THE SHEHNAI OF BISMILLAH KHAN

Chapter 2 The Sound of Music THE SHEHNAI OF BISMILLAH KHAN-2 Mp3

 

THE SHEHNAI OF BISMILLAH KHAN

About the story:

The chapter 'The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan' is like a short biography of Bharat Ratna Bismillah Khan that features the discovery of shehnai, his childhood in Benaras and on the bank of Ganga, his love and dedication for music, his popularity in India and overseas and the accolades he earned during his lifetime.

Summary in stages:

The Discovery and the popularity of Shehnai:

Due to its shrilling sound, Emperor Aurangzeb banned the playing of the pungi in the royal court. In order to revive the instrument, a barber from a family of musicians, modified this instrument into a new instrument that was smooth and distant sounding. As this instrument was invented by a nai (barber) and was first played in Shah's court, it was called as Shehnai.

The sound of the shehnai is considered auspicious that is why it is always played in temples and weddings. It was part of the naubat i.e. the traditional ensemble of the nine musical instruments at a royal court.

Bismillah Khan's Childhood and his growing passion for music:

Bismilla, born on 21 March 1916, was from a family of musicians. His grandfather Rasool Bux Khan was the shehnai nawaz of the Bhojpur King's court. His father and paternal ancestors were the shehnai players.

The three-year-old Bismillah would go to his uncles' place to Benaras and would accompany his uncle Ali Bux who used to play the shehnai in Vishnu temple. Bismillah got lessons from him and practice throughout the day while sitting at the temple of Balaji, Mangala Maya and on the banks of Ganga. The flowing water of Ganga inspired him to improvise and invent ragas that were earlier considered beyond the shehnai's range.

The 5-year-old Bismilla would go to Bihariji temple to sing 'Chaita' and would earn a 1.25 kg laddoo from the local Maharaja.

Bismillah Khan's Popularity:

·         on 15th August 1947, he became the first person to greet the nation with his shehnai by playing Raag Kaafi for the audience including Pandit Nehru.

·         King Zahir Shah of Afganistan was so taken away by Bismillah's shehnai that he gifted him priceless Persian carpets and other souvenirs.

·         He was the first Indian to perform at the prestigious Lincoln Centre Hall in the USA, and he also participated in World Exposition in Montreal, Cannes Arts Festival and Osaka Trade Fair.

·         An auditorium in Tehran is named after him 'Tahar Mosiquee Ustaad Bismillah Khan'.

His career as Movie Music Director:

·         Movie director Vijay Bhatt was fascinated too much with Bismillah Khan's shehnai that he named his film as 'Gunj Uthi Shehnai' and Bismillah composed the song 'Dilka Khilona hai toot gaya' for this film.

·         Vikram Srinivas's Kannada movie 'Sanadhi Apanna' was also composed by Bismillah Khan. He didn't work much in the movie the industry as 'he couldn't come to terms with the artificiality and glamour of the industry'.

Awards and Recognition:

·         Padmashree

·         Padma Bhushan

·         Padma Vibhushan

·         Bharat Ratna (Year 2001)

His advice to Indian Parents:

"Teach your children music, this is Hindustan's richest tradition; even the west is now coming to learn Hindustani music".

His refusal to start a music school in the USA:

One of his students wanted him to start a shehnai school in The USA and also promised to recreate the atmosphere of Benaras temples as he knew Bismillah ji's emotional connection with the place. But Bismillah ji refused by saying that a replica of Benaras could be created but not of the Ganga river.

 

Questions and Answers

Thinking about the Text

(Page 25)

 

Question 1.

Tick the right answer.

 

The (shehnai, pungi) was a ‘reeded noisemaker.’

(Bismillah Khan, A barber, Ali Bux) transformed the pungi into a shehnai.

Bismillah Khan’s paternal ancestors were (barbers, professional musi-cians).

Bismillah Khan leamt to play the shehnai from (Ali Bux, Paigambar Bux, Ustad Faiyaaz Khan).

Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to (Afghanistan, U.S.A., Canada).

Answers:

 

Pungi

A barber

Professional musicians

Ali bux

Afghanistan

 

Question 3.

Answer these questions in 30-40 words.

 

Question 1.

Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?

औरंगजेब ने पुंगी बजाने पर प्रतिबंध क्यों लगाया?

Answer:

Aurangzeb banned the playing of the pungi because it had a shrill and unpleasant sound.

औरंगजेब ने पुंगी बजाने पर प्रतिबंध लगा दिया क्योंकि इसमें तीखी और अप्रिय आवाज थी।

 

Question 2.

How is a shehnai different from a pungi?

शहनाई पुंगी से किस प्रकार भिन्न है?

Answer:

A shehnai is a pipe with a natural hollow that is longer and broader than a pungi. It has seven holes on the body of the pipe.

शहनाई एक पाइप है जिसमें एक प्राकृतिक खोखला होता है जो पुंगी की तुलना में लंबा और चौड़ा होता है। इसमें पाइप की बॉडी पर सात छेद होते हैं।

 

 

Question 3.

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

शहनाई पारंपरिक रूप से कहाँ बजायी जाती थी? बिस्मिल्लाह खान ने इसे कैसे बदला?

Answer:

The shehnai was played traditionally in the temple at the royal courts and on the occasion of weddings. The credit must go to Bismillah Khan to take this instrument onto the classical stage.

शाही दरबार में और शादियों के अवसर पर मंदिर में पारंपरिक रूप से शहनाई बजाई जाती थी। इस वाद्य को शास्त्रीय मंच पर ले जाने का श्रेय बिस्मिल्लाह खान को जाना चाहिए।

 

Question 4.

When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?

बिस्मिल्लाह खान को बड़ा ब्रेक कब और कैसे मिला?

Answer:

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

बिस्मिल्लाह खान को बड़ा ब्रेक 1938  में लखनऊ में ऑल इंडिया रेडियो के उद्घाटन के साथ मिला।

 

Question 5.

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

15 अगस्त 1947 को बिस्मिल्लाह खाँ ने शहनाई कहाँ बजाई थी? घटना ऐतिहासिक क्यों थी?

Answer:

Bismillah Khan played the shehnai on 15 August 1947 at the Red Fort. He was the first Indian to greet the nation with his musical instrument. This event was historic because We got independence on that day.

बिस्मिल्लाह खाँ ने 15 अगस्त 1947 को लाल किले पर शहनाई बजाई थी। वह अपने वाद्य यंत्र से राष्ट्र का अभिवादन करने वाले पहले भारतीय थे। यह घटना ऐतिहासिक थी क्योंकि उस दिन हमें आजादी मिली थी। उन्होंने पं. सहित बड़ी संख्या

 

Question 6.

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

बिस्मिल्लाह खान ने अमेरिका में शहनाई स्कूल शुरू करने से क्यों मना कर दिया?

Answer:

He refused to start a shehnai school in the USA because he never wanted to leave India. He loved India so much and he did not want to settle anywhere except India.

उन्होंने यूएसए में शहनाई स्कूल शुरू करने से इनकार कर दिया क्योंकि वह कभी भारत छोड़ना नहीं चाहते थे। वह भारत से बहुत प्यार करता था और वह भारत के अलावा कहीं भी बसना नहीं चाहता था।

 The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan

Textbook Exercise:

Q.A) Answer the following questions: (2 Marks each)

1)     Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?

The pungi had a shrill unpleasant sound and Aurangzeb did not like it. So, he banned the playing of the pungi in the royal residence.

 

2)     How is a shehnai different from a pungi?

The shehnai has a longer and broader stem than the pungi and it sounds melodious comparatively.

 

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

Traditionally, the shehnai was played in temples and weddings as the sound of the shehnai is considered auspicious.

Bismillah Khan's made the sound of the shehnai so popular on the classical stage that it is now played almost in every auspicious function.

 

4)     When and how did Bismillah Khan get his first break?

In 1938, Bismillah Khan got his first break with the launch of All India Radio in Lucknow where he became an often-heard shehnai player on the radio.

 

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

On 15th August 1947, Bismillah Khan played the shehnai at the Red Fort. This event was historic as it was the day when India got independence.

 

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

When one of the students of Bismillah Khan invited him to open a shehnai school in the USA, and was ready to recreate the atmosphere of Benaras, Bismillah Khan refused with a reason that bringing the river Ganga would be impossible.

 

7)     Find at least two instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loves Indian and Benaras?

The following are the two instances that show that Bishmillah Khan loves Benaras:

First: Bismillah Khan refused his student's invitation of starting a shehnai school in the USA as the Ganga river could not be brought there.

Second: Once he said that whenever he was in a foreign country, he used to yearn to see Hindustan, and while in Mumbai, he used to think of only Benaras and the holy Ganga.