Ustad Bismillah Khan, the legend of Indian classical music. Quamruddin Khanwas is real name. He popularized the Shehnai, a reeded wooden instrument. The Shehnai was already considered as an important folk instrument. It was primarily used in the traditional ceremonies.
He was born on March 21, 1916 in a traditional Muslim musician family. He went to Varanasi at the age of 6 to be with his uncle, who was a Shehnai Player in the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Ustad Bismillah Khan accompanied his uncle to a Music Conference at Allahabad. Since then, there was no turning back for him.
He was invited by the then Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, on the first Independence Day 15th August 1947 at the RED FORT of Delhi to play Shehnai. Khan had a brief but significant association in films. He provided his melodious Shehnai in kannada film ‘Sannadi Appanna’ in 1977 and Vijay Bhatt’s ‘Goonj Uthi Shehnai’ in 1959.
Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan was 91 when he died of cardiac arrest in the wee hours of August 21, 2006. On his death anniversary, here are a few must hear musicals by the shehnai legend:
Raag Bhairavi
Rachna Purab
Raag Thodi
Raag Malhar
Kajri
