2. The Sound of Music
Part II
The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan
I. Tick the right answer.
1. The (shehnai, pungi) was a 'reeded noisemaker.'
Answer: The pungi was a 'reeded noisemaker.'
2. (Bismillah Khan, A barber, Ali Bux) transformed the pungi into a shehnai.
Answer: A barber transformed the pungi into a shehnai.
3. Bismillah Khan's paternal ancestors were (barbers, professional musicians).
Answer: Bismillah Khan's paternal ancestors were professional musicians.
4. Bismillah Khan learnt to play the shehnai from (Ali Bux, Paigambar Bux, Ustad Faiyaaz Khan).
Answer: Bismillah Khan learnt to play the shehnai from Ali Bux.
5. Bismillah Khan's first trip abroad was to (Afghanistan, U.S.A., Canada).
Answer: Bismillah Khan's first trip abroad was to Afghanistan.
III. Answer these questions in 30-40 words.
1. Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?
Answer: Aurangzeb banned the playing of the pungi in the royal residence because it had a shrill and unpleasant sound.
2. How is a shehnai different from a pungi?
Answer: The shehnai is different from the pungi in that it is made from a pipe with a natural hollow stem that is longer and broader, with seven holes on the body. It produces soft and melodious sounds, unlike the shrill noise of the pungi.
3. Where was the shehnai played traditionally? How did Bismillah Khan change this?
Answer: Traditionally, the shehnai was played in temples and at weddings. Bismillah Khan changed this by bringing the shehnai onto the classical stage, making it a part of Indian classical music.
4. When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?
Answer: Bismillah Khan got his big break in 1938 with the opening of All India Radio in Lucknow, where he soon became a frequently heard shehnai player on the radio.
5. Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15 August 1947? Why was the event historic?
Answer: Bismillah Khan played the shehnai on 15 August 1947 at the Red Fort.
The event was historic because it marked India's independence, and he was the first Indian to greet the nation with his music.
6. Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.?
Answer: Bismillah Khan refused to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A. because he was deeply attached to Benaras and the River Ganga. He felt that the atmosphere of Benaras and the presence of the Ganga could not be replicated anywhere else.
7. Find at least two instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras.
Answer: One instance is when Bismillah Khan said, "Whenever I am in a foreign country, I keep yearning to see Hindustan."
Another instance is when he mentioned that while in Mumbai, he only thought of Benaras and the holy Ganga.
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