 Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan is
a contemporary of Great Masters like Ustad Sadiq
Ali Khan, Ustad Rahimuddin Khan, Ustad Bade Ghulam
Ali Khan, Ustad Ahmedjan Thirakawa , Ustad Amir
Khan and Prof. D.T. Joshi, who were greatly devoted
to the traditional classical art forms with much
dedication and helped its survival , evolved
and prospered even during the darkest periods
of Indian history.
Based on the Guru-shishya parampara, ensuring loyalty and intensity of training,
Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan's professional lineage evolves directly, in an unbroken
line, from Maseet Sen, the innovator of Masit Khani Baaj and the descendant
of Mian Tansen, a name which needs no introduction.
The descendent tree includes Maseet Sen, the originator of Maseet Khani Baaj(
the slow tempo of instrumental composition ). Mushtaq Ali Khan had his initial
training in sitar from his illustrious father from the age of six. His father
Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan was the disciple of Barkat-ullah Khan, Aftab-e-Sitar.
Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan joined as a core musician in Jaunpur state in U.P. but
quit early , to continue his mission in life. His first major performance was
at Allahabad in 1931 , after which invitations to perform multipled and he
became famous overnight. Ustadji had a very wide repertoire of professional
activities interview, lectures, demonstrations, seminars, performances, examination
evaluations of various organisations and institutions like AIR, Doordarshan,
Newspapers, various Universities in India , Academies, Archives and Societies.
He organised conferences where
old masters and new artists were introduced to
the cognoscenti and the novice. Among the well
known names, Pandit Ravi Shankar was first presented
by him to the public in Calcutta . Ustad had his
undisputed popularity and demand during the early
thirties to late forties There
were many disctinctions conferred on him ,
to mention a few , Sitar Sudhakar – 1932,
National Academy Award – 1968, Tantri Vilas – 1973,
Sangeet Ratnakar – 1974, Hony D,litt – 1974 Rabindra
Bharati , State Academy Award – 1974, Senior fellowship
and Emeritus – 1986, Bhuwalka Award – 1987, Tansen
Award – 1987, Special Honour University of Delhi – 1987.
He was a musicians Musician and that is why
he always shied away from the commercial attention
. USTAD
MUSHTAQ ALI KHAN SAHAB AND THE "SURBAHAR" : Very
few of the present generation know that he
was the only SUR BAHAR player of
India who used to play in BEEN-ANG with 3 MEZRABS
( plectrum)
and that too , with Pakhawaj as an accompanying
instrument only in pure DHRUPAD STYLE . In
a rare exclusive interview in the DAILY TELEGRAPH
on the
13 July 1985 , Khan Sahab narrated the history
of this instrument with historical references
in which has cleared the myth of this instrument
.
Khan Sahab had his lineage with fifth vani,
called
DHANDVANI named after one of the fore fathers.
The famous dhrupadiya of Shah Jahans Court
, Nayak Dhundhu . It is also called RASAL VANI
for its
beauty . …." two of my ancestors , Jaggu Khan
and Makku Khan. Since Makku Khan was childless
, he adopted Waras AliKhan a great name who learnt
the art of playing Been from Ustad Bade Mohammed
Khan. When my father Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan was six
years old , my grand father Ustad Sadaq Ali Khan,
son of Jaggu Khan died so his uncle Waras Ali Khan
taught him all inticacies of BEENA on the SURBAHAR
. That is why we play Sur Bahar with three Mezrabs.
The Sur Bahar was originally designed to felicitate
the playing of Alap . Those days Alap was the exclusive
prerogative of the Beenkar. Ustad Ghulam Muhammed
Khan and his son Ustad Sajjad Mohammed Khan the
great SurBahar players used to stay at Calcutta
in the earliest part of the 20th Century and taught
many renowned players including Ustad Imdad Khan
and Jnanoda Mukherjee. In this instrument two angas
played are ALAP & TALPARAN and that is why
the knowledge of Pakhawaj is essential to play
the Talparan ….". He
also had to learn the art of Pakhawaj playing
in order to achieve perfection
in the art of playing the SURBAHAR with Pakhawaj
A follower of RASAL VANI , Khan Sahab was the
only
SURBAHA player who not only maintained the
purity of the Rasdal Vani but also kept its
purity alive
till his last days and never diluted to please
the masses and that is why his music was not
understood by the masses but respected by the
contemporary
Great Masters . His memorable Subahar recital
in Raga Purya , in the First National Programme
of
the All India Radio New Delhi , in the year
1953 , is srtill remembered by the connoisseurs
and
lovers of Indian Music . It may be recalled
that in the year 1953 Pandit Ravishankar was
instrumental
of instituting this National Programme of All
India Radio and was present on this memorable
occasion
( live Concert ) and praised Kahn Sahab profusely
for his superb exposition of Raga Purya in
a pure Dhrupad style with three Mezrabs . His
foremost
disciple Dr. Debu Chaudhuri is now carrying
on his tradition and music to keep his name
alive
in the field of Indian Classical Music . A
cultural Centre in New Delhi in being run under
the name
of "UMAK( acronym of Ustad Mushtaq Ali Kahn
) CENTRE FOR CULTURE" by Dr. Debu Chaudhuri
and his students , with a view to have his
music and his belief and faith in music alive
, for
the future generation those who will have regards
for
purity and tradition . Such great Masters are
not understood well during their own time which
is
a sad story and reflection on our knowledge
and understanding . Even in the evening of his illustrious
career, he and his loving wife Begum Kaneez Khatoon
were actively involved in variety of projects for
promotion of art and culture in our country. His
departure for his heavenly abode on 21st July,
1989 left a huge void in rapidly shrinking world
of pure traditionalism in our music world. |
