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• Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan

  Sep 12, 2009 by Administrator / 1,099 Views

  A nonagenarian, aesthete and scholar of high repute, M.A.Sheikh has been associated with the musical circles of Lahore for almost 70 years and has seen profound changes taking place to classical music. "Yaadein" or Memories is a reflection of M.A. Sheikh's memorable moments in classical music. In his fourth article of Yaadein, M.A. Sheikh writes on an historic ceremony known as “shakkar” involving the late Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, paying homage to Ustad Akhtar Hussain Khan and Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan at the Takia Meerasian in Lahore
  
  Lahore in 1932/33 was a peaceful city marked by mutual brotherhood and simple living. Commonly referred as to the “City of Gardens”, Lahore was devoid of today’s hustle bustle, materialism and pollution filled atmosphere. The main transport system consisted of cycles and tongas whilst the sight of cars plying the city was extremely rare. The pursuits of wrestling and kite flying were amongst the favourite pastimes of the residents, whilst monuments like the Shalimar gardens and Jahangir’s tomb were popular places for picnics and relaxation. Music was considered an integral feature of the city’s cultural activities with countless baithaks, regular music concerts and recorded music of Zohra Bai Agrewali, Bhai Chaila, Maujuddin Khan and others being heard in the main shopping centres.
  
  In these days a grand function was held at the Takia Meerasian, Chamberlaine Road, outside Mocchi Gate Lahore in which Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan confirmed his ties with the Patiala gharana through a ceremony known as “shakkar”, in which he offered his allegiance to Ustad Akhtar Hussain Khan and Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan, the scions of the Patiala Gharana.
  
  It was perhaps the month of October and about 1pm that the music lovers of Lahore started gathering at the “Takia”, by the evening the crowd swelled to over a thousand. The “Takia” was profusely decorated with buntings, carpets and flowers. Large trays filled with sweets were at hand and we could smell the beautiful aroma of food being cooked. The people were excited and embraced each other with greetings and an atmosphere of cheerfulness pervaded all over. Those who were present on this occasion with me were music directors Khawaja Khurshid Anwar and Feroze Nizami, Syed Shabbir Hussain Shah, film actor Gul Zaman, vocalist Ustad Chotey Ghulam Ali Khan, and sarangi player Ustad Nazim Ali Khan.
  
  Ustad Akhtar Hussain Khan and Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan were both sitting at a specially created dais, which was decorated with flowers, carpets, white sheets, and bolsters. A sarangi, tanpura and tabla were placed close by. Ustad Akhtar Hussain Khan was wearing an achkan shining with gold embroidery, a white chooridar pajama, a black folding cap and a red scarf. Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan on the other hand was attired in a dark brown suit, which was designed as a polo outfit with bulging trousers and a short coat with four pockets. Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan was wearing a sprawling white turban, a loose white shirt with a beautiful scarf and a white dhoti.
  
  The ceremony started with the words “Bismillah Sharif” and tying of the “gandha” to Bade Ghulam Ali Khan by the two ustads. This was followed by the distribution of sweets amongst the two ustads and various disciples. Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan presented the two maestros with gifts and money known as the “nazarana”. Innumerable people then followed by presenting nazaranas to the two ustads. There was vociferous clapping and loud shouts of greetings all around. A little later the music concert started. Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan sang raag Marwa for about one hour and the audience was completely overwhelmed with his pure imagery of raag, vigorous tonal variations, inimitable flow of convoluted phraseology and unique rhythmic control. Ustad Akhtar Hussain Khan and Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan were also requested to perform but they politely declined.
  
  This unforgettable ceremony is still recalled by many people, in Punjabi musical parlance it is known as “shakkar” and shares similar traits to the traditional “gandha bandhan” ceremony. The gandha bandhan ceremony is core to the lifelong traditional teacher – student relationship necessary to learning the musical arts in the Indian sub-continent. The ceremony is conducted by the teacher tying a thread (gandha) around the student’s wrist and certifies that the student has become a formal disciple and ready to show commitment in learning music. The union is not just from a musical sense but involves a spiritual attachment between the teacher and student.
  
  The shakkar ceremony on the other hand, is only conducted when the disciple achieves a high level of musical proficiency. It is a celebration of the student’s achievement and enables the student to pay homage to his teachers and fellow members of the gharana in the form of gifts and monetary amounts.
  
  I consider it an honour and privilege to have been present on this historical occasion and at the request of Ustad Fateh Ali Khan of the Patiala gharana and son of Ustad Akhtar Hussain Khan have recorded details of the mentioned above ceremony in a video interview. Some years before his death, Ustad Munawar Ali Khan, the son of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan visited Lahore and complained to Mr. Hayat Ahmed Khan the Secretary General of the All Pakistan Music Conference Lahore that there was great confusion about the incident as a lot of people held the view that his father was only a disciple of Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan and not of Ustad Akhtar Hussain Khan. Consequently a meeting was arranged at the residence of Mr. Hayat Ahmed Khan in which I personally explained my eyewitness account of this historic ceremony. He was convinced and stated that he would set the record straight on his return to India. However in a recent comprehensive book written by Mrs Malti Gilani and Qurat-ul-ain Haider titled Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, His Life and Music, published by Harman House Delhi in 2003, no mention whatsoever has been made of this ceremony, which is deeply regretful. Read more »

• Ustad Aashiq Ali Khan

  Sep 12, 2009 by Administrator / 695 Views

  Saqib Razaq writes on Patiala gharana's Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan. The legendary vocalist who made a lasting impression on the khayal gayaki of the Indian sub-continent.
  
  There have only been a handful of musicians whose legacy has stood strong over the course of time and represented by the future generation of musicians. One such individual was the late Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan whose name is synonymous with the Patiala gharana. The contributions made by the maestro over the course of his career totally revolutionised Hindustani classical music and helped to establish the Patiala gharana as a major proponent of khayal gayaki.
  
  Born in Patiala during the last decade of the 19th century, Ashiq Ali Khan, was the son of Patiala gharana co-founder Ustad Fateh Ali Khan. Ustad Fateh Ali Khan along with Ustad Ali Bukhsh Khan formed the basis of the Patiala tradition of khayal singing. The duo, popularly known as Alliya- Fattu were awarded the respective titles of General and Colonel by Lord Elgan, Viceroy of India during the mid 19th century.
  
  Having lost his father during childhood, Ashiq Ali Khan could only learn the basic elements of classical music before being placed under the guidance of Ustad Ali Bukhsh Khan. This apprenticeship did not last long either, as the young Ashiq Ali Khan, deprived of the watchful eye of his father ran away from home. He spent an extensive period wandering from place to place before being persuaded by Sardar Bai, a senior disciple of his father, to stay with her.
  
  Sardar Bai adopted the young boy and imparted the musical knowledge she had gained from her mentor. Ashiq Ali Khan stayed with Sardar Bai for seven years before spending a considering period travelling in the regions of Punjab and Sindh. It was during his stay in Sukkur, he fell into bad company and developed a liking for opium, hashish and alcohol. His addiction to opium was so extreme, that it resulted in his vocal chords being severely damaged.
  
  Even during his teenage years, Ashiq Ali Khan was not seriously inclined towards music and would perform light music occasionally solely to feed his opium addiction. The real change to his musical career came when he overheard sarcastic comments from a number of musicians mocking him for singing ghazals and kafis despite being the son of the great Ustad Fateh Ali Khan. These comments acted as an impetus for Ashiq Ali Khan to pursue music on a serious note. He sought the guidance of his maternal uncle Ustad Amir Khan of Multan and the prolific Patiala gharana composer Ustad Alladiya Khan alias Meherban Khan, both senior disciples of Ustad Fateh Ali Khan. Both maestros provided him with rigorous training including a number of rare compositions of the Patiala gharana. The maestro is also said to have consulted Ustad Natthu Khan Patialawale and Imam Din Khan of Sialkot. Through a dedicated period of arduous practice lasting approximately five years, Ashiq Ali Khan began to perform classical music and created a storm amongst musicians and listeners alike, establishing himself amongst the top most vocalists of the Indian sub-continent.
  
  In describing Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan’s performance style, one has to look towards one word “mushkilaat” or complexity. He is widely regarded as the ultimate statement of “tayyari” and “layakari” by most of the vocalists of the Punjab region. Due to the deformity in his voice, Ashiq Ali Khan concentrated on the rhythmic elements of classical music. His style was extremely difficult, marked by the heavy usage of complicated taan patterns coupled with fast sargams. He introduced the concept of layakari within the khayal performance by employing tihaees into his performances, commonly starting from any point in the rhythm cycle and sharply ending on the sum. This performance style created a flurry in the regions of Punjab and Sindh and became the normal style of khayal presentation, so much so that even vocalists considered as Ashiq Ali Khan’s rivals adopted this difficult style. Apart from the khayal, the ustad was a master at singing the Multani Kafi, a genre he adopted due to his extensive stay in Sukkur, Multan and Bahawalpur. Although Ashiq Ali Khan had a vast repertoire of raags, he is considered to be a master at rendering Bhairav Bahar, Multani, Madhuwanti, Puriya Dhanasri and Darbari.
  
  Click to hear Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan perform Multani Kafi
  
  On Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan’s mastery over rhythm, Ustad Fateh Ali Khan of the Patiala gharana, recalled a mehfil he attended where the ustad performed Puriya Dhanasri accompanied by Ustad Inayati Khan on tabla. The khayal was set to the twelve beat rhythm cycle of drut Ek Taal. During the course of the performance, Ashiq Ali Khan unexpectedly arrived on the sum on the 12th beat, realising the shocked reaction of the audience, the ustad made the 12th beat the sum and kept on showering tihaees on the final beat of the rhythm cycle.
  
  Despite his addiction to opium and hashish, Ashiq Ali Khan led a life of simplicity. The maestro had a religious bent and strong inclination towards Sufism, spending five years during his youth at the shrine of Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan, Sindh. He was never interested in material gains and enjoyed travelling, never remaining in one place for any great length of time. The maestro had a sharp taste for clothes, often preferring to wear a suit and tie during performances. Although there were many offers for him to become a court musician, he preferred not to attach himself under the services of a Maharajah or Nawab. Apart from a brief period of employment under the services of the Maharajah of Patiala, Ashiq Ali Khan preferred to perform in informal mehfils and baithaks, rather than the plush settings of nobility.
  
  The maestro was a man of strong principles when it came to music and believed in retaining the integrity of the Patiala style. He would always respond to a challenge brought upon by rival vocalists and actively took part in musical dungals (form of competition between musicians). Senior citizens of Lahore can still recall his performances at the Takia Meerasian in Mochi Gate, Lahore and memorable dungals with the likes of Ustad Tawakkal Hussain Khan, Ustad Pyare Khan and Ustad Chotay Ghulam Ali Khan.
  
  Former advisor to the Classical Music Research Cell, Radio Pakistan, M.A. Sheikh had many opportunities to hear Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan and recalled a memorable mehfil taken place at the famous music director Khurshid Anwar’s residence featuring the maestro and his protégé Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. Ashiq Ali Khan started the afternoon performance with a thumri in raag Khamaj with Bade Ghulam Ali Khan providing vocal support. During the course of the performance Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan became emotionally overwhelmed and excused himself from the performance, explaining that the exquisite manner at which the maestro was rendering the thumri he was no longer able to perform with him. Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan followed the thumri with a splendid presentation of raag Multani.
  
  Another interesting anecdote concerning the maestro recalled by a number of senior Lahoris is the time when there were rumours circulating of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan contemplating on becoming the disciple of Ustad Abdul Waheed Khan, the celebrated vocalist of the Kirana gharana. On hearing this, Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan is said to have become very angry that a disciple of his gharana was contemplating on shifting loyalties. So much so that he went to Abdul Waheed Khan’s residence in Lahore and openly challenged him to a duel. Ustad Abdul Waheed Khan being a complete gentleman is said to have calmed the situation down.
  
  In an era when most classical musicians were against lending their voice on radio and the recording industry, Ashiq Ali Khan actively broadcasted on All India Radio and recorded for the major gramophone companies. His gramophone records are now considered collector’s items and his duets with Ustad Umeed Ali Khan featuring raags Lalit and Shyam Kalyan are regarded as historic pieces of recorded Hindustani classical music.
  
  Click to hear Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan and Ustad Umeed Ali Khan perform raag Lalit
  
  Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan was also a fine teacher and responsible for grooming some of the great names of Hindustani classical music who have become standard bearers of their respective fields. Amongst his numerous disciples, notable names are of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, tabla maestro Ustad Allah Rakha, Kabul’s Ustad Mohammad Hussain Sarhang, Mukhtar Begum, ghazal singer Farida Khanum, Zahida Parveen, Ustad Hussain Bukhsh Dhadhi and Chotey Ashiq Ali Khan. Apart from the above, vocalists of the calibre of Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, Ustad Salamat Ali Khan and Ustad Hussain Bukhsh Khan have openly acknowledged that they are strongly influenced by Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan.
  
  Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan passed away childless in Lahore on 10th of March 1948 and is buried at the Takia Meerasian in Lahore. However, there is some disagreement from certain sources claiming that the actual year of his death was 1958. Even though it has been over fifty years since his death, the name of Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan is still remembered with great fervour and regarded as the ultimate statement of khayal gayaki amongst the vocalists of the Patiala gharana.

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