Nothing can describe the musical life of brothers Nishat Khan, Irshad khan and Wajahat Khan more aptly than the Hindi idiom sone pe suhaga (doubly delightful). Their father and guru was the surbahar and sitar wizard Ustad Imrat Khan. Ustad Vilayat Khan, the musician whose name is entwined with the history of Hindustani music, was their uncle.
The brothers’ destiny was determined the day they were born. “When every member of the family, both maternal and paternal, was either a vocalist or an instrumentalist, music had to be our calling. But it also meant carrying the huge responsibility of the legacy on my slender teen shoulders. Being the oldest of the four, I was the first to be ordained as the torchbearer of a seven-generation musical tradition. At that point in life, it truly appeared daunting. But the bond that I developed with the instrument as a child who could barely hold it, now defines my wajood (existence). And the responsibility has turned into a lifelong passion,” says sitar exponent and prolific cross-genre collaborator Nishat Khan.
Today (6.30 p.m.) at NCPA (National Centre for the Performing Arts), Mumbai, Nishat, Irshad and Wajahat will present a concert titled ‘A musical trio’, showcasing the distinct repertoire of the Imdadkhani-Etawah gharana.
It is named after Ustad Imdad Khan, the great grandfather of the brothers, who received taleem in sitar and surbahar from his father Ustad Sahebdad Khan. The Imdadkhani baaj traces its roots to Ustad Sahebdad Khan, a pioneered many musical concepts.
IRSHAD KHAN
The style of playing of the sitar and surbahar established by the gharana is followed even today by instrumentalists across the world.
“We used to play the dhrupad ang before the gharana came under the khayal influence. Successive generations kept adding to the style and repertoire with its virtuosity and vision. Ustad Imdad Khan, introduced jhalas, gats and different types of strokes in instrumental music,” says Irshad Khan, a surbahar exponent.
“Ours should be the only family in the world that has documented the works of four generations of musicians. This has been crucial in the development of the gharana. It shows how the structure and technique of the instruments have evolved. This includes everything from modifications in the string patterns, playing the alap to format of the compositions and interacting with the tabla,” adds Nishat.
When the family shifted base to Etawah near Agra, the gharana alsobegan to be referred to as Etawah. “Our great grandfather and grandfather were celebrated musicians and were invited by several royal courts such as Indore and Calcutta. So they moved from one city to another,” informs Irshad, who performed his first concert at age seven at Mahajati Sadan in Calcutta.
After the death of Ustad Enayat Khan at the age of 43, his son Vilayat Khan, along with his brother Imrat, took the Imdadkhani gharana to great heights. “An excellent vocalist, our uncle chose to play the sitar to keep alive the family tradition, while our father did so by pursuing the surbahar,” says Wajahat, the first member of the illustrious family to take to the sarod.
The surbahar, a sitar-like stringed instrument, rather a bass sitar, was introduced by Ustad Sahebdad Khan to the world of classical music. “With its range and depth it lends beautifully to the gayaki ang. The improvisation and refinement that our father brought about soon made him a renowned solo surbahar artiste. He was equally adept at playing the sitar and travelled across the world performing and teaching,” says Irshad.
The gayaki ang gave a distinctive characteristic to the playing of the sitar in the Imdadkhani style; bringing the tone of the instrument close to the human voice by integrating the nuances of khayal singing.
“Though the gayaki was developed by our grandfather, it was perfected and popularised by our uncle and father. They also went beyond the conventional raags and taals used in the gharana. Vilayat and Imrat saabs were experts in presenting rare ragas. Ustad Imrat Khan presented pieces in different taals such as Teen taal, Ek taal, Rupak taal and Jhap taal,” says Wajahat.
Ustad Enayat Khan’s wife Bashiran Begum was a strong influence in the life and musical journey of her sons Vilayat and Imrat.
“After our grandfather’s death, she worked hard to ensure that their musical training continued and the legacy was carried forward. A strict disciplinarian, during our growing up years, she saw to it that we four brothers (the youngest Shafaatullah Khan plays the tabla) never skipped our riyaaz,” recalls Nishat.
Like their father and uncle, who were individual artistes in their own right, yet presented concerts together, the brothers have kept up the family tradition through solo and joint performances.
‘The Fifty Fingers’ was an ensemble featuring the brothers and their father.
“He took great pride in sharing the stage with us. This ensemble has travelled across the globe and performed at national and international festivals. He was extremely happy that the four of us had mastered a different instrument and were showcasing the beauty of the gharan in our own way. The Imdadkhani gharana is more a ghar for us that binds us together in life and music,” says Nishat Khan.
