Even before technology linked the world in real-time knowledge sharing, greatness was traversing boundaries of region, language, religion, lifestyle, and mortality itself. In the arts, much before the age of fusion and crossover, greatness was effortlessly crossing the lines between artistic genres too. Ustad Alla Rakha exemplified this spirit. Not surprisingly, in his birth centenary year, his life and art are being celebrated across the world.
Pivotal role
From Mumbai the ustad’s son, tabla maestro Zakir Hussain announced the celebration that took place at the National Centre for the Performing Arts by sharing a personal anecdote that reminded us how personalities of the 20th Century had played pivotal roles in shaping the contemporary history of India’s classical arts.
Pointing out the “100th birthday bash” for his father on April 29 was coinciding with the kick-off of NCPA’s 50th anniversary celebrations, Hussain said it was appropriate, “because 50 years ago, when NCPA was founded, my father (and) Pandit Ravi Shankarji were here performing and I performed with them, along with Palghat Raghu, the great mridangam player. So my relationship and my father’s relationship with NCPA goes back to the day of its inception.”
Anuradha Pal with her guru
Months before the NCPA bonanza, Anuradha Pal, disciple of Ustad Alla Rakha and one of the rare female tabla exponents of the country, had put up a programme to flag off the centenary in Nagpur.
“I had the honour of becoming the ganda bandhan shagird of late Ustad Alla Rakha saheb,” recalls Anuradha. “Despite being a girl in a male dominated field and not belonging to a musician family, Abbaji taught me like he taught his sons, after testing my mettle and commitment numerous times.”
On her guru’s contribution, she notes, “ Abbaji created a special kind of peshkar, complex qaidas, tihais and gats, expanding the repertoire and articulation of the tabla to never before done limits! Also, his study of Carnatic music and integration of Carnatic laya shastra into tabla was his unique contribution. His exacting standards of perfection, total mastery over all talas, chhands and unparalleled versatility as an accompanist with the best vocalists, instrumentalists and dancers of all time made him stand apart from his contemporary masters.”
As a grand finale to her tribute event, she says, “The students joined me in presenting a popular qaida of Abbaji, which I had taught them on my previous visit to Nagpur during the Kalidas Sammelan in November 2018.”
The NCPA’s daylong homage — which was livestreamed to an internet audience around the world — not only brought together well known tabla players but also renowned names in vocal and instrumental music, including Ulhas Kashalkar (Hindustani vocal), Uday Bhawalkar (Dhrupad vocal), Rahul Sharma (santoor) and Niladri Kumar (sitar) to name a few. The solos and ensemble concerts were presented with the bonhomie associated with an artist whose geniality was as famous as his musical genius. One of the highlights was the tabla ensemble “Zakir Hussain & friends”.
Vidushi Prabha Atre was among the veterans invited to perform during the course of the day. Recalling the qualities that helped Alla Rakha carve a place for the tabla as a solo instrument in an epoch when this was not the norm, and also made him a star accompanist, the doyenne gives a concise assessment.
Joyful experience
“Typically, a percussion instrument is used to accompany the main artist. A solo tabla performance does not have its own tune, which makes it harder to sustain the attention of an uninitiated audience that does not understand and appreciate the language of tabla for an extended duration. From this perspective, it is difficult to generate a joyful experience around a solo tabla performance compared to a solo concert of the vocal or instrumental artist. Vocal and instrumental music have their own distinct qualities.” She says a tabla player has to understand these qualities and at the same time follow the style of the artist they are accompanying in enhancing the richness of the performance.
“While accompanying the main performer, a tabla player has to show restraint and at the same time demonstrate his/her distinct style. This balancing act is always a challenge. Khan saheb established himself both as an accomplished accompanist and a soloist. A high-quality performance has sweetness, beauty, and emotional resonance. While following its traditions an artist must also enthral the audience with creative and insightful rendering. Khan saheb’s artistry demonstrated that he excelled at integrating and balancing all of these qualities into a high-class performance.”
As the day progressed, the venues around the complex featured bands and contemporary music groups, including Louis Banks’ Jazz Ensemble and folk drummers. While innumerable music celebrities attended, the unexpected participation of playback legend Asha Bhosle — who reportedly sang two songs accompanied by Zakir — was a reminder that cinema music was an area the ustad had contributed to as well.
Film career
As A.R. Qureshi, he composed music for a number of commercial Hindi films. When, on the occasion of his 70th birthday, the ustad was featured in an interview-based documentary of the Films Division, he recalled that he had composed for at least 25 films. Songs from “Madari” and “Sabaq” became hits, he says in the documentary, before going on to mention the fun-filled number “Ni Sa Ga Ma Pa Hai Ramji Pa Ma Ga Re Sa” from “Sabaq” (1950).
From 1958 however, he stopped composing for films, because, as he explained, “the musical style changed and I decided to stop.”
Alla Rakha on the tabla accompanying sitar maestro Ravi Shankar in concerts across the world for three decades is a partnership engraved in gold in musical history, but he also accompanied other stalwarts, right from 1938 when he played tabla with the celebrated Ustad Abdul Karim Khan. Among others he accompanied were maestros Bade Ghulam Ali Khan (vocal), Pannalal Ghosh (flute), Nikhil Banerjee (sitar), Ali Akbar Khan (sarod) and Bhimsen Joshi (vocal).
Rather like his versatility with the tabla, Ustad Alla Rakha’s performing prowess was in step with his abilities as a composer and a generous teacher.
Says Anuradha, “I first performed with Abbaji when I was 15, in Kolhapur. He gave me another opportunity to accompany him and Sultan Khan saheb at the prestigious IMG festival, Mumbai, when I was 16. By my parents’ blessings, Abbaji was very happy with me. Since he was going abroad immediately, he asked me to meet him on his return three months later.”
She treasures a gold locket and chain her guru gave her on his return from the U.S., “on which he had got inscribed ‘Love and blessings to Anuradha Pal from Ustad Alla Rakha’.”
Like his disciples today, the ustad also organised an annual festival in memory of his gurus. “All of us students were involved in every aspect from organising and planning to execution. He ensured that we regularly perform in our own festival, so as to boost our morale and grow as artistes,” Anuradha adds. “Every Guru Poornima function, he expected me to play a different and more complex tala than the last time. Especially if Pandit Ravi Shankarji was attending, he would tell me to perform 11, 13, 15, or 17 beats especially for Panditji!”
London celebrations
London audiences will get a chance to join in the centenary celebrations presented by the AllaRakha Foundation on June 8 and 9 at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. The programmes are led by the ustad’s two younger sons Fazal Qureshi and Taufiq Qureshi with artists from India and the U.K.
Across a century and many continents, the spirit of Alla Rakha continues to inspire music makers and consumers alike. One can only agree with Prabha Atre when she says, “Individuals like Alla Rakha are never forgotten — they are beyond time.”
