Bismillah Khan forgotten by Indian government
Shehnai maestro’s birthplace awaits attention of state and central rulers
Bismillah was born Qamruddin in Bhirung Raut Ki Gali in Dumraon, about 15km from Buxar town. PHOTO: FILE
BIHAR:
Shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan’s birth place in Bihar is crumbling despite politicians making promises of renovation over the years. Nine years have gone by since his death and local residents are still disappointed by the state and central government’s failure to take concrete steps.
Bihar is in the midst of staggered five-phased elections. Murli Manohar Srivastava, who has written a book on Bismillah, said it was ironic that promises made to develop the maestro’s birthplace remained unfulfilled and were not an issue in the polls.
Bismillah was born Qamruddin in Bhirung Raut Ki Gali in Dumraon, about 15km from Buxar town. According to locals, his ancestors were court musicians and used to play in Naqqar khana in the princely state of Dumraon. His father was a shehnai player in the court of Maharaja Keshav Prasad Singh of Dumraon.
When he was barely six or seven, Bismillah moved to his maternal grandfather’s home in Varanasi. His uncle Ali Baksh ‘Vilayatu’, a shehnai player attached to Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath Temple, was his guru.
Bismillah Khan’s family falls prey to political manoeuvres
Two Bihar chief ministers and a host of politicians had promised to develop his birthplace in the Dumraon assembly constituency in Buxur district, about 130km from Patna but beyond tokenism, little has been done on the ground.
When Lalu Prasad was chief minister in 1994, he had laid the foundation stone of a town hall-cum-library in Bismillah’s memory. In 2006, CM Nitish Kumar announced the construction of a museum and installation of a life-size statue after the shehnai masetro’s death in August of that year. “But nothing has happened so far. It’s a pity for all of us,” rued local resident Sultan Alam.
Even the marble foundation stone that Lalu laid has been gathering dust at the Dumraon police station for several years. “As construction was not started due to one reason or the other, the marble plaque was brought here as it could’ve been stolen or damaged,” a police official said.
“Had Bismillah been born in any other place outside Bihar, it would’ve been developed but here no one cares for it,” said Salim Ansari, who stays near Bismillah’s birthplace.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 24th, 2015.
Shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan’s birth place in Bihar is crumbling despite politicians making promises of renovation over the years. Nine years have gone by since his death and local residents are still disappointed by the state and central government’s failure to take concrete steps.
Bihar is in the midst of staggered five-phased elections. Murli Manohar Srivastava, who has written a book on Bismillah, said it was ironic that promises made to develop the maestro’s birthplace remained unfulfilled and were not an issue in the polls.
Bismillah was born Qamruddin in Bhirung Raut Ki Gali in Dumraon, about 15km from Buxar town. According to locals, his ancestors were court musicians and used to play in Naqqar khana in the princely state of Dumraon. His father was a shehnai player in the court of Maharaja Keshav Prasad Singh of Dumraon.
When he was barely six or seven, Bismillah moved to his maternal grandfather’s home in Varanasi. His uncle Ali Baksh ‘Vilayatu’, a shehnai player attached to Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath Temple, was his guru.
Bismillah Khan’s family falls prey to political manoeuvres
Two Bihar chief ministers and a host of politicians had promised to develop his birthplace in the Dumraon assembly constituency in Buxur district, about 130km from Patna but beyond tokenism, little has been done on the ground.
When Lalu Prasad was chief minister in 1994, he had laid the foundation stone of a town hall-cum-library in Bismillah’s memory. In 2006, CM Nitish Kumar announced the construction of a museum and installation of a life-size statue after the shehnai masetro’s death in August of that year. “But nothing has happened so far. It’s a pity for all of us,” rued local resident Sultan Alam.
Even the marble foundation stone that Lalu laid has been gathering dust at the Dumraon police station for several years. “As construction was not started due to one reason or the other, the marble plaque was brought here as it could’ve been stolen or damaged,” a police official said.
“Had Bismillah been born in any other place outside Bihar, it would’ve been developed but here no one cares for it,” said Salim Ansari, who stays near Bismillah’s birthplace.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 24th, 2015.