distinctly remember being woken up between 3 and 4 a.m. The news jolted me. Ustad Allarakha was no more. I got more calls. Abbaji had had a heart attack after hearing that his daughter Razia had died following an eye operation. I contacted my newspaper, and filed a basic piece for the early morning edition. I rushed to Simla House at Napean Sea Road. His sons Fazal and Tauseef were there. The eldest son, Zakir Hussain, was to arrive soon. Zakir was the picture of grace and composure; he spoke little, except with immediate family and close musicians, but his eyes said a world: “Abbaji, I and everyone else shall carry forward your legacy.” Later that day, two bodies were taken on their final journey. Pandit Ravi Shankar flew down from Delhi. He and Abbaji formed a priceless team. It was February 3, 2000. An era was over.
It’s been 16 years since. The life and music of Ustad Allarakha have been celebrated and cherished. Music lovers apply for leave in advance, and many battle early morning tummy discomfort to reach the Shanmukhananda Hall on time. It’s been an annual pilgrimage, year after year. Zakir has been at the helm, and he shall be so again today. The format hasn’t changed. This year too, it shall start with Taal Pranam from 6.30 am. By the time the city reads this, a tabla and percussion ensemble would have performed, followed by a spiritual sitar tribute by Shujaat Khan, son of the legendary Ustad Vilayat Khan. The vocalist Arati Ankalikar-Tikekar will render Hindustani classical vocals, before Namdhari Balwant Singh charms everyone with Punjabi dhrupad singing.
The second session at 11.30 am, Taal Tapasya, will delve deep into the art of rhythm-play, with Aneesh Pradhan on tabla, Namdhari Sukhwinder Singh in a Punjabi style called jodi , and Mannargudi Vasudevan on the Carnatic percussion instrument, the thavil.
Finally, the Celebrate Abbaji session in the evening: drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, who will be joined by the famed Tunisian oud exponent Dhafer Youssef, followed by a jam session which will get an assortment of great musicians together. Vinnie Colaiuta, did we say? Well, he’s played with legendary musicians Frank Zappa, Sting, Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea. Isn’t that enough?
Now, take a look at percussionists who have graced the occasion over the past 16 years. Billy Cobham of the Mahavishnu Orchestra; Simon Phillips who was primarily with Toto, but has also played for The Who, Jeff Beck and Judas Priest; Terry Bozzio, also with Zappa; Pete Lockett, who just about plays every percussion instrument versatile drummer Eric Harland; Conga king Giovanni Hidalgo; talking drum chief Sikiru Adepoju; and Japanese taiko genius Leonard Eto. Drum chums!
There have been Indian tabla players too. Fazal Qureshi, Yogesh Samsi, Anuradha Pal, Aditya Kalyanpur; many more representing the Punjab gharana popularised by Allarakha- saab . And Indian drummers and percussionists Vikku Vinayakram, Trilok Gurtu, Ranjit Barot, Sivamani, Selvaganesh, Gino Banks. You name them, they’ve been there.
Besides drummers, the annual February event has featured instrumentalists like guitarist John McLaughlin with Remember Shakti, outstanding saxophonists Charles Lloyd and George Brooks, banjo boss Béla Fleck, and bassists Edgar Meyer and Bill Laswell. There has been a long-line-up of Indian musicians too. Sitar player Kartik Kumar, a senior disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar. His genius son, Niladri Kumar. The lord of mandolin, the late U Srinivas. Vocalist Ashiwini Bhide Deshpande. It’s an endless list, and a perfect homage to the eminent gentleman.
I don’t remember when I first met Ustad Allarakha Qureshi. All I know was that I met Zakir earlier in 1997, at a press conference with jazz genius Joe Zawinul. Later that evening, during the intermission of the Rang Bhavan concert, I needed the song-list. I was so excited that I trampled over all the wires and equipment on stage, almost ensuring that post-interval session would never happen. Zakir called me aside and led me through the safer route to meet Joe. That’s the entire Qureshi family: polite, charming, genuine and wonderful. Talent is something the world has seen, heard and admired. Abbaji, his wife Bavi Begum, Zakir and Antonia, Fazal and Birwa, Taufiq and Geeta, daughters Khurshid and the late Razia, the next generation: I had met most of them before I met the legend himself.
It was on the balcony of A-103 Simla House, their residence. It was windy, and Ustad Allarakha matched his fingers to the sound of the breeze. His eyes made contact with my questions, replying with a flurry of rhythmic answers. His feet tapped while he talked, as he needed some beat there. His smile reminded me of the applause received after a great solo. I was seeing him in a live tabla performance, without the instrument.
I met him once again in person. The same mannerisms, the same expressions, the same layakari and tehzeeb . The last I saw him was in April or May 1999. Around his 80th birthday, Shanmukhananda Hall (the venue of today’s concert), was to reopen after a long gap; Trilok Gurtu was to play. The musical legends were there to wish Abbaji and he was asked to say a few words. He replied: “I know only one language. That of tabla.”
For 15 minutes, Allarakha recited bols of theka, peshkar, kaayda, rela… Musicians and music lovers counted the beats. No one knew that was the last birthday he would celebrate physically. But everyone celebrates his life year after year.
This is a free concert. Tickets for ‘Homage To Abbaji’ are available an hour before each session. Call the venue for more details. Shanmukhananda Hall: 24078888
The author is a freelance music writer
The life and music of Ustad Allarakha has been celebrated
and cherished
over the years
