Ustad Bismillah Khan
– Photo: Social Media
Expansion
Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan, the king of Shehnai, has lived Banaras. Unified life by including Ganga-Jamuni Tehseeb. The Shehnai which was limited to auspicious programs, was brought to the world stage. Musician, singer and writer Padmashree Prof. who penned down aspects of the life of such a personality in the book Bismillah Khan and Banaras: The Site of Banaras. Rita Ganguly narrated five stories related to Ustad.
What will the sound of bells of temples of Banaras and Ganga bring?
When America became a fan of Ustad’s Shehnai, the ambassador there offered Ustad to stay in America. In America itself he was asked to give everything that Bismillah Khan wanted. Then the maestro had asked, can you bring the sound of the bells of the temples of Banaras and the continuously flowing stream of Ganga. Then the ambassador said that this is not possible…. And thus Bismillah Khan chose Kashi over America.
Open the door for us…
Pro. Rita Ganguly took Ustad abroad for the first time (to Edinburgh Music Festival, England). Then the master said in the plane, drop us here. It doesn’t seem right…, open the door for us to come down. He was accompanied by renowned artistes like Ustad Vilayat Khan, Pt. Kelucharan Mahapatra etc.
