there is a report on the last page of DNA newspaper. It is mentioned there that the prayer ceremony will be held but the address is not mentioned. so if anybody knows the address please mention it here.
Here are few personal memories. Unfortunately I am not an artist or a poet to express myself. I am just a devotee of Khansaheb. Few years ago,Khansaheb performed and I could not attend due to some financial constraints. Next day in class, he asked me why i wasn't there and was angry at me. He said "THis is my pooja, not just a concert", because I come from a traditional orthodox family, and follow all religious functions punctually. I spoke with Mary and mentioned I could not affors the tix. She mentioned it to him. During next class, he got up from his chair, took me to a side, and said I do not need to pay tution for my daughter. I was so ashamed to attend the college without paying tution. I did not tell my husband, because it would hurt him even more. Later on, when things turned around, I went paid all my dues. Khansaheb insisted that I need not pay till things work out. During that crisis, he was worried we might move away from him, and my daughter might have to skip his classes. He was so concerned about us like a father. He always respected our family a lot. He knows we are nondrinkers. Whenever we went to his house, he used to wait till we leave the room, to take a drink. If he ever had a drink in his hand, he used to put it aside and not touch it, till we left him. In the past 13 years, I grew spiritually just sitting in his classes and listening to his music. I used to get angry at people, relatives for speaking nonsense etc. Slowly he cleansed me with hismusic
Excuse me, I may be known to many in the music world, and I also may not be known to many. It is hurting to compare Ustad Ali Akbar Khan with any legend of western Jazz or Rock. Lord Yehudi Menuhin RIGHTLY called him the "Bach of the East". With due respects to Coltraine and Ray Charles both of whom I admire too, perhaps rockstar Derek should know that both those stars worshipped Khansahib like God. Just as Buddha, Shakespeare, Tagore and Vivekanand come once in a millennium, so too Khansahib finds his rightful place among historic world figures who change the direction and pave a new path for generations to reap. I may add here that I feel deeply ashamed of publications like the Times of India, which put the substantial portion of the news on Pg 12 (they dont waste a minute or an inch of space to report Kareena Kapoor or some rape or murder on the front page) and the Government of India which never even thought of awarding Bharat Ratna to the maestro. Thanks.
Re: The Master leaves us behind
by Guest on Jun 20, 2009 06:18 PM
ya I agree with you panditjee. Indian media is a very much moneyminded & a third class media. they can not understand importance of such people. stil DNA had it on their frontpage, thanks ti them. Awards are meaningless to such legends. Infact it could have been an honour of Bharat Ratna had it been given to Khansaheb.
Re: The Master leaves us behind
by Varalakshmi Ayala on Jun 20, 2009 08:53 PM
I agree with you completly. Western media did a better job. NY TImes has a very good article. Washington Post has a good one too. Bay area local newspapers also have good obituaries. Regarding Bharat Ratna, Khansaheb once said,"All these honors are only pieces pf paper. It is more work for me dusting them all the time. I took some of them away because it's hard to maintain." Khansaheb never cared for these political honors. He has always been a true artist. It has been my good fortune to be associated with him. Till Monday, he seemed so big despite his ill health. I noticed his body last night. It was so small, and thin like a young boy's body. I was trying to understand how could this happen. My friend said it was just his stature and personality that made him look big, although his health was fragile. Now that it's only a body, you are actually seeing his physical form. It is such a contrast. He always seemed like a tiger. Everybody looked small in his presence.
My heartfelt condolences to the family of great Guru. He was an artist of excellence, son of illustrious maestro Ustad Allaudin Khan Sahib, brother of great sitarist Annpurna Devi and brother in law of Pt. Ravi Shankar. Though he was settled in USA but we will very much miss him. Our Pranan to him
The great masters of Indian classical music all are fading away..Ustad Bismillah Khan, Herabai Kesarkar, Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur, MS Subbulakshmi, Pandit Guru Rao Deshpande and many other doyens are no more. What is worse is that there is no person of equal caliber who can take their places. Their disciples are busy making money and singing in films (dont blame them) and Indian classicl music will soon be forgotten in a couple of generations... I am a rock musician, but I respect and revere hindustani classical music and it saddens me that our great tradation is fading away.. May the ustad rest in peace in heaven...
