Chapter – 2

The Sound of Music – II

The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan

Summary of the Chapter:

 Shehnai replaced pungi which had an unpleasant shrill sound.
 Pungi’s tonal quality was improved by a Nai (barber) of Aurangzeb. Since it was
first played in the Shah’s chambers (Emperor Aurangzeb) and was played by a Nai
(barber) and hence the instrument was named ‘shehnai’.
 Ustad Bismillah Khan is a shehnai maestro. He took to music early in life when
he was 3 years old in the company of his maternal uncle, Ali Bux.
 He used to sing ‘Chaita’ in Bihariji’s Temple and practicing shehnai in Vishnu
Temple and Mangla Maiya temple of Varanasi.
 His life is a source of simplicity and communal harmony.
 Bismillah Khan got his first big break with the opening of All India Radio (AIR)
in Lucknow in 1938.
 He also played shehnai on August 15, 1947 from Red Fort in the presence of
Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru.
 Bismillah Khan gave many memorable performances both in India and abroad.
 He also gave music in two films – ‘Gunj Uthi Shehnai’ and ‘Sanadhi Apanna’.
 He was so fond of his motherland India and Benaras and the holy river Ganga that
he refused an offer to be the Head of Shehnai School in USA.
 In 2001, Ustad Bismillah Khan was awarded India’s highest Civilian Award, the
Bharat Ratna.
 He left for heavenly abode on 21 August 2006 at the age of ninety after a
prolonged illness. He was given a state funeral and the Government of India
declared one day of national mourning.

Theme:
Ustad Bismillah Khan’s life depicts that music transcends all barriers. The author’s focus
on Bismillah Khan’s achievements in the field of classical music reveals how this great
musician’s life was devoted to the passion for shehnai. It was his secular approach to
music that he sharpened his skills without any bias towards the source of opportunities.
The life of this musician is an example of the rich, cultural heritage of India that respects
talent, irrespective of the religion of the artist.

Message:
The life sketch of Bismillah Khan teaches the important lesson that Indian music is very
rich and invigorating. Great musicians like Bismillah Khan not only adopted and
inherited traditional music but also enhanced it with their original contributions. He tried
to convey the message that the children should be taught music, Hindustani Music as the
West is also learning Hindustani Music. Another message that his life-sketch delivers
effortlessly is love for the country and rise above communal feelings.

NCERT QAs:
THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT
Tick the right answer:

1. The (Shehnai, Pungi) was a reeded noisemaker?

Ans: Pungi was a reeded noisemaker.

2. (Bismillah Khan, A barber, Ali Bux) transformed the pungi into a shehnai.
Ans: A barber transformed the pungi into a shehnai.

3. Bismillah Khan’s paternal ancestors were (barbers, professional musicians).

Ans: Bismillah Khan’s paternal ancestors were professional musicians.

4. Bismillah Khan learnt to play the shehnai from (Ali Bux, Paigambar Bux, Ustad
Faiyaaz Khan).
Ans: Bismillah Khan learnt to play the shehnai from Ali Bux.

5. Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to (Afghanistan, USA, Canada).

Ans: Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to Afghanistan.

Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (30–40 words).

1. Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of pungi?

Ans.: Emperor Aurangzeb banned the playing of pungi because of its shrill and
unpleasant sound. It became the generic name for reeded noisemakers.

2. How is shehnai different from a pungi?

Ans.: Unlike pungi, shehnai is a hollow stem that is longer and broader. It has seven
holes on its body. When it is played by placing the fingers and closing and
opening the holes on its surface, soft and melodious sounds are produced.
3. Where was the shehnai played traditionally? How did Bismillah Khan change this?
Ans.: The shehnai was traditionally played in royal courts, temples and weddings. The
flowing waters of the Ganga inspired Bismillah Khan to improvise and invent raagas that
were earlier considered to be beyond the range of the shehnai.

4. When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?
Ans.: Bismillah Khan got his big break with the opening of the All India Radio in
Lucknow in 1938. He soon became a regular shehnai player on the radio.

5. Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15 August 1947? Why was the event
historic?
Ans.: On 15 August 1947, Bismillah Khan played the shehnai from the Red Fort. It was a
historic day as India gained independence on that day. He became the first Indian to greet
the nation with his shehnai and poured his heart out into ‘Raag Kafi’, cherishing the
freedom of the country.

6. Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the USA?
Ans.: Bismillah Khan’s student had asked him to head a shehnai school in the USA, and
the student promised to recreate the atmosphere of Benaras by replicating the temples in
the city. To this, Bismillah Khan asked him if he could also transport the River Ganga to
the USA. Khansaab, as he is fondly called, is remembered to have said that while he was
in a foreign land, he kept yearning to see Hindustan.

7. Find at least 2 instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loves India and
Benaras.
Ans.: Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras from the bottom of his heart. He says that
he misses the holy Ganga and India when he goes abroad. While in Mumbai, he thinks
only of the holy river and the holy city. He was not ready to leave his country on the
request of his student and head the Shehnai School in the USA.

Extra QAs:
RTC:
He poured his heart out……………………………. speech. (Pg: 23, Para 7)

a) Name the prose.

b) Who is ‘he’ in the above lines?
c) On which occasion did he play Raag Kafi for the audience?
d) Which instrument did he play upon on this occasion?
 e) Explain the expression: ‘He poured his heart out’.

RTC: (HW)

Short Answer Questions:

1. Why did the pungi become a generic name for ‘reeded noisemakers’?
Ans.: The pungi produced a loud, unpleasant and jarring music. Because of this
shrill music, Aurangzeb banned it in the Royal house. As it was made from
a reed produced noisy sounds, it became a generic name for ‘reeded
noisemakers’.

2. Where did Bismillah Khan usually sing at the age of five? How was he rewarded
and by whom?
Ans.: At the age of five, Bismillah Khan usually sang the Bhojpuri ‘chaita’ in the
Bihariji Temple in his native town Dumraon in Bihar. At the end of the
performance, he earned a big laddu weighing 1.25 kg which was given by
the local Maharaj as a prize.

3. What kind of family did Bismillah Khan hail from?

Ans.: Bismillah Khan hailed from a family of musicians in Bihar. His
grandfather Rasool Bux Khan was the shehnai player in the Royal Court of
the king of Bhojpur. His father Paigamber Bux and many paternal and
maternal uncles were also skilled shehnai players.

4. Who was Ali Bux? Where was he employed and what was his influence on
Bismillah Khan?
Ans.: Ali Bux was the maternal uncle of Bismillah Khan and is regarded as his
mentor and trainer. He was a great shehnai player and was employed to
play the shehnai in the Vishnu Temple of Benaras. At a very young age,
Bismillah Khan started accompanying him and got lessons in playing the
shehnai from him. The young boy would sit for hours listening to his uncle
and later practice throughout the day.

5. How did India honour and reward the great musician, Bismillah Khan?
Ans.: India honoured Bismillah Khan by conferring upon him the greatest
national awards – the Padmashri, the Padma Bhushan and the Padma
Vibhushan. He was also awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2001, the highest
 Civilian Award in India, for his remarkable contribution in the field of
music.

6. Why did Bismillah Khan want that the children in India should be taught music?
Ans.: Bismillah Khan had a great regard for Indian music and considered the
Hindustani music to be its richest heritage. He wanted that the children
should be taught music and must not cut off their bond from their grand
tradition which was fascinating even for the people of the West.

7. How can you say Bismillah Khan was a perfect example of India’s cultural
heritage?
Ans.: Bismillah Khan was a perfect example of India’s cultural heritage because
he was a symbol of secularism. Despite being a devout muslim, he played
shehnai at temples and at the banks of the river Ganga. He reflected India’s
core principle, ‘Unity in Diversity.’

Long Answer Questions:

1. Write a note on the life and achievements of Bismillah Khan as a ‘shehnai
vaadak’. What values of life do you derive from his story?
Ans.: Bismillah Khan journey as a ‘shehnai vaadak’ carries in itself deep moral
values of dedication, simplicity and patriotism. It started at a young age of
three and continued up to the age of ninety. The journey ranged from
playing the instrument in the temples to getting international fame.

Hailing from a family of musicians, Bismillah Khan inherited an interest in

the shehnai. At a young age of three, he started accompanying his maternal
uncle, Ali Bux to the Vishnu Temple in Benaras and learnt a lot from him.
He would sing scriptures like the Bhojpuri ‘chaita’.

Bismillah Khan got a significant break when he started playing for the All
India Radio (AIR), Lucknow in 1938. His music was admired that he was
invited to play at the historic moment of Indian Independence on August
15, 1947.

In recognition of his talent, awards and recognition followed him and he

was conferred upon with the greatest awards of India – the Padmashri, the
Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan. He was awarded the Bharat
Ratna, the highest Civilian Award in India, in the year 2001.
 Bismillah Khan ventured into the film world but abandoned it after he
found it to be too artificial and glamorous. On the international level, he
mesmerized the King of Afghanistan with his shehnai music. He was the
only Indian to be invited to play shehnai in the Lincoln Central Hall, USA.
He also played in the international events like the World Exposition,
Montreal, the Cannes Art Festival and the Osaka Trade Fair. As a token of
appreciation, the Teheran Government has named an auditorium after
Bismillah Khan.

Bismillah Khan has a deep devotion to his motherland and is proud of his
heritage of music. Hence, he declined the offer to settle down in foreign
countries as he was deeply attached to Benaras and the holy river Ganga.

His journey teaches the values of dedication to one’s talent and persistent
efforts to reach the highest heights of excellence. His simplicity is revealed
when he abandoned the film industry because he wanted to retain his
originality. His love for his country and equal respect to all the religions
are the values that one would like to derive from his story. His life serves
as an inspiration for the generations to come.

2. Justify Bismillah Khan as a true Hindustani.

Ans.: Music is a universal language, it knows no boundaries. Despite being a
devout Muslim, he used to play and practice Shehnai in temples and on the
banks of the river Ganga. He was nostalgic about his homeland. When one
of his students asked him to head a shehnai school in USA, he refused, as
the student on being asked by the Ustad if he could bring the Ganga to the
USA said that he could only attempt to create an atmosphere of Benaras but
he could not bring the river. Bismillah Khan simply couldn’t bear the
thought of being away from Hindustan for long intervals.

On getting the Bharat Ratna, he addressed the parents and told them to
teach their children Indian music, the country’s richest heritage, that was
being appreciated and learnt by the westerners, while our nation was failing
to do so. He lived and breathed Hindustan.