India shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan dies at 91

[Guest guest]

India shehnai maestro dies at 91

BBC, Monday, 21 August 2006

 

Legendary musician Ustad Bismillah Khan, India's best known shehnai

player, has died aged 91.

 

He suffered a heart attack in hospital in his home city of Varanasi

early on Monday, his private secretary said.

 

Khan is credited with popularising shehnai, a wind instrument which

can be loosely compared to an oboe, and elevating its status in

India.

 

India's government has declared a day of national mourning. A state

funeral is to be held later on Monday.

 

Jewel of India

 

Bismillah Khan was admitted to hospital last week after he

complained of weakness.

 

A practising Muslim, he made the Hindu holy town of Varanasi (also

known as Benares) his home and could often be seen playing by the

banks of the holy river Ganges, offering prayers to the Hindu

goddess of learning, Saraswati.

 

Khan often played shehnai in the local temples too.

 

He was seen as a symbol of India's religious pluralism and harmony

for people of different faiths, and was awarded the country's

highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna (Jewel of India), in 2001.

 

A high point in his career was when he played shehnai at Delhi's Red

Fort on the eve of India's Independence in 1947.

 

Born on 21 March, 1916, into a family of court musicians, Khan

started training at the young age of six and was soon regarded as a

master in his own right.

 

He was known for living a simple and austere life at his home in a

narrow alleyway of Varanasi and cycle-rickshaw was his favourite

mode of transport.

 

His body is being kept in a park in Varanasi to enable people to pay

their last respects before his funeral.

 

India shehnai maestro dies at 91

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5269994.stm

[Guest guest]

Dear Jagbir,

 

Thank you for letting us know. Ustad Bismillah Khan will be very missed. It is

not everyday that we are blessed by the life of such a dedicated and humble

musician, who has given great joy to many many people around the world.

 

violet

 

 

, " jagbir

singh " <adishakti_org wrote:

>

> India shehnai maestro dies at 91

> BBC, Monday, 21 August 2006

>

> Legendary musician Ustad Bismillah Khan, India's best known shehnai

> player, has died aged 91.

>

> He suffered a heart attack in hospital in his home city of Varanasi

> early on Monday, his private secretary said.

>

> Khan is credited with popularising shehnai, a wind instrument which

> can be loosely compared to an oboe, and elevating its status in

> India.

>

> India's government has declared a day of national mourning. A state

> funeral is to be held later on Monday.

>

> Jewel of India

>

> Bismillah Khan was admitted to hospital last week after he

> complained of weakness.

>

> A practising Muslim, he made the Hindu holy town of Varanasi (also

> known as Benares) his home and could often be seen playing by the

> banks of the holy river Ganges, offering prayers to the Hindu

> goddess of learning, Saraswati.

>

> Khan often played shehnai in the local temples too.

>

> He was seen as a symbol of India's religious pluralism and harmony

> for people of different faiths, and was awarded the country's

> highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna (Jewel of India), in

2001.

>

> A high point in his career was when he played shehnai at Delhi's

Red

> Fort on the eve of India's Independence in 1947.

>

> Born on 21 March, 1916, into a family of court musicians, Khan

> started training at the young age of six and was soon regarded as a

> master in his own right.

>

> He was known for living a simple and austere life at his home in a

> narrow alleyway of Varanasi and cycle-rickshaw was his favourite

> mode of transport.

>

> His body is being kept in a park in Varanasi to enable people to

pay

> their last respects before his funeral.

>

> India shehnai maestro dies at 91

> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5269994.stm

>