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Performance, South, 1921-1947

Birth of Mohanveena

Told by Somjit Dasgupta
Obtained by Sanjoy Bandopadhyay and Troilee Dutta
Date 14 July, 2015
Place Residence of Somjit Dasgupta Prof. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay, 3/1/1D, Padmapukur Road, Kolkata 700092
About Somjit Dasgupta Disciple of Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra. Preserving rare musical instruments including the instruments belonged to Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra. He plays different instruments like Sarod, Surshringar, Mohan Veena, etc.
Tags Radhika Mohan Maitra, Dhruva Tara Joshi, train, Shakh, Sadiq Ali Khan, Surshringar, Lucknow, Veena, Chakraberia, Bhowanipur, 56 Chakraberia Road, Surshringar, Veen, Mohan Veena, 1943, Gopal Sharma, Kanailal, Rajab Ali Khan,
Language Bengali

Somjit Dasgupta speaks :

 

Verbatim:

???? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ??????? ???? ??????? ??????? ???? ??? ??? ???? ???? ?? ??? ??? ???? ?????????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ??? ????????? ????? ????? ???? ?? ????????? ?????? ??? ???? ????? ??????? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ??????? ?? ?? ???? ????? ????? ??? ????? ??? ????? ?? ??????? ??? ?????? ???? ?????? ??? ?? ??????? ??????????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?? ??? ?? ?????? ????? ???? ??????? ??? ?????, ??????, ??????, ?????, ???????? ????? ??????? ????? ???? ????? ????? ?? ?? ??????? ????????? ???? ??????? ??????? ??? ??? ??????? ?? ??????? ??????? ????? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ????? ???? ??? ?? ?? ???????? ???? ???? ?????? ???????? ????????, ??????, ?????????, ?????? ?? ???? ?? ??????? ???? ???????? ?????? ????? ????? ??????? ??? ?? ?? ??? ????? ????? ???? ?????? ????? ??? ??? ????????????

                   Pt. Dhrubatara Joshi

???? ?? ???? ????????? ????? ?????????? ???? ????? ??? ??? ????? ?? –‘?????, ?? ???? ???????? ????????? ?? ??? ????’? ??? ??????? ????? ??? ????? ??? ??? ????? –‘?????, ???? ????? ???? ???? ????????? ?????? ?? ?????? ?????? ?? ??? ????? ???? ??????? ?? ???? ???? ???????? ?? ?? ?????? ?????? ????? ?? ???? ?? ?? ???????? ????????? ?? ?? ???? ??? ??????? ?? ????? ?????????? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ????? ??? ???? ????? ????? ??? ???? ???????? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ???? ?? ??? ???? ?? ???????????? ??????? ?? ???? ???????-?? ???? ???? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ??? ??????? ??? ???? ??? ?????? ?????????? ?? ?????????? ????? ?????? ??? ??? ???????? ??????? ?? ???, ???????-?? ?????? ???? ????? ??????? ???? …

??? ?????

??????? ???? ??????????

??????? ????? ???????

??????? ?????????? ????? ????????? ?? ???????? ?? ?????????? ??? ?????? ???? ???? ??????, ?? ??????? ??????? ????? ?? ?????? ?????? ??? ??????? ???? ?? ???????? ??? ?? ??????? ?????? ??????? ????? ?????? ????? ??? ???? ????? ?? ??? ?? ?????? ??????? ??????? ????? ???? ??????, ?? ????? ??????? ????? ??????? ???????? ?? ??????? ????? ??????? ?? –‘??? ??? ?????? ??????? ???? ??? ??????? ??? ?? ?????????? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ????? –‘??? ????? ?????? ????, ??? ?????’? ?? ????? ?????? ?? ????????? ?????? ????? – ??? ?? ???? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ???? ???, ?????? ??? ????? ???? ???? ???? ???? ????? ?? ?? ???????? ???? ???????? ???? ?????? ????

                        Ustad Sadiq Ali Khan

?? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ????? ??????????? ???? ???????? ?????? ???? ??? ???? ????? ??????? ??? ???? ????? ????? ??????? ????? ????????? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ??? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ?? ??????? ????? ???? ??????? ?????????, ???? ????? ??????? ????? ??????? ?? ????? ???????? ??? ???????? ?????? ????????? ?? ???????? ????? ???? ??? ?????? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ?? ?? ????? ??? ????? ????? ????? ??? ??????????? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ??? ???, ???? ??? ???, ?????? ??? ?? ???????? ???? ????? ??????? ???????? ??? ??? ??????  ?? ???? ??? ??????, ???? ??? ??????? ?? ????? ????? ??? ???????? ?????? ??? ??? ??????

Verbatim: Dr. Suranjita Paul

Paraphrased in English

 

This is a story about how Pandit Radhika Mohan Moitra, the eminent maestro, created the Mohan Veena. Looking at the time frame I take it that he was at the  second phase of musical career. After demise of his Guru Radhika Mohan became very busy with his music concerts. One could see his personal Salon Train waiting at the tourist platform of different states. During this phase he visited different Royal Courts of Lucknow, Alwar, Rampur, Jaipur, Kolhapur, Ahmadabad and others.

Meanwhile, Dhruva Tara Joshi, the great musician of Agra Gharana was on All India Radio, Lucknow.  He was working on Sakh group of ragas i.e. Deo-Sakh, Laccha Sakh, Bhav Shah and Shakh with four different artists. Among these four Sakhs, one was performed by the legendary Ustad Sadik Ali Khan in Veena. Radhika Mohan Moitra with his Sursringer was very popular and regular on Baithaks. On hearing him in a Baithak, Sadik Ali conveyed his interest to perform with Moitraji. Dhruba Tara Joshi liked the idea and decided to organise a jugalbandi of Veena and Sursringer.  The performance happened twice; one in All India Radio as the continuation of that programme and other one at Joshiji’s Lucknow residence. Great musicians throughout India came to attend that extraordinary Jugalbandi. They appreciated the effort that Dhruba Tara Joshi had taken and also very keenly suggested another programme to be performed in Kolkata at a very large scale. They asked for Pathuriyaghata Rajbari or the Shobha Bazar Rajbari of Raja Nabakrishna Deb. But it was finally happened at 56 Cakraberiya Road at the maternal house of Radhika Mohan Moitra. It was a very simple Baithak. Radhu Babu expressed his enormous happiness after the concert, personally to Joshiji.

Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra with his Mohan Veena

Radhika Mohan Moitra, after the third duet recital with Sadiq Ali, somewhere felt the need of an instrument where he could get a deeper tone like Sursringer and Veena with faster fingering style like Sarod. It was 1943. He came up with an idea and design and handed it to Gopal Sharma. This was how Mohan Veena was born. The measurement of Mohan Veena remained the same as his Sarod. He added a small bridge, a type of bridge that was in common use for sitar Tarab strings. The shop of Gopal Sharma, the instrument maker, was on the opposite of RabindraBharati University. Radhu Babu often visited his shop during the instrument making. Next to Sharmaji’s shop, there was famous Kanai Lal& Sons. Stalwart musicians of that era, Ustad Sadiq Ali Khan, Ustad Rajab Ali Khan, Ustad Enayet Khan were the regular visitors of that shop.

 

Paraphrased by Dr. Suranjita Paul, Research Fellow

Picture Courtesy: Google

http://oriental-traditional-music.blogspot.com/2012/11/older-masters-of-rudra-veena-been-part_15.html

https://www.facebook.com/Pt-Dhrubatara-Joshi-221380321255798/

http://sarodia.com/pandit-maitra-instruments/

 

Edited & Designed: Dr.Suranjita Paul

 Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.

 

North, Performance, 1921-1947

Ustd. Dabir Khan awarding Radhika Mohan Maitra

Told by Somjit Dasgupta
Obtained by Sanjoy Bandopadhyay and Troilee Dutta
Date 14 July, 2015
Place Residence of Somjit Dasgupta Prof. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay, 3/1/1D, Padmapukur Road, Kolkata 700092
About Somjit Dasgupta Disciple of Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra. Preserving rare musical instruments including the instruments belonged to Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra. He plays different instruments like Sarod, Surshringar, Mohan Veena, etc.
Tags Radhika Mohan Maitra, Dabir Khan, Dhrupad, Veen, Surshringar, Rampur, Bhupen Ghosh, Pathuriaghata Rajbari, 1936, Abdullah Khan, jaba,
Language English

Somjit Dasgupta speaks :

North, Performance, 1921-1947

Ustd. Md. Ameer Khan presenting Jabaa to Radhika Mohan Maitra

Told by Somjit Dasgupta
Obtained by Sanjoy Bandopadhyay and Troilee Dutta
Date 14 July, 2015
Place Residence of Somjit Dasgupta Prof. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay, 3/1/1D, Padmapukur Road, Kolkata 700092
About Somjit Dasgupta Disciple of Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra. Preserving rare musical instruments including the instruments belonged to Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra. He plays different instruments like Sarod, Surshringar, Mohan Veena, etc.
Tags Radhika Mohan Maitra, award, 1934, Ameer Khan, Raja Naba Krishna, Bhagawan Chandra Sen, Pakhawaj, Kaunsi Kanhada, Nayaki Kanhada, Adana-Bahar, jaba.
Language Bengali

Somjit Dasgupta speaks :

 

Verbatim:

??????? ?????? ???? ?????????? ??????? ?????????? ?? ??? ??? ?? ??????? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ????? ??????????, ???????? ????? ????

Residence of Raja Nabakrishna Deb

???? ???? ???, ????? ????, ??? ???? ??? ??????? ?????? ????? ???? ???????? ????? ????????? ???? ????? ??????? ???? ????????? ?????????, ???? ?????? ?????? ?????????, ?????? ?????? ????? ??? ????? ????? ????? ?????, ?? ?? ????? ???? ??, ??? ??????? ????? ????? ???? ??????? ???? ??? ???????, ??????? ??????????? ????? ?????? ???? ????????? ???? ????????? ????? ?? ????? ????? ??? ?????? ??? ????? ????? ??????? ???? ??????, ????? ?????? ??????, ???? ???????? ??????? ?????? ??????, ???? ?????? ??? ????????? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ?? ??, ????? ????? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ??? ??????? ??????? ??? ??? ??? ?? ??? ???, ???? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ??????????? ????? ????? ???? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ????? ???, ???? ??? ????? ????? ????? ??????? ???? ???? ?????, ?? ?? ??? ???? ?? ?????? ????? ?? ??? ?????????? ???? ???? ?? ???  ?????, ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ??? ???  ????? ????? ?? ??? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ??, ????-???????? ????? ???, ??? ????? ?????, ???? ???? ??, ????? ????????? ???? ????? ???? ?? ???? ???????? ????? ??? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ?????? ????? ??? ?? ???? ??? ??? ???? ???? ????, ?? ?? ?? ???? ?????? ??????????? ???? ??? ?????, ?? ??????? ??? ???? ??? ????? ?? ???? ??? ??? ??? ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ??? ??????

 Verbatim: Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

Translation:

The next incident is about Radhika Mogan Moitra’s upbringing, or in his lamguage, the time he received awards.

In the beginning of 1934, the residents of Rajah Nabakrishna’s house requested Amir Khan Sahib to play at their home. They said, “You have played along with your disciple ar Rajshahi and some other places, please perform at our house as well.” The performance began at 10pm. No one was playing the table, the pakhwaj was played by Bhagaban Chandra Sen. He was Radhu babu’s guru. The first piece was Kaushi Kanara, which was the ustad’s pick; the second piece was Nayeki Kanara, which was requested by the students.

Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra

It was quite late in the night. He had played two gats. It was almost 3 in the morning. Then the master and the disciple began to play Arana Bahar, which was the ustad’s favourite. In the alaap, Amir Khan handed his jabaa to his student, who had tears in his eyes. Amir Khan said, “Now I don’t have to worry about how the sarod will be played in India. He will finish the performance today.” Then there was the jhala, the jor, Radhu babu finished the performance with a fast ‘madhya-lay’ on the arana pakhwaj. When he was bending down to touch his master’s feet, he was still holding onto that – that was his award. After a few days, Amir Khan sahib passed away, and that same year, Enayet Khan sahib passed away as well.

Translation by:  Sarbajaya Bhattachary

Picture Courtesy: Google 

https://www.google.co.in/search?q=shobhabajar+rajbari&client=firefox-b&dcr=0&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiixfqMyLTaAhUYTI8KHSMbDCIQ_AUICygC&biw=1366&bih=631#imgdii=0sjSbTN6rC6e8M:&imgrc=CKBU2OeQLWCXiM:

https://www.google.co.in/search?q=radhikamohan+maitra&client=firefox-b&dcr=0&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjV_5DeybTaAhULL48KHbtACw8Q_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=631#imgdii=KgRP8QfXTFsveM:&imgrc=25HwokPVV0g-rM:

Edited & Designed: Ms. Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University

 

 

North, Performance, 1921-1947

Ustd. Enayet Khan blessing Radhika Mohan Maitra

Told by Somjit Dasgupta
Obtained by Sanjoy Bandopadhyay and Troilee Dutta
Date 14 July, 2015
Place Residence of Somjit Dasgupta Prof. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay, 3/1/1D, Padmapukur Road, Kolkata 700092
About Somjit Dasgupta Disciple of Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra. Preserving rare musical instruments including the instruments belonged to Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra. He plays different instruments like Sarod, Surshringar, Mohan Veena, etc.
Tags Radhika Mohan Maitra, award, recording, award, Allauddin Khan, 1932, Ustd. Ameer Khan, Samsuddin, Enayet Khan, Raja Naba Krishna, Nat mandir, mizrab, Nikhil Banerjee.
Language Bengali

Somjit Dasgupta speaks :

1900-1920, North, Teaching-Learning

Radhika Mohan Maitra learning with Ustd. Enayet Khan

Told by Somjit Dasgupta
Obtained by Sanjoy Bandopadhyay and Troilee Dutta
Date 14 July, 2015Place
Residence of Somjit Dasgupta Prof. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay, 3/1/1D, Padmapukur Road, Kolkata 700092
About Somjit Dasgupta Disciple of Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra. Preserving rare musical instruments including the instruments belonged to Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra. He plays different instruments like Sarod, Surshringar, Mohan Veena, etc.
Tags Radhika Mohan Maitra, Md. Ameer Khan, sitar, Ustd. Enayet Khan, Chacha Miyan, 1920’s
Language English

Somjit Dasgupta speaks :

 

1900-1920, Performance, North, 1921-1947

Debut Performance of Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra

Told by Somjit Dasgupta
Obtained by Sanjoy Bandopadhyay and Troilee Dutta
Date 14 July, 2015
Place Residence of Somjit Dasgupta Prof. Sanjoy Bandopadhyay, 3/1/1D, Padmapukur Road, Kolkata 700092
About Somjit Dasgupta Disciple of Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra. Preserving rare musical instruments including the instruments belonged to Pt. Radhika Mohan Maitra. He plays different instruments like Sarod, Surshringar, Mohan Veena, etc.
Tags Instruments, Radhika Mohan Maitra, 1920’s, Md. Ameer Khan, Brajendra Mohan Maitra, sarod, 1911, Nirendra Krishna Mitra, North Kolkata, Nirendra Krishna Mitra, Siddheshwar Dutta, Sure. Sikdar, Basanta Ganguli, Pakhawaj Bhagawan Chandra Sen, Nanigopal Motilal, Raja Naba Krishna’s House, Shobha Bazar Rajbari, Nat Mandir.
Language English

Somjit Dasgupta speaks:

 

Teaching-Learning, South

Learning with different musicians: Anindya Banerjee speaks

Told by Anindya Banerjee
Obtained by Sukanya Sarkar
Date 14 July, 2015
Place Residence of Anindya Banerjee, 50/1A,Purna Das Road, Kolkata
About Anindya Banerjee Disciple of Ustd.Ali Akbar Khan, Ustd. Dhyanesh Khan and other gurus. He plays Sarod and Surshringar. He is a well-known writer on Indian Music with several publications to his credit.
Tags Ali Akbar Khan, Ali Akbar College of Music, 1968, Dhyanesh Ghan, Nikhil Banerjee, Lake Market area, South Calcutta, Annapurna Devi, ang, vocal music, dhamar, tarana, practicing,
Language English
1921-1947, Teaching-Learning, Central

In Proximity of Ustd. Ahmedjan Thirakawa

 

Told by Maharaj Banerjee
Obtained by Sanjoy Bandopadhyay and Dilip Mukherjee
Date 05 July, 2015
Place Sati Sadan, 41, Harish Mukherjee Road, Bhowanipur, Kolkata 700025
About Maharaj Banerjee Son and disciple of Pt. Montu Banerjee [Tabla, Sarod, Harmonium]. Disciple of Pt. Muneshwar Dayal [Harmonium], Ustd. Ahmedjan Thirakawa.   [Tabla], Sati Sadan.
Tags Mantu Banerjee, 1943, Muneshwar Dayal, harmonium, Maharaj Banerjee, tabla, 1937, 1957, Sati Sadan, Ustd. Ahmedjan Thirakawa,
Language Bengali

Maharaj Banerjee speaks :

North, 1921-1947, Teaching-Learning

‘Ganda bandhan’ and Montu Banerjee

Told by Maharaj Banerjee
Obtained by Sanjoy Bandopadhyay and Dilip Mukherjee
Date 05 July, 2015
Place Sati Sadan, 41, Harish Mukherjee Road, Bhowanipur, Kolkata 700025
About Maharaj Banerjee Son and disciple of Pt. Montu Banerjee [Tabla, Sarod, Harmonium]. Disciple of Pt. Muneshwar Dayal [Harmonium], Ustd. Ahmedjan Thirakawa.   [Tabla].
Tags 1935, Patuatala, Abid Hussein Khan, Mantu Banerjee, Hiru Ganguli, Rai Chand Boral, Raichand, Baral, Masid Khan, Nara Bandha (Ganda bandhan), Muneshwar Dayal, harmonium, tabla.
Language Bengali

Maharaj Banerjee speaks :

Verbatim:

???? ???? ??? ???? ???????? ???? ???? ???? ?????????? ?????? ???? ????? ??? ??????? ?????

-?? ??????? ?? ?????? ?? ?????

– ?? ?????? ?? ???????? ???? ?????????? ?????? ???? ??? ??????? ?????? ???? ?????-?? ???? ????? ???? ????? ????????, ???????????? ????????????? ???? ???? ??? ????? ???? ???? ???????? ????????? ??? ????????? ?????????  ????? ??????

– ???? ????? ???? ?????? ????? ???????????

             Pt. Montu Banerjee

-?????? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ??????????? ???? ????? ????? ????????? ???? ??? ??? ??? ??–????? ?? ????? ??, ?????, ???? ???? ????????? ???? ???? ????? ????? ??? ???????? ???? ?????, ?????? ????? ??????? ???? ????? ??????-???? ???? ???, ??? ???, ????? ??? ??????? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ??? ??????? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ?? -???? ???, ????? ??? ???? ???????? ?????? ???????? ????? ??????? ???? ????-?? ???? ?????????? ???? ???? ?? ??????? ??? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ??? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ????? ?? ????? ???? ??????? ?????? ???? ????? ???? ????? ????? ????? ??? ???? ??? ??????? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ????????? ????? ?????????? ??????? ???? ????? ???? ??? ???? ?????? ? ?? ????? ???????? ???? ??????? ??????? ????? ??? ??? ???? ???? ????? ????? ????? ?????? ?????? ????? ?? ??? ?? ????? ?? ????????? ?????????, ???? ??? ?? ?????, ???,? ?????? ??, ??? ??? ???? ??? ???????? ???? ??? ????????????? ?????? ???? ????? ????????? ??????? ???? ? ???????? ???????????

 Verbatim: Dr. Suranjita Paul

Translation:

Earlier, my father used to play the tabla. In 1935, he became the disciple of Ustad Abid Hussain Khan sahib.

-Did that happen in this house?

– No, we used to live in our original house in Potuatolla at that time. The first person to tie the nara with Ustad Abid Hussain Khan was Hirubabu – Hirendranath Gangopadhyay. His father was a great fan of the tabla. Manmath nath Ganguly was his name. He used to work at the High Court.

– Your father is Pandit Montu Banerjee.

– Yes. We were all very close to Hiru babu’s family. Father was quite small then. Hiru babu said to my father that since he is such a fan of the tabla, he should become a disciple of his ustad. In those days, masters would not take on more than thirty to forty students. The masters would teach tabla or any other instrument or singing only to those who would become their gandabandh disciples. So my father learn from Ustad Abid Hussain Khan for two to two-and-a-half years. Then, Ustad Abid Hussain Khan passed away. Our family was close to Mr. Raichand Baral. He was a friend of one of my uncles. He said, “Ustad Masid Khan sahib is currently staying at my house. Why don’t you train under him.” So, he learn from Ustad Masid Khan. Then, my father ran into Munneshwar Dayalji. Father found him to be a great man. He was attained enlightenment in the world of music. He had a fantastic memory, and a singing style to match. He said to my father, “No one plays the classical harmonium. You should do it”. That was the time father left the tabla and took up the harmonium. The first time he played  the harmonium was at the conference at Allahabad in 1937.

Translated by Sarbajaya Bhattacharya

 Picture Courtesy:

Kamalaksha Mukhopadhyay,  Harmonium player, AIR

 

Edited & Designed: Dr. Suranjita Paul

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, RabindraBharati University

 

Performance, 1921-1947, Teaching-Learning, Central, 1948-1960

Music at Sati Sadan – 1

Told by Maharaj Banerjee
Obtained by Sanjoy Bandopadhyay and Dilip Mukherjee
Date 05 July, 2015
Place Sati Sadan, 41, Harish Mukherjee Road, Bhowanipur, Kolkata 700025
About Maharaj Banerjee Son and disciple of Pt. Montu Banerjee [Tabla, Sarod, Harmonium]. Disciple of Pt. Muneshwar Dayal [Harmonium], Ustd. Ahmedjan Thirakawa [Tabla]. He is also a legal practitioner.
Tags Vilayet Khan, 1944-46, Ghulam Ali Khan, Kashinath Chattopadhyay, Keramatullah Khan, Sati Sadan, Desi Todi, Masood Khan Saheb, Bade Mian, Ahmedjan Thirakawa
Language Bengali

 Maharaj Banerjee speaks :

 

Verbatim:

Vilayet Khan lived in this house from 1944–46.

Ustad Vilayat khan

He was quite young. I was a child. There are photos of Vilayet Khan’s visit to our home in 1945. My father, Vilayet Khan, and I were in the house. Vilayet Khan stayed here. He would practice. And because of him, or maybe it was to my father’s credit, that other maestros like Faiyaz Khan would also visit this place. A very remarkable programme was organised here which carried the name of my grandfather. Shri Kashinath Chattopadhyay was an accomplished Bengali who used to sing. He had trained under Mustaq Hussain and Ashfaq Hussain of Rampur gharana. In that programme, Keramat Khan was playing the table, Ghulam Ali Khan was singing. It is a famous programme. I still remember, Khan sahib had sung the deshi todi. And many people, including Ray babu and Pahari Sanyal had come to hear.

In this house?

Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali KhanYes. And all the maestros and stalwarts had come. Ghulam Ali is unforgettable. There was another time when three sarod players performed in a programme held in the hallWhy do you feel that Ghulam Ali Khan is unforgettable?

I haven’t seen that kind of style in anyone else. Such finesse! Each octave seemed wasy to him. He’d sit in one place and travel to three octaves. He would sing common raagas, not unfamiliar ones. In the mornings, he would sing todi, deshi todi etc. Then he would sing shuddha sarang, jaunpuri and other famous ragaas og his. At night, he would sometimes sing marwa. Or else, he would sing bhupali; later into the night he would sing malkosh, darbari, behaag, kamod, kaushikdhwani. Nothing can be compared to that. And most importantly, he sang effortlessly. That is what mesmerised us. How can a person sit in one place like that and sing!

This was in 1945?

No. That was Vilayet Khan sahib. He was here for three years. Ghulam Ali Khan sahib…since I have been a part of music…I became more mature, I went to see him, and hear him, I got to know him. Then he rented a house in Park Circus. Then he was paralysed, he came to Kolkata and gave several performances. I had accompanied him on the tabla on some of these occassions.

You also played with Khan Sahib?

Yes, I became Therakuya Khan Sahib’s disciple in 1957. There wasn’t a single Bengali or Muslim who wasn’t here on that day. Ghulam Ali Khan was the chief guest. They referred to each other as Bade Miyan. Ghulam Ali Khan sahib said to Therakuya Khan, “Oh Bade Miya, this Maharaj is an exact copy of you!” And everyone else was saying, how can they be compared! But such was his affection towards me! He stressed on the weight ofthe music in accordance with the ragaa.

 

Translated by:  Sarbajaya Bhattacharya

Picture Courtesy: Google

https://www.google.co.in/search?q=vilayat+khan&client=firefox-b&dcr=0&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwja_JqZzK_aAhXDro8KHcO9CDIQ_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=631#imgrc=apwBQzuJ-veroM:

https://scroll.in/article/803073/they-lack-logic-hindustani-maestro-bade-ghulam-ali-khan-explains-why-he-doesnt-like-new-raags

Edited & Designed: Ms. Rajeswary Ganguly Banerjee

Data processed at SAP-DRS Lab, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University