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Born on 21st March 1916 in a family of
professional Shahnai players of a princely state Dumraon in
Bihar, he shifted to his maternal uncle and teacher Ustad
Ali Bux, who had established himself as an eminent Shahnai
player in Banaras. Under the able guidance of his maternal
uncle, he learnt the intrinsic crafts of the instrument and
since the tender age of six years, he started his practice
(Reyaz) in solitude on the Banks of the Ganges and in the
devout temples of “Balaji”, and its adjacent temples
like “Jarau Mandir” and “Mangala Maiya”
etc., which not only offered to him the highest forms of improvisation
but also by sheer merit of his dexterity, he was able to invent
such intricate and dazzling pattern weavings, as was previously
thought to be outside the range and scope of Shahnai. His
performances both in India and abroad have always-forged links
between men, temples and river a bond whose depth few can
comprehend. Recognitions and laurels came thick and fast and
today Bismillah Khan Saheb is one of the most prized artists
at concerts as well as with the broadcasting organisations
and the record industry in India and abroad. He has stroved
to defy prejudice and convention in regard to Shahnai and
to fight to win a place of dignity and honour for the instrument
he loved.
Ustad Bismillah Khan has the blessings of the holy temples
of Varanasi and observed many transcendental events during
his practice in the temples. He however, avoids quoting them
as advised by his great maternal uncle and teacher.
He has turned down many an offer luring him overseas, including
one in which he was promised a replica of Banaras in U.S.A.
He rejected it saying, “ You will not be able to bring
my Ganges here”. It was precisely this deep attachment
to the temples and the holy Ganges that held him back from
pursuing the glamorous carrier abroad. He also rejected various
offers as Music Director in films and only obliged his friends
late Vijay Bhatt and Shanker Bhatt for the film “Goonj
Uthi Shahnai” and another ardent fan Vikram Srinivas,
a film producer of Madras by performing in his film “Sanadhi
Apanna”. Despite the grand success of both the films,
he could not adjust himself with the artificiality and glamour
of the film world due to his pious and God fearing temperament
and has not accepted any further offers.
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