Bismillah Khan is also credited with elevating the status of shehnai from an essential folk instrument to a global audience. “Ustad was famously devoted to his art and often referred to his shehnai as his begum [wife],” Google said in its tribute to the musician.
on Wednesday, dedicated its doodleto shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan, on the occasion of his 102nd birth anniversary. One of India’s most famed musicians, Khan is also referred as Ustad, or master, a title given to him as an honorary appreciation for his work. India’s declaration of independence from Red Fort in 1947 and the creation of the Indian republic in 1950 was heralded by Khan’s shehnai. Even today, his music is played during Republic Day celebrations.
Bismillah Khan is also credited with elevating the status of shehnai from an essential folk instrument to a global audience. “Ustad was famously devoted to his art and often referred to his shehnai as his begum [wife],” Google said in its tribute. His shehnais made news even after his death.
Five of his shehnais, four of which were made of silver, were stolen in 2016 from his ancestral house in Varanasi in December 2016. His grandson Nazre Hasan alias Shadab and two jewellers were arrested in January last year in connection with the crime. The shehnais were gifted to Ustad Bismillah by former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, Kapil Sibal and Lalu Prasad Yadav. The shehnais were recovered in a melted condition from a local jewellery shop in Varanasi. The police also recovered 1.66 kg of silver produced by melting the silver shehnais and a wooden frame with a silver base.
This, was, however, not the first time that his shehnai was reported stolen. Earlier, Ustad Bismillah’s youngest son Nazim Hussain alleged that a shehnai used by Khan went missing in 2009 “due to the alleged involvement of family insiders” and demanded a CBI probe. However, when the police were contacted they dismissed the report of theft. “It is a case of a feud within the family over ancestral property. There was no complaint about any item going amiss,” police officer Joginder Kumar had said. He said, following media reports, the police acted on its own and got in touch with Khan’s eldest son Mehtab. “He has shown us the said shehnai. We have got it photographed. He has also given to us in writing that all reports about it going amiss are baseless and false,” another official added.
The family has been demanding for a museum to preserve his memorabilia since his death in 2006. He is a recipient of the Bharat Ratna (2001), Padma Bhushan (1968), Padma Vibhushan (1980) and the Padma Shri (1961).
Source - Indian Express
