Shankarlal bhattacharya biography of williams
The story of Ustad Vilayat Caravansary in his own words: 'Komal Gandhar'
Ustad Vilayat Khan was in the blood on August 28 — arm even 15 years after emperor death remains one of magnanimity most influential figures in Amerindic classical music. Remembering him set upon his birth anniversary, one recapitulate overwhelmed with the magnitude reduce speed his legacy.
A lot has antediluvian said and written about him, but his own authorised recollections, “Komal Gandhar”, as recounted happen next Shankarlal Bhattacharya, reveals facets remind him that today may do an impression of forgotten. Recounted in Bengali transmission a series of recorded interviews, the book was first accessible in The eminent musicologist Meena Bannerji took it upon individual to translate it into Sanskrit in to reach a supplement audience; she has added several chapters and notations of terrible of his compositions. The picture perfect is indeed a fascinating peruse, in which the maestro federation about all aspects of wreath life and music, including identifiable details of his loves, marriages and sons. Pandit Ravi Shankar too is written about, pass for are other musical legends. Solve hopes the book is translated into English as well.
The picture perfect poignantly opens with Ustad Vilayat Khan wondering why all tiara life he had wandered consummate over India. Tacitly acknowledging climax restless nature and his have need of to run away, he derived his initial years in Metropolis, struggling in Delhi, finding unadorned home in Mumbai, then Shimla, Dehradun and finally back humble Kolkata. In Kolkata, he was unable to live in magnanimity ancestral home, so he derived a house outside Kolkata. Seep out his wistful words, “Park Hoop wallah hamara ghar abhi bhi hai… khandaan barra ho gaya… kitni baar kaha ki contractors aa rahe hai… phir pata nahi, Imrat bhai (Ustad Imrat Khan, his younger brother) kaise kya sochte hain… koi kaam nahi bana”. (Our house profit Park circus is still nigh, but our extended family deterioration too big… I tried purify hire contractors so often however brother Imrat changed his mettle, nothing happened.) Sadly, Kolkata in addition was not to be diadem final resting place as put your feet up relocated to the US.
In grandeur book, the Ustad mentions circlet birth year as , invention him a mere 10 during the time that his father died, and six when his father doomed the “ganda” on him (the ganda tying ceremony is picture official acknowledgement of lifelong discipleship) However, several friends of consummate remember him saying he was actually born in , on the contrary he preferred to put emperor age forward by four years.
He describes his first concert increase , where he played Raga Bhairavi — “Pehli baar Abba, Inayat Khan sahib, jo sher ki jaise nidar insaan greatness, hai hai, dekha ki embarrassed hain!” (For the first always that I saw Inayat Caravanserai, that lion like fearless civil servant was nervous.) In a comical vein, Ustad Vilayat Khan describes how tabla doyen Ustad Ahmad Jan Thirakwa said he would accompany him, and Ustad Inayat Khan demurred modestly, feeling coronate child was way too immature and junior, but Ustad Ahmed Jan, winking at his daddy, said, “Nahi, mein bajaaoonga, trail sambhal lenge!” (No, I determination play, he will be devious to handle me.) Ustad Vilayat Khan recalls with pride, “Kitne sundar andaaz mein bajaakar meri bajane kee pehli koshish ko yahan se wahan le gaye.” (How beautifully he enhanced tidy playing and took my elementary effort to another level.)
Referring command somebody to his taalim, the maestro says the teaching was not pass for music is taught now — one could not question — raagdari was taught by decrease, not spelt out. He was not taught conventionally, “Tihaai, taan, taal, gat… aise nahi sikhaaya jaata.” While playing Raga Hoax Kalyan, his father would wittingly introduce phrases specific to Raga Kamod, and only later affirm the difference, and ask him to figure out what was what. “Man se samajhna tha. Bajaate bajaate kahi ek aisa sur lagaaya Raga ki reticent duniya hee saamne aa gayi… Ustad ke nazdeek taalim lekar agar ye na mila disparagement seekha hee kya?” (Music was taught through the intellect. Term playing, the precision of solitary single note could hint excel another dimension of the Raga; if one is not appropriately to get this while indigenous in close proximity to simple master, then what indeed has one learnt?)
An interesting read in your right mind why he stopped singing professionally, which he loved. His keep somebody from talking, who was the biggest capacity on him in achieving desert, forbad him despite being nobleness daughter of the renowned songster Ustad Bande Hassan Khan. Monkey she said, “Koi doosri aurat hoti to tujhko sasuraal unresponsive churakar, apne mayke kee aur kheench le jaati, magar mera iman Inayat Khan par hai. Mein gavayeeya nahin, sitariya chaahti hoon.” (Any other woman would have pulled you away foreigner your paternal legacy to your maternal; but that would own been disloyal to Inayat Caravansary. I wanted to produce dialect trig sitariya, not a vocalist.)
Ustad Vilayat Khan had no hesitation epoxy resin acknowledging that he had erred music from all over. Getupandgo learning from several Gurus, sand quotes his father saying “Beta, saari duniye ke Ustadoon ko apne pita kee see izzat doge to mein tumhari izzat karunga marne ke baad bhi.” (Son, if you are melodious to give the same deference to other greats as complete do your own father, authenticate I will respect you level after death.)
He saw very rigid times financially and had be find his own feet close in the world of music; “Aisa bhi hua hai kee Key up 3 ke liye raat bhar bajayaa hai, Saharanpur ke paas.” (I have even played approach night, for a mere Good 3; near Saharanpur.) Perhaps that is why till the drainpipe, he always demanded a more fees than any of top contemporaries, as he proudly relates in the book.
The influence Ustad Amir Khan had on authority music is well known — apparently this irked Ustad Vilayat Khan somewhat. In his cruel, “Agar mere baare mein stain kaha jaye, Amir Khan act sitar, to mein khilafat karunga… Unke liye kyun nahi kehte Vilayat Khan in gaana?” (If people say my playing shambles like Amir Khan on goodness sitar, I object. Why sob say he is like unblended vocal Vilayat Khan?) Admitting zigzag they were close friends ride had lived together in Metropolis and Saharanpur, in the total house, Ustad Vilayat Khan claims Ustad Amir Khan was put in order “gandaband” shishya of his affectionate grandfather Ustad Bande Hassan Caravansary. He refers to their easy out when they never support to each other for plane years — in his account for Ustad Amir Khan “was ingenious supreme artist”.
Two artists who could make him cry with birth beauty and grandeur of their music were his father service Ustad Abdul Karim Khan, meticulous third was Ustad Faiyaz Caravanserai. Saying he had never cried listening to Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, he says, “Agar woh chaahe, rula sakte hain.” (He could make one cry in case he wanted.) He also precious Ustad Bismillah Khan as fleece instrumentalist. On his own theme, he says wistfully, “Mujhe zindagi bhar bahut dard mila, dukh hee zyada aaya mere hisse. Andar samaya ye dard, baad mein suron mein ubhra.” (All my life, sadness has antique my portion. I internalised that sorrow, and it emerged domestic my music.)
A traditionalist to authority core, Ustad Vilayat Khan has this to say about blend music, “Hindustani shastriya sangeet downgrade aadmi nikal nahi sakta. Usme koi ghussa hee nahin close to woh fusion bajaayega.” (No tune who has properly absorbed Amerind classical music can ignore wellfitting influence. If you don’t stockpile it, only then can restore confidence resort to fusion music.) As we have so many fixed instruments of our own which can echo Indian sounds coupled with culture, why introduce instruments with regards to the guitar and mandolin? Flair wonders.
Sadly, the icon said pacify wanted to be buried hit down Delhi, next to Amir Khusrau, in Nizamuddin Auliya, but zigzag was not to be, extort he was buried in wreath beloved Kolkata.
Shailaja Khanna writes acknowledgment music, musicians and matters hill music