Bismillah Khan’s birth anniversary: At its peak in the hands of the Ustad, shehnai seeks lost glory

New Delhi: When Bismillah Khan played Raag Kafi at the Red Fort on August 15, 1947, it was a momentous breakthrough for the shehnai that was till then mainly confined to temples, wedding venues or religious congregations.

In the decades after, the humble reed instrument associated with all things auspicious in Indian tradition went from being an ‘accompaniment’ to the global centrestage. Khan was the virtuoso, the sultan of shehnai credited with giving it classical primacy and worldwide recognition.

Has that moment for the shehnai passed? Has the Bismillah Khan legacy dwindled? Has the shehnai lost its centrality? On Friday, the 109th birth anniversary of one of India’s most accomplished classical musicians, the questions echo loudly.

The Naubat Khana of Balaji Temple in Varanasi where Ustad Bismillah Khan used to practice the shehnai in his early days, in Varanasi, Sunday, March 16, 2025 . Ustad Bismillah Khan's birth anniversary is celebrated on March 21.

“Shehnai is still being played, not only in India but all over the world. But the kind of shehnai baba played has not been matched in style or popularity,” Khan’s grandson Afaq Haidar, who also plays the shehnai, told PTI at his Varanasi home.

With Khan, the presence of the oboe like instrument on stage became a norm not an exception. In his hands, it was at the centre in musical concerts in India and abroad or in a 'jugalbandi', a duet of equals, with instruments such as the sitar, tabla and violin. And while the tabla, for instance, maintains its ‘mainstream’ position on the music stage, the shehnai has arguably lost its spot.

The world has seen remarkable shehnai players during and after Khan’s time, including Anant Lal, Ali Ahmed Hussain Khan and Daya Shankar. But none perhaps that shine as bright as the inimitable Ustad, who died in August 2006 at the age of 90.

Khan would be accompanied by four of his five sons on the stage on shehnai and tabla. All but one of his five sons died the years following Khan’s death, following which his grandsons picked up the instrument in an attempt to bring back the glory.

Shehnai player Ustad Bismillah Khan's grandsons, his daughter and other family members, in Varanasi, Saturday, March 15, 2025. Ustad Bismillah Khan's birth anniversary is celebrated on March 21.

“He performed with such tall artistes. If one can deliver such a performance then other big artistes would still want to duet with you. But the level of perfection is not there anymore. Even though we are trying, we are no match to his genius. It is a very difficult instrument and requires a lot of dedicated practice,” Haidar said.

The 36-year-old has been performing at cultural programmes, weddings and some notable events, including at the reception of French president Emmanuel Macron in Varanasi in 2018.

But it is just not enough.

According to veteran artistes, lack of “riyaaz”, dedication to the craft, an environment of learning, and an ecosystem that appropriately compensates the artiste are collectively to be blamed for a decline in the shehnai’s popularity.

Khan is believed to have practiced as a young student of the shehnai for eight-10 hours every day at the Naubat Khana of Balaji temple in Varanasi. He followed the routine of practicing twice a day for two hours till his last days.

S Ballesh Bhajantri, one of Khan’s earliest disciples, said the rigour is missing.

“Artistes these days don’t practice as much. Ustad Bismillah Khan practiced a lot before he could make a name. It’s not easy. Others like Anant Lal, Daya Shankar, Jagannath Mishra, Ali Ahmed Hussain Khan, all of them got recognition because they used to practice. I looked up to them and followed in their footsteps to make a small name for myself,” Bhajantri told PTI.

The 2022 Padma Shri awardee has played the shehnai for 85,000 film songs in different languages and for celebrated music directors like Ilaiyaraja, A R Rahman, and Keeravani.

Some of the most recognised shehnai tunes in Hindi cinema have come from Bhajantri’s shehnai, including the iconic opening of “Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera” in “Swades” and the centrepiece in “The Dichotomy of Fame” in “Rockstar”.

According to Soma Ghosh, classical vocalist and Khan’s adopted daughter, the younger generation gets discouraged looking at the financial situation of other artistes who are not appropriately compensated for their performances.

“Classical artistes are not paid enough. These days celebrities are invited to the heritage stage and event managers focus on them. They take up a large chunk of the budget, leaving little for the shehnai, flute or singers. It’s not enough to run a household,” Ghosh said.

She recalled the instance when Khan, close to tears, revealed his unfortunate financial situation.

Khan, who performed in Parliament on August 7, 2003, reportedly asked the leaders to “take back his Bharat Ratna and give his family a petrol pump so it can live sustainably”.

However, not everything is painted in the black and white of despair. Mohammed Yunus, who used to make the shehnai for Khan, said there may have been a decline in demand for the instrument in the city but the number of orders have increased from the rest of the country.

Sitting next to a box of shehnais prepared to be mailed to Ballesh in Chennai, Yunus said he has been making the instrument, which can cost from Rs 1,000 to more than Rs 4,000 a piece, for a younger generation of artistes, including Yogesh Kumar, Madhukar Dhumal and Kalyan Apar.

To keep Khan’s legacy alive and encourage more youth to turn towards the art form, Krishna Ballesh suggested including Indian classical music in school curriculum.

“The current generation should first learn classical music and come to the shehnai with the same effort and dedication. I request the Indian government to make Indian classical music and rare musical instruments a part of the education system,” he said.

In an interview to PTI in 2003, Khan recalled the unforgettable day of India’s Independence when he played the shehnai.

"... Although Pandit Nehru did not say a single word, I could see the happiness on his face...he was listening to my shehnai and liking it."

Khan’s last and brief performance was at a Spic Macay programme in Jaipur on June 19, 2006, two months before he died of a heart attack.

The shehnai, he had told PTI, would live on.

"Shehnai mere saath nahi maregi, insha allah koi dusra Bismillah paida hoga...Bismillah se waise bhi sirf shuruvaat hoti hai (shehnai will not die with me. You will see many more Bismillah Khans in future. Bismillah anyways means 'the beginning').”

The words haunt.

The shehnai may never find one of his calibre, but the hope is the eager and talented artistes who aim to follow in on the hallowed footsteps.

The music hasn’t died, just become fainter perhaps.