Ghulam Sadiq Khan, an eminent Khayal singer, rues that ustads do not get the same kind of reverence as they used to.
Ghulam Sadiq Khan, an eminent Khayal singer of the Rampur Sahaswan Gharana, recently released a three CD pack titled “Dharohar”. His dulcet Raga Darbari testifies to his range as a noted singer.
A recipient of Padma Shri, Sadiq Khan’s first guru was his father, the late Sarangi Player Ustad Ghulam Jafar Khan (1908-1981) and his second guru was Ustad Mushtaq Husain Khan (1878-1964). As a student, he was told to treat his guru as God but rues that ustads these days do not get the same respect.
Excerpts from an interview:
What affected you deeply when you wanted to establish yourself as a singer?
Slow recognition but when it came there was no looking back. From the age of 15 to 27, I faced difficulties and had to work very hard. In 1956, I became famous countrywide as if a bomb had burst. My struggle was to learn music, practice and appear before audiences and mehfils. Allah took me sky high and my first concert made me. I never looked back after that. Earlier I had to go to people and ask for programmes and tell them who I was. Later things became smoother.
Did these problems discourage you?
I struggled in riyaaz for 10 to 12 years and practised for over 10 hours a day for five years. Programmes started coming regularly and I became known after a hard time. A yug of riyaaz went by but my lineage and gharana helped me stand on my own feet. Others helped too.
What did you learn from your difficult days?
I learnt that honesty is the greatest thing in music. Also, belief and dependance on the Ustad is paramount. They are to be regarded as God. Today’s Ustads don’t have that respect from others and this has led to a decline in North Indian classical. I learnt to believe in the Guru and to regard him as God is the biggest thing.
Today I am happy with what God has given me – ilm (art), izzat (respect), shoharat (name) throughout the world. My CDs have been released in London and Singapore. What more can one ask for?
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Friday Review / by Atul Mittal / October 22nd, 2015