Page 1 - Bismillah-Mind Map
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Sound of Music –II



                                                         Mind Map




                                                         Mind Map
                     Ustad Bismillah Khan                                                    Pungi



                         A Shehnai Maestro.                                          Pungi; a reeded instrument;
                                                                                     Played in the court of
                                                                                     Mughal Emperors

                   Took to music when 3 years old in
                   the company of his maternal uncle
                                                                                      Pungi has very shrill and
                                                                                      unpleasant sound

           Used to sing Chaita in Bihari temple and practice
           shehnai in Vishnu temple and Mangala Maiya
           temple of Varanasi                                                     Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor

                                                                                  puts a ban on it to be played in
                                                                                  the court
            Got his big break with the opening of All India

            Radio in Lucknow in 1938

                                                                                  A court barber, belonging to a
                                                                                  family of musicians modified it
            Played shehnai on 15 August, 1947 from Red Fort
            in the presence of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru

                                                                                  Chose a pipe with a natural
                                                                                  hollow stem longer and broader
            Gave memorable performances both in India and
                                                                                  than the pungi
            abroad




                                                                               Made seven holes on the body of the pipe;
           Gave music in two movies ‘Gunj Uthi Shehnai’ and
                                                                               on closing and opening of some of these
           ‘Sanadhi Apanna’
                                                                               holes, soft and melodious sounds were
                                                                               produced



            Fond of his motherland, Benaras and the holy
                                                                               Named shehnai; as played by nai (barber)
            Ganga; refused to be the head of Shehnai school in
                                                                               in front of the shah or the emperor and
            USA
                                                                               the royal family



            Was awarded India’s highest civilian award,
            Bharart Ratna
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