Wazir Khan (Rampur)

Ustad Mohammad Wazir Khan(1860-1926) served as the head of Arbab-e-Nishat (Music Department of Rampur State) during the period of Nawab Hamid Ali Khan of Rampur.[1] He was also an excellent playwright who established the Rampur theatre in the building of club Ghar in Rampur.

Wazir Khan
BornMohamamad Wazir Khan
1860
Rampur, Uttar Pradesh
Died1926 (aged 66)
Rampur, Uttar Pradesh
Pen nameWazir (Urdu poetry), Gauhar Piya (Hindi poetry)
OccupationMusician
Playwright
Poet
Musicologist
NationalityIndian
Period1860–1926
GenreHindustani Classical Music
Musical Theatre
Notable worksVilayati Chakkar (Urdu Novel)
Risala mousibi

Early life and background

Wazir Khan was born in the former Rampur State to Ameer Khan Beenkar.[2] He was the descendant of Naubat Khan and Hussaini (Tansen's daughter).[3] Besides music, Wazir Khan's interests spanned many fields and areas. He was also a professional playwright, poet, published author, painter, passionate photographer, and a well-practiced calligrapher. Primarily he used to do Calligraphy in Arabic and Persian.In poetry he was the student of Daagh Dehlvi. As a Musicologist he wrote the Risala Mausibi. In addition, Wazir Khan was proficient in many languages, such as Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Hindi, Bangla, Marathi and Gujarati

Cuisine

All the Naubat Khanis were fond of good food. They were able to develop their own cuisine. Rice preparations were included in their meals and Kabab featured regularly. Rakabdars from the court of Awadh were employed in their kitchens.

It was said that if anyone from this family doesn't take Dessert after each meal then he is not a Naubat Khani.

The preparation at their kitchens was so rich in Ingredients that once Nawab Hamid Ali Khan said that if this family was not fond of such good food they could have houses made of Gold and silver.[4]

Disciples

Nayak Wazir Khan was the master of Nawab Hamid Ali Khan of Rampur,[5] Allauddin Khan,[6] Hafiz Ali Khan,[7] and Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande. Alauddin Khan went on to establish the modern Maihar Gharana, with disciples such as Ali Akbar Khan (son), Annapurna Devi (daughter), Pandit Ravi Shankar (son-in-law), Nikhil Banerjee, Vasant Rai, Pannalal Ghosh, Bahadur Khan, and Sharan Rani.

Wazir Khan (centre) with other musicians

Struggle of Alauddin Khan

Wazir Khan lived like a prince and it was not easy for a commoner to approach the musician directly. Alauddin was quite desperate to become his disciple and it is said that one day he threw himself in front of the Nawab's vehicle.[8] The Nawab of Rampur was pleased with Alauddin's perseverance so he sent the vehicle to fetch Wazir Khan and Alauddin was made the disciple of Wazir Khan. Wazir Khan taught Alauddin nothing for two years and only began to teach him when he came to know about the hardships Alauddin's wife was facing at home.[9]

1907 Ford owned by Ustad Wazir Khan, the earliest Ford car in Calcutta
Imtiyaz Ali Khan, nephew of Wazir Khan

Family tree
  • I. Samokhan Singh, Raja of Kishangarh.Imperial forces fought with the forces of Mughal Emperor Akbar.Samokhan Singh was Killed in battle.
    • II. Jhanjhan Singh, Yuvraj Sahib of Kishangarh. Present in the battle and was killed.
      • III. Misri Singh (Naubat Khan), Yuvraj Sahib of Kishangarh. Put under house arrest. Accepts Islam. Akbar confers title of Khan.Emperor Akbar arranges Naubat Khan's marriage to Saraswati, the daughter of Tansen. Jahangir confers the title of Naubat Khan and promotes him to the rank of 500 personal and 200 horse.

[10][11][12]

See also

References
  1. Mukhopādhyāẏa, Kumāraprasāda (2006). The Lost World of Hindustani Music. ISBN 9780143061991. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  2. Hamilton, James Sadler (1994). Sitar Music in Calcutta: An Ethnomusicological Study. ISBN 9788120812109.
  3. Mukhopādhyāẏa, Kumāraprasāda (2006). The Lost World of Hindustani Music. ISBN 9780143061991.
  4. Khanna, Shailaja (15 April 2021). "The ustad behind Senia gharana". The Hindu.
  5. Rampur ki Sadarang Parampara by Saryu Kalekar, 1984 New Delhi Publications
  6. Lavezzoli, Peter (24 April 2006). The Dawn of Indian Music in the West. ISBN 9780826418159. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  7. Neuman, Daniel M. (15 March 1990). The Life of Music in North India. ISBN 9780226575162. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  8. Mehta, Ved (15 December 2013). Portrait of India. Penguin Books. p. 75. ISBN 9789351182771. Retrieved 24 July 2017 – via Google Books.
  9. Nettl, Bruno; Arnold, Alison; Stone, Ruth M.; Porter, James; Rice, Timothy; Olsen, Dale Alan; Miller, Terry E.; Kaeppler, Adrienne Lois; Sheehy, Daniel Edward; Koskoff, Ellen; Williams, Sean; Love, Jacob Wainwright; Goertzen, Chris; Danielson, Virginia; Marcus, Scott Lloyd; Reynolds, Dwight; Provine, Robert C.; Tokumaru, Yoshihiko; Witzleben, John Lawrence (1998). The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music: South Asia : the Indian subcontinent. ISBN 9780824049461. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  10. Ustad Mohammad Wazir Khan and his prominent disciples, PhD thesis by Rati Rastogi, RohilKhand University.
  11. Islamic Culture Journal by Prof. Abdul Haleem, October 1945, P.P 357-386
  12. Moorthy, Vijaya (2001). Romance of the Raga. ISBN 9788170173823. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
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