The Sound of Music
Part II: The Shehnai of Bismillah KhanThinking about the Text
I. Tick the right answer.
1. The (shehnai, pungi) was a ‘reeded noisemaker.’
2. (A barber, Ali Bux, Bismillah Khan) transformed the pungi into a shehnai.
3. Bismillah Khan’s paternal ancestors were (barbers, professional musicians).
4. Bismillah Khan learnt to play the shehnai from (Ali Bux, Paigambar Bux, Ustad Faiyaaz Khan).
5. Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to (Afghanistan, U.S.A., Canada).
2. (A barber, Ali Bux, Bismillah Khan) transformed the pungi into a shehnai.
3. Bismillah Khan’s paternal ancestors were (barbers, professional musicians).
4. Bismillah Khan learnt to play the shehnai from (Ali Bux, Paigambar Bux, Ustad Faiyaaz Khan).
5. Bismillah Khan’s first trip abroad was to (Afghanistan, U.S.A., Canada).
II. Bismillah Khan’s Feelings
| Item | Positive | Negative | Neutral |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Teaching children music | ✔ | ||
| 2. The film world | ✔ | ||
| 3. Migrating to the U.S.A. | ✔ | ||
| 4. Playing at temples | ✔ | ||
| 5. Getting the Bharat Ratna | ✔ | ||
| 6. The banks of the Ganga | ✔ | ||
| 7. Leaving Benaras and Dumraon | ✔ |
III. Answer these questions in 30–40 words.
1. Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?
Aurangzeb banned the playing of the pungi in the royal residence because it had a shrill and unpleasant sound. He considered it a ‘reeded noisemaker’ rather than a musical instrument.
A shehnai has a better tonal quality than a pungi. It is made from a natural hollow stem that is longer and broader than the pungi. It has seven holes on its body and produces soft, melodious sounds.
Traditionally, the shehnai was played in royal courts, temples, and weddings. It was part of the ‘naubat’. Bismillah Khan changed this by bringing the instrument onto the classical stage and elevating its status to a classical instrument.
Bismillah Khan got his big break in 1938 with the opening of the All India Radio in Lucknow. He soon became an often-heard shehnai player on the radio.
He played the shehnai at the Red Fort on 15 August 1947. The event was historic because he was the first Indian to greet the nation with his shehnai on the occasion of India’s independence from British rule.
He refused because he could not live away from his beloved Benaras and the River Ganga. Even though the student promised to recreate the atmosphere of Benaras by building temples, Bismillah Khan asked if he could transport the River Ganga there as well.
(i) He refused an offer to head a shehnai school in the U.S.A. because he missed the Ganga.
(ii) He said, “Whenever I am in a foreign country, I keep yearning to see Hindustan. While in Mumbai, I think of only Benaras and the holy Ganga.”
(ii) He said, “Whenever I am in a foreign country, I keep yearning to see Hindustan. While in Mumbai, I think of only Benaras and the holy Ganga.”
Thinking about Language
I. Complete the sentences with to-verb.
1. The school sports team hopes to win the championship.
2. We all want to succeed in life.
3. They advised the hearing-impaired child’s mother to consult a specialist.
4. The authorities permitted us to organize the event in the park.
5. A musician decided to play a new raga for the audience.
2. We all want to succeed in life.
3. They advised the hearing-impaired child’s mother to consult a specialist.
4. The authorities permitted us to organize the event in the park.
5. A musician decided to play a new raga for the audience.
II. Vocabulary: Match definitions.
1. the home of royal people: royal residence
2. the state of being alone: solitude
3. a part which is absolutely necessary: indispensable component
4. to do something not done before: invented (or improvised)
5. without much effort: effortlessly
6. quickly and in large quantities: thick and fast
2. the state of being alone: solitude
3. a part which is absolutely necessary: indispensable component
4. to do something not done before: invented (or improvised)
5. without much effort: effortlessly
6. quickly and in large quantities: thick and fast
III. Tick the right answer.
1. When something is revived, it (lives again).
2. When a government bans something, it wants it (stopped).
3. When something is considered auspicious, (welcome it).
4. When we take to something, we find it (interesting).
5. When you appreciate something, you (find it good and useful).
6. When you replicate something, you do it (for the second time).
7. When we come to terms with something, it is (no longer upsetting).
2. When a government bans something, it wants it (stopped).
3. When something is considered auspicious, (welcome it).
4. When we take to something, we find it (interesting).
5. When you appreciate something, you (find it good and useful).
6. When you replicate something, you do it (for the second time).
7. When we come to terms with something, it is (no longer upsetting).
IV. Dictionary Work: Adjective Position
| Adjective | Only before noun | Not before noun | Both |
|---|---|---|---|
| indispensable | ✔ | ||
| impressed | ✔ | ||
| afraid | ✔ | ||
| outdoor | ✔ | ||
| paternal | ✔ | ||
| countless | ✔ | ||
| priceless | ✔ |
Speaking
Introduction for Kishori Amonkar:
“Good morning everyone. I am honoured to introduce our distinguished guest for today, Padma Bhushan Kishori Amonkar. Born in 1931, she is the daughter of the great artist Smt. Mogubai Kurdikar. While she absorbed the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana style from her mother’s teacher, Ustad Alladiya Khan, she evolved her own unique, emotive style as she matured.
She is not just a vocalist but a thinker who approaches raagas with the precision of a scientist and the soul of a devotee. Inspired by the ancient Vedic sages, her music is a blend of intellectual depth and devotional fervor. She has been honored with prestigious awards like the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Sangeet Samradhini Award. Please put your hands together to welcome the legend, Kishori Amonkar!”
She is not just a vocalist but a thinker who approaches raagas with the precision of a scientist and the soul of a devotee. Inspired by the ancient Vedic sages, her music is a blend of intellectual depth and devotional fervor. She has been honored with prestigious awards like the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Sangeet Samradhini Award. Please put your hands together to welcome the legend, Kishori Amonkar!”
Writing
Do you think Evelyn Glennie and Bismillah Khan worked hard? Where did they want to ‘go’?
Evelyn Glennie undoubtedly worked extremely hard. Despite losing her hearing at a young age, she did not give up. She was determined to lead a normal life and pursue her interest in music. With sheer determination and hard work, she learned to ‘feel’ music through different parts of her body. She wanted to go to the Royal Academy of Music in London, and not only did she get there, but she also scored one of the highest marks in the history of the academy. Her goal was to bring percussion to the foreground of the orchestra, which she successfully achieved.
Ustad Bismillah Khan also dedicated his entire life to music. He practiced for hours in solitude on the banks of the river Ganga. His hard work transformed the shehnai from a mere noisemaker to a classical instrument. He wanted to take the shehnai to the classical stage, a feat he accomplished with grace. Unlike many who seek fame abroad, his heart always wanted to ‘go’ back to his roots—Benaras and Dumraon. He achieved the highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, yet remained a humble man who loved his country above all else.
Ustad Bismillah Khan also dedicated his entire life to music. He practiced for hours in solitude on the banks of the river Ganga. His hard work transformed the shehnai from a mere noisemaker to a classical instrument. He wanted to take the shehnai to the classical stage, a feat he accomplished with grace. Unlike many who seek fame abroad, his heart always wanted to ‘go’ back to his roots—Benaras and Dumraon. He achieved the highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, yet remained a humble man who loved his country above all else.