Jharkhand Board Class 9TH English Notes | THE SOUND OF MUSIC-II (BISMILLAH KHAN)
JAC Board Solution For Class 9TH English Prose Chapter 3
1. The emperor Aurangzeb banned the playing of a musical
instrument called pungi in the royal residence for it had a shrill
unpleasant sound. Pungi became the generic name for reeded
noisemakers. Few had thought that it would one day be revived. A
barber of a family of professional musicians, who had access to the
royal palace, decided to improve the tonal quality of the pungi.
He chose a pipe with a natural hollow stem that was longer and
roader than the pungi, and made seven holes on the body of the
pipe. When he played on it, closing and opening some of these
boles, soft and melodious sounds were produced.
Q. (a) Who banned the playing of pungi and why?
(b) How did a barber bring changes in it?
(c) How was 'Pungi' looked at in the beginning?
(d) How did he create a sweet music by playing on the
'pungi'?
(e) Find a word from the passage which means 'sweet'.
Ans.(a) The Emperor Aurangzeb banned the playing of pungi
because it had a shrill and an unpleasant sound.
(b) The barber chose a pipe, made holes and played upon it.
It produced melodious sounds.
(c) It was looked at as a 'noisemaker' in the beginning.
(d) He created it by closing and opening some of the seven
holes on the body of the reed.
(e) Melodious.
2. The sound of the shehnai began to be considered auspicious.
And for this reason it is still played in temples and is an
indispensable component of any North Indian wedding. In the
past, shehnai was part of the naubat or traditional ensembles of
nine instruments found at royal courts. Till recently it was used
only in temples and wedding. The credit for bringing this
instrument on to the classical stage goes to Ustad Bismillah Khan.
Q. (a) Why is shehnai played on auspicious occasions?
(b) Where was shehnai used in the past?
(c) How did Ustad Bismillah Khan make shehnai a
classical musical instrument?
(d) What was naubat?
(e) Find words from the passage which mean the same as
(i) lucky,
(ii) inseparable.
Ans.(a) Shehnai is played on auspicious occasions because its
sound is considered to be auspicious.
(b) In the past, shehnai was used along with other
instruments at the royal courts.
(c) Ustad Bismillah Khan played ragas on shehnai and thus
made it a classical musical instrument.
(d) Naubat was the traditional group of nine musical
instruments which were played at Royal courts.
(e) (i) lucky - auspicious,
(ii) inseparable - indispensable.
3. At the age of 14. Bismillah accompanied his uncle to the
Allahabad Music conference. At the end of his rercital, Ustad Faiyaz
patted the young boy's back and said, "Work hard and you shall
make it." With the opening of the All India Radio in Lucknow in
1938 came Bismillah's big break. he soon became an often-heard
Shehnai player on radio.
Q. (a) Where did Ustad Bismillah Khan accompany with his
uncle? How old was he?
(b) Who trained Ustad Bismillah Khan playing Shehnai?
(c) How did Ustad Faiyaz Khan react to Ustad Bismillah
Khan's recital?
(d) When did Ustad Bismillah Khan's 'big break' come?
What was it?
(e) Give the meaning of (i) recital, (ii) opening.
Ans. (a) Ustad Bismillah Khan accompanied his uncle to
Allahabad Music conference. He was 14 years old then.
(b) His maternal uncles, especially Ali Bux trained Ustad
Bismillah Khan playing Shehnai.
(c) Ustad Faiyaz Khan appreciated his recital and patted
his back.
He said, "Work hard and you shallmake it."
(d) His 'big break' came in 1938 when All India Radio ws
started in Lucknow. The big break was that he got the
chance to play shehnai on Radio.
(e) (i) recital- playing music on Shehnai.
(ii) opening - beginning.
4. Award and recognition came thick and fast. Bismillah Khan
became the first Indian to be invited to perform at the prestigious
Lincoln Centre Hall in the U.S.A. He also took part in the World
exposition in Montreal in the Cannes Art Festival and in the Osaka
Trade Fair. So well known did he become internationally that an
auditorium in Tehran was named after him-Tahar Mosiquee Ustaad
Bismillah Khan.
Q. (a) Which first Indian performed his fents in the U.S.A.?
(b) Name two other occasions where Khan saab took part
in ?
(c) How did Tehran recognise his talent?
(d) How did India recognise his potential?
(e) Find a word from the passage which means 'Fame'.
Ans. (a) He was Bismillah Khan who performed Shehnai in the
U.S.A.
(b) It was the World Exposition in Montreal in the Cannes
Art Festival and in the Osaka Trade Fair.
(c) The country of Tehran named an auditorium after him
"Tahar Mosiquee Ustaad Bismillah Khan.
(d) India honoured him with the highest India's Civilian
Award named 'The Bharat Ratna'.
(e) Recognition
5. In spite of having travelled all over the world-Khansaab as
he is fondly called-is exceedingly fond of Banaras and Dumraon
and they remain for him the most wonderful towns of the world. A
student as his once wanted him to head a shehnai school in the
U.S.A., and the student promised to recreate the atmosphere of
Banaras by replicating the temples there. But Khansaab asked him
if he would be able to transport river Ganga as well. Later he is
remembered to have said. That is why whenever I am in a foreign
country, I keep yearning to see Hindustan. While in Mumbai. I
think of only Banaras and the holy Ganga. And while in Banaras I
miss the unique 'mattha' in Dumraon'.
Q. (a) How does Bismillah Khan look at Banaras and
Dumraon ?
(b) What offer did Bismillah Khan's student make before
him to start a school in the U.S.A.
(c) How does Bismillah Khan feel when he is in a foreign
country?
(d) What happens to him when he is in Mumbai?
(e) Find a word from the passage which means
'reproducing'.
Ans.(a) He looks at them as the most wonderful towns of the
world.
(b) He offered to recreate the atmosphere of Banaras by
reproducing the temples there.
(c) He yearns to see Hindustan when he is in a foreign
country.
(d) He thinks of only Varanasi and the holy Ganga.
(e) replicating.
Long Answer Type Quesions
■ Answer these questions in about 80-100 words each :–
Q. 1. Why is Banaras so important to Bismillah Khan?
Ans. Bismillah Khan has spent most part of his life in Banaras.
He came to Banaras at the age of six. His maternal uncle Ali Bux
introduced him of playing the shehnai. He spent hours for practise
in the temples of Balaji and Mangla Maiya and at the bank of
Ganga. They became a kind of haunt for Bismillah Khan. He feels
spiritually attached with Banaras. The river Ganga has left deep
impression on his mind. He belongs to the Banaras Gharana. It is
here that his music took shape. So it is natural that Banaras is the
most important city for him and he did not severe his link with
Banaras by immigrating from Banaras.
Q. 2. Why did he not venture into films?
Ans. Bismillah Khan has no love for money. He does not like
the artificiality of the film world. Although he got a success in the
films. Two of his films were the Big hits. He loves to lead a simple
life. He does not like the glamour. Inspite of his success he never
thought of migrating to Mumbai. As he says, "Whenever I am in
Mumbai, I only think of Varanasi and the holy Ganga". He wants
to remain a shehnai player and Varanasi is the wonderful town for
him to live in. The artificiality and glamour are the basic ingredients
in the film, he felt disillusioned. But he could not compromise
with these thing. So he did not venture into films.
Q. 3. Describe the life and character of Ustad Bismillah
Khan.
Or, What kind of a person is Bismillah Khan?
Ans. Ustad Bismillah Khan is a music maestro. Born in 1916,
in a family of renowned Shehnai players he started his life as a
common child. He then went to Benaras and learnt Shehnai from
his uncles. The Benaras Gharana is proud of him. He made a non
classical instrument like Shehnai a famous classical instrument.
He invented Raagas on Shehnai. He participated in various national
and international music conferences. He greeted the nation on
Independence Day. He loves his country and villages very much.
He is not selfish, greedy or fame seeker. He refuses to leave his
country. He cannot live without the Ganga.
Q.4. Describe the awards and recognition Bismillah Khan
received. How did Government honour him?
Ans. The first recognition came at the age of 14 on the stage of
Allahabad Music Conference in 1930. Ustad Faiyaz Khan patted
his back and appreciated his recital. In 1938, he played Shehnai
on the All India Radio from Lucknow. From there he became a
known shehnai player. He performed on the first Independence
Day of India at Red Fort before Mahatma Gandhi and Pt. Nehru.
He represented India in Lincoln Center Hall (USA), the World
Exposition (Montreal), Cannes Art Festival, Osaka Trade Fair. An
auditorium in Tehran was named after him.
The Indian Government conferred the highest Civilian Award
'Bharat Ratna' beside all other national awards like Padamshri,
Padmabhushan and Padmavibhushan.
Q.5. How was the instrument christened 'shehnai'?
Ans. Aurangzeb had banned the playing of the pungi in the
royal palace. Its voice was sharp and unpleasant. Pungi became
another name for reeded noisemakers. No one hoped pungi to be
used again. A barber of the family of professional musicians took
a hollow stem of reed. He had access to the royal palace. It was
longer and broader than pungi. He made seven holes on the stem.
He played it before the royalty. All were impressed. Its voice was
melodious. It was called 'Shehnai' to honour the barber who invented
it. Secondly, it was played in the Shah's chambers.
Q. 6. How did the holy Ganga inspire Bismillah Khan's
music?
Ans. The banks of the Ganga were the favourite haunts of
Bismillah Khan's music. He would sit there for hours in solitude
He practised for long hours. The flowing water of the Ganga was a
source of inspiration. It inspired him to make new experiments. He
invented new 'raagas' which no shehnai player would dare to use.
The temple, the holy river and the people charged him with new
vigour. The sights and sounds of the flowing Ganga dominated
his songs. The folklore and the sacred river were the favourite
themes of his music.
Q. 7. How is the shehnai instrument made?
Ans. The shehnai is made out of the seasoned Burma teak of
sagwan. It is chiselled step by step till it acquires the desired width
Then it is drilled very gradually and carefully. A bamboo or brass
nozzle is fitted at the top and seven holes are made down the
length of the body. The credit of making the shehnai is claimed by
the barber of the family of professional musicians.
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