Page 8 - LN3

Ali Bux would play the shehnai and Bismillah would sit captivated for hours on end.

Captivated: attracted
on end: for a very long time without stopping, continuously

When Bismillah Khan saw his uncle, Ali Bux play the shehnai, he would get attracted towards it
that he would sit there for hours, listening to him play the shehnai.
Slowly, he started getting lessons in playing the instrument and would sit practicing throughout
the day.
Gradually Bismillah Khan also started learning playing the shehnai and he would practice
throughout the day. He never got tired, he was so captivated by the shehnai.

For years to come the temple of Balaji and Mangala Maiya and the banks of the Ganga became
the young apprentice’s favourite haunts where he could practice in solitude.
apprentice: trainee
haunt: place you like come, where you like to visit many times a day
solitude: being alone, single

For many years, Utsad Bismillah Khan remained in Benaras. He would visit the temple of Balaji,
temple of Managala Maiya and would remain on the
bank of river Ganga, where he would practice playing the shehnai all by himself.

The flowing waters of the Ganga inspired him to improvise and invent ragas that were earlier
considered to be beyond the range of the shehnai.

Here we come to know about the talent of Ustaad Bismillah Khan. He was so inspired and
motivated by the river Ganga, it provoked him to improve his performance and he also invented
many ragas that were considered impossible to be produced by a shehnai. Ustaad Bismillah
Khan worked hard, and invented different sounds with the shehnai.

At the age of 14, Bismillah accompanied his uncle to the Allahabad Music Conference.

When Bismillah Khan was 14 years of age, he accompanied his maternal uncle, Ali Bux to the
Allahabad Music Conference.

At the end of his recital, Ustaad Faiyaz Khan patted the young boy’s back and said, “Work hard
and you shall make it.”

recital: performance