Bismillah's `begum' gets new home

Of all the compositions of shehnai nawaz Ustad Bismillah Khan, the `Noha' was the closest to his heart. `Kaise pardes mein...“ the Noha notation composed by Khan specially for performances during the mourning of Muharram in Varanasi is a heart-wrenching tribute to Imam Hussain's sacrifice for Islam during the Battle of Karbala. The battle's anniversary is observed as Muharram.
On Sunday , the Noha, a genre of Arabic, Persian or Urdu prose underlining the martyrdom of the holy imams, was played as a tribute to the late maestro by the Indian Music Experience (IME).The trust has officially acquired Khan's shehnai, which he famously called his begum (wife), and his trademark topi (cap). A manuscript of the Noha will reach the IME soon.
Ustad Ziman Hussain Bismillah Khan, the shehnai legend's son, and his son-in-law Ustad Ali Abbas, were overpowered with emotion as the audio visual of the Noha be gan. Singing along as tears streamed down his face, Abbas said: “...This is Khan Saheb's greatest composition.“
Representatives of the trust, glad to display the shehnai at their proposed Centre for IME in JP Nagar, South Bangalore, were overwhelmed with the participation of renowned artistes in the event. But none could take away the spotlight from Ziman and Abbas. When it was their turn to speak, they decided to render the Noha instead. “I wish I am called here more often, but for now, let's sing the Noha,“ Ziman said, as Ali joined him.
A RICH LEGACY
On what his father has left behind, Ziman said: “We've been taught to pray for sur (melody), not money . It's a lesson worth many riches.“ Kaneez Fatima, Khan's daughter who lives in Bangalore, also had her share of emotional moments during the event.
IME director (outreach) Suma Sudhindra said: “We've contacted the families of all five Bharat Ratna recipients from the cultural field -Ravi Shankar, Bhimsen Joshi, M S Subbulakshmi, Lata Mangeshkar and Bismillah Khan.“ IME hopes to add Ravi Shankar's sitar, MSS' blue sari and other belongings of the artistes to its list of precious memorabilia.
There's no one like him
After presenting the shehnai to IME, Ziman told TOI, “When you speak of the shehnai, there is only one Ustad. There never was anybody like him and there will never be. He said the family was more than happy to donate the instrument. “That's where he belongs, with the people.And what IME is doing is great,“ Ziman said.