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Questions and Answers
What was the original reason Emperor Aurangzeb banned the pungi from the royal residence?
Who improved the tonal quality of the pungi and created the shehnai?
Why was the shehnai played in temples and weddings?
What was Ustad Bismillah Khan's contribution to the shehnai?
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At what age did Ustad Bismillah Khan start playing the shehnai?
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Where did Ustad Bismillah Khan play as a 5-year-old?
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Where did the young Bismillah used to sing 'Chaita' and earn a prize of 1.25 kg laddu?
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How old was Bismillah when he started accompanying his uncle to the Vishnu temple of Benaras?
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Who patted the young Bismillah's back at the Allahabad Music Conference and encouraged him to work hard?
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What was the occasion when Bismillah Khan became the first Indian to greet the nation with his shehnai?
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What was the name of the Raag that Bismillah Khan played on India's first independence day?
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Who was the famous leader that gave the 'Tryst with Destiny' speech on India's first independence day?
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Study Notes
The Origins of the Shehnai
- Emperor Aurangzeb banned the playing of the pungi in the royal residence due to its unpleasant sound.
- The pungi became a generic name for reeded noisemakers.
- A barber from a family of professional musicians improved the tonal quality of the pungi by creating a new instrument with a longer and broader pipe and seven holes.
The Evolution of the Shehnai
- The new instrument was named the 'shehnai' because it was first played in the Shah's chambers and was played by a nai (barber).
- The sound of the shehnai became auspicious and is still played in temples and is an indispensable component of North Indian weddings.
- The shehnai was part of the traditional ensemble of nine instruments found at royal courts, known as the naubat.
Ustad Bismillah Khan
- Ustad Bismillah Khan is credited with bringing the shehnai onto the classical stage.
- Born on 21 March 1916, Bismillah Khan belongs to a well-known family of musicians from Bihar.
- His grandfather, Rasool Bux Khan, was the shehnai nawaz of the Bhojpur king's court.
- Bismillah Khan started taking music lessons at the age of three and was fascinated by the shehnai.
Early Life and Career
- At the age of five, Bismillah Khan would sing the Bhojpuri 'Chaita' at the Bihariji temple and earn a prize of 1.25 kg laddu.
- Bismillah Khan started accompanying his uncle, Ali Bux, to the Vishnu temple of Benaras where he would play the shehnai.
- He would practice throughout the day and eventually started getting lessons in playing the instrument.
- The flowing waters of the Ganga inspired him to improvise and invent raagas beyond the range of the shehnai.
Career Milestones
- At the age of 14, Bismillah Khan accompanied his uncle to the Allahabad Music Conference and received praise from Ustad Faiyaz Khan.
- He became an often-heard shehnai player on All India Radio in Lucknow in 1938.
- On 15 August 1947, Bismillah Khan became the first Indian to greet the nation with his shehnai from the Red Fort, playing Raag Kafi to an audience that included Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
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Description
Learn about the history of the Shehnai, a traditional Indian musical instrument, and how it was revived from its humble beginnings as a pungi. Discover the story of a barber who transformed the pungi into a new instrument with a richer tone.
