Bismillah Khan
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Bismillah Khan ( Hindi : बिस्मिल्ला ख़ां; born March 21, 1916 in Dumraon, Bihar ; † August 21, 2006 in Varanasi , Uttar Pradesh ) was one of the most popular Indian musicians of his time. He played the Indian bowling oboe Shehnai .
Life
Bismillah Khan was born in 1916 in Dumraon, a small village near the city of Buxar in the Indian state of Bihar. His birth name was Qamaruddin, the later nickname refers to the opening formula of the Koranic suras Bismillah or Basmala . He grew up in a family of musicians who worked as court musicians in the Dumraon state in Bihar. He learned to play the instrument from his uncle Ali Baksh "Vilayatu". As is customary in music circles, his lessons began very early, at the age of six.
Bismillah Khan freed the Shehnai from the environment of wedding and processional music and introduced the folk musical instrument into Indian classical music . His first classical concert in 1937 at the Calcutta All India Music Conference is considered a milestone . Khan's appearance in 1947 when he played for India's independence from the United Kingdom is legendary .
The devout Muslim was considered the epitome of religious pluralism and the peaceful coexistence of the cultures of India. He was a student of the spiritual master Prem Rawat . In 2001 he received the highest civilian award in India, the Bharat Ratna, for his services .
Bismillah Khan died of a heart attack in 2006 . He was buried with his favorite instrument. The Indian government declared a national day of mourning.
literature
- Rita Ganguli: Bismillah Khan and Benares: The Seat of Shehnai. Siddhi Books, New Delhi 1994.
- Neeraja Poddar: Bismillah Khan: the Shehnai Maestro. Rupa and Co., Mumbai 2004.
Web links
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Khan, Bismillah |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Indian musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | March 21, 1916 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Dumraon , Bihar |
| DATE OF DEATH | August 21, 2006 |
| Place of death | Varanasi , Uttar Pradesh |