USTAD GHULAM MUSTAFA KHAN

“There was a time when musicians travelled from Court to royal court to present their art and accept honours. They travelled on foot, bullock-carts, or in a caravan of horse-driven carriages. Setting out at dawn, the first pink and golden rays of the sun would inspire an outburst of raag Lalit. When raindrops pitter-pattered on the cobbled stone path or on the roof of the carriage, the tabla player would playfully counter nature’s rhythm on his drum. Dark, rolling clouds, a clap of thunder, a streak of lightning, dew on the rose, the full moon and the fleet-footed deer inspired immortal poems. Music overflowed and cascaded from the heart of the musician. Artists, lived close to Nature’s magic, reflected the joys and sorrows of our pulsating society, and were moved by political upheavals and war. Today we have traffic jams, pollution and crowded airport lounges for inspiration.”

Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan Saheb, the eminent vocalist of the Rampur Sahaswan Gwalior Gharana has ove fifty years experience in the world of music. Born on March 3, 1931 at Badayun in Uttar Pradesh, the Ustad today represents the illustrious Senia tradition dating back to Tansen. The most revered names of North Indian music glitter like jewels in this family tree.  Ghulam Mustafa Khan is the grandson of Inayat Hussain Khan who was the great grandson of Qutubuddin Khan Sahib the eminent musician of the Oudh court during the reign of Wajid Ali Shah.

Ghulam Mustafa Khan’s father Ustad Waris Hussain Khan initiated him into music and barely five years later, at the age of eight, he gave his first performance in public.

 Ustad Fida Hussain Khan and his son the maestro Nissar Hussain Khan later groomed his prodigious talent into a versatile singer with rigorous discipline and intricate technique. At the young age of 27, Ghulam Mustafa Khan had won recognition and appreciation for his melodious voice that could span four octaves with ease. His performances of classical and light music were numerous.

“ Today, traditional families devoted to music are dwindling”, continues the maestro in his mellifluous voice, his choice of words almost lyrical in quality.”

 Royalty patronised us so that we could devote ourselves to art without a care. But even in the worst of times, a true artist would not give up this spirit. Rakh  ko paani me gul kar pigaye, aur gaana karta rahen. ( the singer would dissolve ash in water to assuage his hunger, but he will not give up singing). Immortal lines of poetry were sometimes born in penury. Great traditions were nourished. A child born into such a family did not need formal education. Music has in itself components like science, mathematics, literature and history. One can derive spiritual guidance from studying music. These were more relevant to the development of one’s personality.”

But Khan Saheb himself was driven by his passion for music to study Ancient Indian Music derived from texts like Bharata’s Natya Sastra, and Matanga Rishi’s Brihat Deshi. The credit of reconstructing Jati gayan from Sharang Dev’s Sangeeta Ratnakara for the first time in 700 years also goes to him . He has recorded these compositions for the national archives.

Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan is a compleat musician. He has not let any aspect of music untouched. He has won awards for music compositions in short and feature films.  He ventured into playback singing for films like Bhuvan Shome, Noor Jahan and Umrao Jaan. He was chosen to act as “Baiju Bawra” and sing in a film shot by a German film company.

His songs in Telegu, Bengali and Marathi were equally famous. One of the earliest musicians to travel abroad, Ghulam Mustafa has since been invited and honoured abroad since 1964.    In 1986 he was conferred Honorary Citizenship in Baltimore and Maryland. Hailed as Juniour Tansen in 1969, he was awarded the President’s Award Padma Shree in 1991. Khansaheb takes great pride in the fact that he has broadcast form All India Radio since 1949 and on Doordarshan since its introduction.     He was given the unique honour of participating in the Twenty-four Hour raga Festival at Paris in 1986.  His numerous CDs and recordings are a reflection of his impeccable lineage.  A felicitation to celebrate fifty years of Khansaheb’s performing career was held in March 1999. The Golden Links Festival brought together many traditional musicians whose families have been linked to his for atleast three generations. His beautiful rendering of Bhajans has an unusual fan in the respected Jeer, Head of the orthodox Ahobila Mutt.  Khansaheb can often be heard singing bhajans of Surdas and Meerabai at the dolotsavam  of the Krishna idol conducted by him in various parts of Mumbai.

Asked to recount an unforgettable event in his life, Khansaheb goes back to 1958 when he first arrived in Bombay. He was invited to sing in the house of one Babubhai Banker, a patron of music.

The audience comprised of heavyweights like Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Ustad Amir Khan  Prof. Deodhar and others.The senior tabla maestro Taranathji accompanied  him. He remembers being so inspired by the gathering that for three hours he sang  Behag, Jogkauns, and a thumri in Pilu. His career took off from there as his reputation soared.

A debonair and distinguished persona with the old- fashioned charm and mannerisms of  traditional etiquette, the guru does not believe in aggressive commercialisation of  one’s art. A living legend, he practices the precepts he passes on to his students. Some of his students have brought fame and honour to the Guru. Internationally known singers like Asha Bhosle, Manna Dey, late Geeta Dutt, Kamal Barot, and Hariharan have trained for classical music under Khansaheb. Sonu Nigam, the current heartthrob of Indo Pop and host of the television show “Sa Re Ga Ma”, is honing his talents under the Master.

“He is a teacher with a difference,” says Hariharan, with reverence. “Guruji’s training and voice culture is beyond compare.”    “Papa is father to all his students, not only to us,” say Ghulam Murtuza and Ghulam Qadir , his sons, who are now full-fledged artists in their own right.  “Guruji can make the most difficult phrase sound easy. His anecdotes, parables and pithy shairis keep us rivetted whenever he converses, say Ranjan and his sister Rupa, both beginners and still very much in awe of their legendary teacher.

An artist’s life has an undercurrent of spirituality says Khansaheb. It is important to keep close to one’s roots, culture, religion and Mother Nature to keep our mind and heart young and recharged.

Khansaheb’s spacious apartment is in Bandra, a locality made famous by the film 2personalities and musicians in this neighborhood. The front room is richly carpeted and ta2npura, tabla and other instruments are strewn around. The walls are choc-a-bloc with awards, citations received and photographs of   unforgettable events.    Asked to describe a typical day in his life, Khansaheb is puzzled.    A moment later, his face relaxes , eyes glint with amusement and  his face gleams with a gentle smile.   In the morning it is prayers and riyaz. My sons may come to clear doubts or to learn. Then lunch. Then more music. More prayers. In the evening the students begin to come in for classes. There is music till late in the night, he concludes, laughing.

Note: This candid interview was first published in 'Jetwings' the airline magazine of Jet Airways.