Bismillah did not wish to perform at India Gate: Amjad Ali Khan

Varanasi, Nov 14 (UNI) The late Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan was a 'Sanyasi' (saint) of music, who could have never wished to perform at the India Gate, a war memorial built by the British, Sarod virtuso Ustad Amjad Ali Khan said here today.

Ustad Amjad Ali, who arrived in the city to perform at a concert, first went to the grave of Khan Sahib at Karballeh Fatimann, where he offered a floral 'chadar' and prayers for the departed music icon.

Later, interacting with newspersons, he termed Khan Sahib as the 'Sanyasi of music' and asked his sons and disciples to further his rich musical legacy by performing as 'Bismillah Khan's Party.' Asked about the Ustad's unfulfilled wish of performing at India Gate in New Delhi, the maestro said, "it is hard to imagine Khan Sahib wishing to perform at the India Gate. A musician, who has been honoured with the Bharat Ratna, can never wish to perform at a monument built by the British. He is above all monuments and gates." Ustad Amjad Ali Khan holds the distinction of being the only Sarod player to have performed 'jugalbandi' --in Delhi in 2002 and in Kolkata the next year-- with the Shehnai maestro.

However, the Kolkata concert on December 23, 2003 had ended on a discordant note, with the Khan Sahib walking out of the performance at the Science City Auditorium, stating he had played more than he was paid for by the organisers. Ustad Amjad Ali then completed the show with a solo performance, but only after the maestro had left. Subsequently, he had vowed to never again participate in a jugalbandi with Khan Sahib.

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