Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The sudden demise of the 73-year-old tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain has left Bhopalites, especially the artistes community, shocked and dismayed. The legend’s association with Bhopal is said to be very long.
He had performed in the city on numerous occasions and had many friends in the city. He had visited Bhopal around five or six times and performed at various places including Bharat Bhavan, Ravindra Bhawan, MANIT and Barkatullah University. His first solo performance was held at the open-air stage at Ravindra Bhavan in 1979-80 under ‘Bhopal Utsav’.
He had performed with flute maestro Hari Prasad Chaurasia at MANIT in 1984-85 and solo at Bharat Bhavan in 1991-92. He had inaugurated Dhrupad Sansthan, Bhopal in 2009 and at the time his solo performance was held at Vigyan Bhavan in Barkatullah University. His last performance was at Bahirang, the open-air-stage of Bharat Bhavan, on March 2, 2019 in a concert ‘Mahima’.
Madhya Pradesh government feted him with ‘Kalidas Shashtriya Sangeet Samman’ in 2005. His father tabla maestro Ustad Alla Rakha was also felicitated with the same award in 1995. He was very fond of food. He used to love poha-jalebi and Shahi-tukda and sweets of Bhopal.
Legendary tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain interacting with audience at Bharat Bhavan in the city in 2019.
“Sangeet ki duniya ka ek buland sitara ast ho gaya hai. Sab or andhera hai… (A bright star of the music world has set. There is darkness all around),” said Bharatnatyam danseuse Lata Munshi, adding that “everyone has to leave this world one day. But he left us so early, so suddenly. I am shocked”.
Zakir Sahab was not only a peerless artist, but also as a dazzling performer and a humble man. And he had a terrific sense of humour,” Lata said.
Tabla player Ustad Salim Allahwale said that Zakir Bhai and his father Ustad Alla Rakha transformed tabla from an instrument that was only used in ‘sangat’ to one that could be played solo. He recalls that during a performance in 2019 at Bharat Bhavan, when the Ustad found that a large number of people were standing outside the auditorium, he asked that all doors be opened and everyone let in. “I have come to perform for them. How can they remain outside,” he said.
Legendary tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain inaugurating a hostel at Dhrupad Sansthan, Bhopal in 2019.
Dhrupad singer Umakant Gundecha said that Ustad Zakir Hussain loved the Bahirang Auditorium of Bharat Bhavan. “It has taal (lake) and taal (beat or rhythm) both,” he used to say. Gundecha said that the late percussionist knew the art of involving the audience, of interacting with them. “His concerts were not one-way traffic,” Gundecha said, adding that the Ustad liked sweets especially Rasogulla, which were fetched by my friend Manohar Bhai who is owner of Manohar Dairy, Bhopal.
Chief administrative officer of Bharat Bhavan, Prem Shankar Shukla remembered Zakir Hussain as an artist who had immense love for India and her culture.
He said that they invited Zakir Hussain Sahab to perform at the Foundation Day event of the institution in 2019 but he could not come for some reason. In the same year, he performed at the Bhavan in a concert ‘Mahima’ which was a memorable last performance in Bhopal, Shukla said.
Was to perform at Tansen Samaroh on Dec 18
Ustad Zakir Hussain was to perform on December 18 in Gwalior under Tansen Samaroh 2024, organised by the Culture Department to mark the centenary year of Tansen. But owing to sudden deterioration in his health, his concert was cancelled.
