SPOTLIGHT
A MAESTRO’S SITAR AND SONG
Ustad Shujaat Khan will be performing live on Saturday, September 21, at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto.
By MOHAMED KHAKI
Raag Bhairavi is traditionally the last raag that is performed at a concert of Indian classical music. As the final artiste at the all-night Dover Lane Music Conference (DLMC) in 2022, Ustad Shujaat Hussain Khan also played a short bandish (musical composition) in raag Bhairavi.
However, such is Ustadji’s popularity that, even after staying up all night, the audience insisted on an encore, which he graciously acceded to doing, playing a charming dadra, a jaunty, six-beat melody. I believe, this is the first time in my life that I have heard someone issue a sharp, appreciative whistle at a concert of classical music!
At DLMC, Shujaatji started with the pathos-laden morning raag Bilaskhani Todi. I could have easily called it the “mourning” raag, since the story, perhaps apocryphal, is that a grief-struck Ustad Bilas Khan composed this raag at the passing of his father, the legendary Ustad Miyan Tansen. The concert is available on the YouTube page, The Dover Lane Music Conference.
Speaking of fathers and sons, Shujaat ji represents the seventh generation of the Imdadkhani gharana; his father was the late sitar Maestro Ustad Vilayat Khan. The gharana is famous for the introduction of gayaki ang to sitar performances, a style that involves the use of meends – glides from across several notes, as would be done during a vocal performance. I have been told by several instrumental musicians (including tabla players) that their initiation into music was through singing, as it was considered to form the basis of raag sangeet.
At his performances, Vilayat Khan saheb would sometimes stop playing the sitar and sing lines from the bandish that was being played, much to the delight of the audience. Over the years, Shujaatji has increasingly included singing during performances, generally doing it the latter part of his concert, after he has performed the (usually) full hour-long bada khayal sans chanson.
His 1999 album Lajo Lajo was the first of many recordings featuring folk songs and raag bandishes that are adored by his fans to this day. His Tumhare Shehar Ka Mausam, performed at IIT Guwahati in 2017 has garnered 1.8 million likes on You-Tube, as opposed to 10 thousand for his DLMC concert. Aficionados have grudgingly conceded that he has built a newer audience for raag sangeet, drawn to his singing more that for his skill on the sitar. And his mastery on the sitar is unassailable, reflecting years of taalim he had from his guru.
Shujaat ji also has the uncanny ability to relate to his audience, as can be seen from his YouTube videos. “Shujaatbhai has been a favourite of our supporters, and has performed at more than a dozen times during our 43-year history”, says Raag-Mala President Nishant Parekh. “His upcoming concert, in partnership with Aga Khan Museum, on September 21 at the Nanji Family Foundation Auditorium sold out a week after tickets went on sale.”
A limited number of rush seats will be on sale an hour before the performance. You can also ask to be put on Raag-Mala’s waiting list in case of cancellations by sending an email to raagmalatoronto@gmail. com
• Mohamed Khaki is a member of the Raag-Mala team.
When & Where: Ustad Shujaat Khan will be performing live on Saturday, September 21, at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto. More at www.raagmala.ca.