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| Wah, Ustad! | | | Inam, khitab bahut mile, lekin mein to jo tha vahi hoon (Awards, titles I got aplenty but I continue to remain what I was)”, said Bismillah Khan one evening at the Kamani Auditorium in New Delhi where he was performing at the “Malhar” festival.
His melodious rendition of Miyan ka Malhar on the occasion still lingers in one’s memory. Paying a tribute to his gurus, he said: “My teachers told me to imbibe whatever I could from wherever I could. This leads to excellence.”
The maestro was fond of establishing a rapport with his audience by sharing his thoughts and anecdotes at the very outset. He was also a raconteur par excellence. That day he explained to the audience that an artiste could not be at his best all the time: “Raag, rasoi, pagri jo kabhi kabhi ban jaye (Perfection in rendering a raga, preparing food or tying a turban is achieved sometimes only).” A poet, too, succeeds at a few poems only, he added.
He recalled his performance of Raag Kedara in Berlin, when the audience was moved to tears.
After an enthralling performance that evening, the Ustad explained to a group of fans that he did not perform for the public. He performed for Him alone. “I performed to my heart’s content today. Whether the audience liked it or not is their business,” he said.
Striking a note of humility, he went on to say that after all these years, he had come to understand that playing the shehnai was nothing more than knowing how to blow into it in the right manner. “Kya kahan lagana hai (How to strike the right notes).”
That day Ashwini Bhide’s performance of classical vocal had preceded Bismillah Khan’s rendition. When the young artiste sought the Ustad’s blessings, he said: “Don’t be joyous when an ignoramus praises you. And don’t be discouraged if a great artiste doesn’t laud you. The soil in which the rose grows also smells of the flower. Listen to great artistes and do riyaz.”
Talking about the future of the arts, he said: “The arts will flourish but they will be devoid of effect.” He further explained to his fans, “The knowledge of music is not gained by tradition or heredity. You’ve to practise it. It’s not bound by any religion.” Bismillah Khan was known to regale his fans through witticisms. When Pandit Ravi Shankar was felicitated on his 70th birthday at a grand function at the Siri Fort Auditorium in New Delhi, the Ustad, while congratulating Panditji, hugged him and said: “May you live long but don’t get married any more” (Panditji had around this time married a young Sukanya). One of the most respected classical musicians, Bismillah Khan will be remembered for his concern for the young artistes. His idea of promoting talent was that the old and the young artistes should be presented together. As always he struck the right note. |
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