E-Paper
Bismillah sons fail to match his magic
THE COLD response of the audience had prompted late Ustaad Bismillah Khan to remark, ?Humne itni der tak bajaya pata nahin aap logon ko achcha laga ya nahin (I played the shehnai but am unable to tell whether you liked it or not)?. That was at the Lucknow Mahotsava-2004. Two years later, his sons Naiyyar Hussain Khan Bismillah and Zamin Hussain Khan tried to fill in the void left behind by the maestro?s death. However, the performance appeared to be of a ship weathering the rough seas sans its captain.
THE COLD response of the audience had prompted late Ustaad Bismillah Khan to remark, “Humne itni der tak bajaya pata nahin aap logon ko achcha laga ya nahin (I played the shehnai but am unable to tell whether you liked it or not)”.
That was at the Lucknow Mahotsava-2004. Two years later, his sons Naiyyar Hussain Khan Bismillah and Zamin Hussain Khan tried to fill in the void left behind by the maestro’s death. However, the performance appeared to be of a ship weathering the rough seas sans its captain.
The sons did not forget to play Ustad’s favourite composition. They began with raag ‘Shyam Kalyan’ vilambit set in teen taal and then drut in teen taal.
The performance was a short one. Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav went up on stage and met the performers.
Thereafter, Kathak maestro Pt. Birju Maharaj took to the stage with his dance troupe. He presented ‘Kathak Yatra’, a dance ballet depicting the journey of Kathak. The ballet showcased the rise of Kathak from temples where this dance was performed to narrate stories. Later, it became a form of entertainment in the courts of Mughal rulers. But, today’s presentation lacked in theme and content.
