In the passing away of Ustad Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan, we have lost one of the most distinguished sitar maestros of our country. The tonal quality, the innovative technique and the sheer sweetness of his sitar became his own signature that came to be known by hisname as the Jafferkhani Baaj (style of playing sitar).
It would have not been easy for him to get such recognition in an era reigned by the sitar trinity of Ustad Vilayat Khan, Pandit Ravi Shankar and Pandit Nikhil Banerjee, but he did make his own mark with his vigorous riyaaz (practice) and profundity of thought. Decorated with Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan, the Tagore Ratna and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, he also received the Tantri-Vilas by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Born in Jawra (Madhya Pradesh) in 1929, he belonged to the Indore Beenkar tradition of Ustad Bande Ali Khan. Initiated into music and trained under his father Ustad Jaffer Khan, inspired by stalwarts like Ustad Rajab Ali Khan; he eventually developed his own style of sitar playing, the Jafferkhani Baaj. He created many new ragas like Shravati, Madhyami, Kalpana and Chakradhun. He authored a book “Jafferkhani Baaj: Innovation in Sitar Music” on sitar in general and his own style in particular,
His contribution to film music is also remarkable. His sitar adorned the music of films like “Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje”, “Yaadein” “Mughal-e-Azam”, “Sampoorna Ramayan”, “Do Aankhen Barah Haath”, “Anarkali”, “Baradari” and “Shabab”, to name just a few. His sitar with Ustad Bismillah Khan’s shehnai in “Goonj Uthi Shehnai” and his Hameer Gat with the ‘thonk jhaala’ in “Kohinoor” are unforgettable.
He did not preface his ragas with a long ‘alap-jod-jhala’ because he did not believe in repeating himself. Since the raga vistar is done (again) while playing the vilambit gat (composition), he thought the alap-jod was redundant and the jhala is played any way in the end. He also believed that the alap was meant for Dhrupad and not for sitar. He would contemplate on the melody of the raga while playing the vilambit gat and revealed in rhythmic play during the ‘drut’ or the faster composition. This was the reason why he could satisfy both, the discerning listeners and those who came to enjoy music.
I remember him explaining the nuances of classical music used for film music in a series “Chitrapat Sangeet Mein Shastriya Sangeet’ produced by Chhaya Ganguli for ‘Sangeet Sarita’ programme and broadcast on Vividh Bharati channel of the All India Radio. I can never forget the way he explained and showed the difference between the Komal Gandhar of Kirwani, Kafi and Bhimpalasi. One cherished the memory of each and every episode of this series. The well known film songs like “Zindagi Pyaar Ki Do Char Ghadi Hoti Hai” was based on the most basic raga Bilawal, but the wonder of the second line “Chahe Jaisi Bhi Ho…”, he explained demonstrating on his sitar; was just its repetition shifting the tonic or ‘Sa’ to ‘Madhyam’ of the same scale. It was amazing to see such wonders that resulted of simply his genius! Likewise he had explained raga Hameer in detail before playing the Drut Gat of this raga immortalised in the song “Madhuban Mein Radhika Nache Re…”, from “Kohinoor”.
He was a walking encyclopedia of music. One always learnt something sitting next to him. Once requested to deliberate upon the nuances of his ‘Jafferkhani Baaj’, he responded with a hearty laugh before stating “There is nothing extraordinary in it. I have just collected the beautiful nuances scattered here and there and formulated them into this style. Take for instance the Been Ang, the echo effect, murki, zamzama, ghaseet, kan, chhapka, uchhat ladi, lahek and ladant and use them imaginatively. The basic Masitkhani Gat has got a new look in Jafferkhani Baaj because I have divided one beat into three or four, using meend, khatka, murki and the delicate gamaks. Normally, the Masitkhani Gat starts from the 12th beat of the 16-beat cycle Teen taal; while I started from 13 and 1/2 or 14 beats of the same taal. I put different shades of colours to the two halves of the gat composition comprising “Dir Da Dir Da Ra Da Da Ra’. The mizrab also plays a dramatic role.”
Ustad Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan started his professional career with the All India Radio (AIR) in 1940s. He was perhaps the pioneer among Indian classical musicians, collaborating with Western musicians when he partnered with Jazz pianist/composer Dave Brubeck way back in 1958, and later with English classical guitarist Julian Bream in 1963. His early experimentation with polyphony in Indian classical instrumental (usually performed as solo) was achieved in his sitar quintet.
He also became the first Hindustani classical musician who collaborated with Carnatic music, playing along the legendary Veena exponent Vainik Emani Sankara Sastry. He brought Carnatic ragas like Kirwani, Kanakangi, Lataangi, Karaharapriya, etc into Hindustani sitar music with the specific touch of the Jafferkhani style.
A staunch believer in the guru shishya parampara (tradition), he mocked the institutional way of teaching Indian music. To prove his point he established in Mumbai the ‘Halim Academy of Sitar’ in 1976, to impart training to young aspirants of sitar in the guru shishya tradition of ‘Seena-B-Seena Talim or one to one training. Hope his gifted son and brilliant disciples Zunain Khan, Prasad Joglekar and Gargi Shinde would preserve and propagate the rich heritage the venerated Ustad has left behind.
