Tributes paid to shehnai icon

Citizens lit candles and diyas (earthen lamps) at several places on Tuesday evening, including Balaji Temple, in memory of shehani maestro and Bharat Ratna Bismlliah Khan. He used to practice shehnai here. A cultural organization Kendriya Dev Dipawli Samiti, organised a condolence meeting at the historical Naubatkhana of Balaji Temple where the volunteers offered floral tributes on the portrait of Khan Saheb and lit hundreds of diyas.

Citizens lit candles and diyas (earthen lamps) at several places on Tuesday evening, including Balaji Temple, in memory of shehani maestro and Bharat Ratna Bismlliah Khan. He used to practice shehnai here.

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A cultural organization Kendriya Dev Dipawli Samiti, organised a condolence meeting at the historical Naubatkhana of Balaji Temple where the volunteers offered floral tributes on the portrait of Khan Saheb and lit hundreds of diyas.

The volunteers prayed for the peace of the departed soul. The speakers were of the view that since late Khan Saheb had practiced shehnai at the Naubatkhana in Balaji Temple for more than 20 years, this place should be developed as Bismillah Khan Memorial and his photographs and instrument should be preserved.
Prominent among those who participated in the condolence meeting included Pt Narayan Guru, Prabhat Sharma, Vagish Dut Mishra, Narendra Kumar Pandey, Sita Devi, etc.

Similarly, residents paid floral tributes on the portrait of shehnai maestro and lit 1008 candles at an akhara situated in Beniabagh ground yesterday evening.

They also recited Gayatri Mantras and Darud Sharif. It may be mentioned that Khan Saheb used to visit the akhara and practiced wrestling when he was young.