sing Bhojpuri “Chaitya”, For his melodious singing he used to earn a laddu weighing 1.25 kg. from the local Bhojpuri King.

Long Answer Type Questions (4 marks each) (About 80-100 words each)

Question 14: “There is always a teacher to bring out the latent potential of a pupil/’ Justify with reference to the role played by Ron Forbes and Ustad Faiyaz Khan in the lives of Evelyn Glennie and Bismillah Khan.

Answer: Teachers craft us to become better individuals both personally and professionally. Ron Forbes understood Evelyn’s passion for music. He taught Evelyn the nuances of hearing music not through her ears but through her body. He taught her to feel the vibrations in her hands and parts of her legs to get the pitch. So, he crafted her to be more musical and confident.

    Bismillah Khan’s teacher and mentor was his maternal uncle Ali Bux. Bismillah used to be transfixed when Ali Bux used to play Shehnai. As a child, Bismillah used to accompany his maternal uncle to Vishnu Temple of Benares where Ali Bux was employed to play Shehnai. Bismillah picked up the finer nuances of Shehnai and practiced for hours on the banks of river Ganga. He attained perfection only because of his uncle and mentor.

Question 15: Give a brief character sketch of Ustad Bismillah Khan.

Answer: Ustad Bismillah Khan was a Shehnai master of great national and international fame. He was a great musician. Ali Bux, his maternal uncle, perfected him in music. Shehnai was brought to the classical stage by Ustad Bismillah Khan. He practiced for hours and worked very hard to attain perfection. It was his melodious music that made him the first Indian to greet tireless independent India. Ustad Bismillah Khan created many new rags. He was given many awards and he even received the “Bharat Ratna''. He was a true patriot who declined many offers to settle abroad. He was a true artist but a simple man. He had great regard for Hindustani Classical Music.

Question 16: How did the young Bismillah develop his interest in Shehnai?

Answer: Bismillah was fascinated watching his uncle practice the Shehnai when he was only three. He was deeply fascinated by the music of Shehnai. Soon Bismillah started accompanying his uncle Ali Bux, to the Vishnu Temple of Benares where Bux was employed to play Shehnai. Bismillah picked up the finer nuances of Shehnai and practiced for hours on the banks of river Ganga. The themes of his music are deeply affected by the sounds of flowing water of the Ganga. At the age of 14, Bismillah accompanied his uncle to Allahabad music conference where Ustad Fayaz Khan patted his shoulder which inspired and encouraged him to work harder.

Question 17: How was Bismillah Khan’s music recognized internationally ?

Answer: Bismillah Khan was not only renowned in India iMt also internationally. He promoted Shehnai to international levels of participating in the world exposition, Cannes Art festival and Osaka Trade Fair. He became the first Indian to be invited to perform at the prestigious Lincoln Central Hall in the United States of America. So well known did he become internationally known that an auditorium in Tehran was named after him, “Tahar Mosiquee Ustaad Bismillah Khan.”

Value Based Question (4 marks)

Question 18: Do you think Bismillah Khan had very pure and deep feelings for India ?

Answer: Yes, Bismillah Khan had very pure and deep rooted feelings for India especially for the banks of River Ganga and Benares. His love was so profound that he even refused to go to the U.S.A. to start up a schooL He did not even enjoy living in Mumbai as he found life to be very artificial. He was deeply connected to the banks of River Ganga and Benares.

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