Wazir Khan (Rampur)

Wazir Khan
Wazir Khan
Born	Mohammad Wazir Khan; 1860; Rampur, Rampur State, British India
Died	1926 (aged 66); Rampur, Rampur State, British India
Pen name	Wazir (Urdu poetry), Gauhar Piya (Hindi poetry)
Occupation	Musician; Playwright; Poet; Musicologist
Nationality	Indian
Period	1860 – 1926
Genre	Hindustani Classical Music; Musical Theatre
Notable works	Vilayati Chakkar (Urdu Novel); Risala mousibi

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.

Early life and background

Wazir Khan was born in 1860 in the former Rampur State to Ameer Khan Beenkar. ^[2]^[3] He was the descendant of Naubat Khan and Hussaini (Tansen's daughter).^[1] 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 the noted poet 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.^[2]

Disciples

Wazir Khan was the Master of Nawab Hamid Ali Khan of Rampur,^[4] Allauddin Khan,^[5] Hafiz Ali Khan,^[6] 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.^[2]

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.^[7] 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.^[8]

1907 Ford owned by Ustad Wazir Khan, the earliest Ford car in Calcutta

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.
    - IV. Lal Khan Gunsamundra.Title of Gunsamundra conferred by Shahjahan on 19 November 1637.
      - V.Bisram Khan.One of the Chief musicians at the court of Mughal Emperor Shahjahan and Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb
      - VI.Manrang
      - VII.Bhupat khan
        IX.Sidhar Khan
      - VIII. khushal Khan Gunsamundra.
        X. Nirmol Shah
        XI.Naimat Khan, Sadarang (1670–1748). Developed Khayal, chief musician of Mohammad Shah Rangeela.
        
        XII. Naubat Khan II
        XIII.Feroz Khan, Adarang.
        
        XIV.Mohammad Ali Khan
        
        XV. Omrao Khan.
        XVI. Haji Mohammad Ameer Khan Khandara. Went to perform Haj with Nawab Kalbey Ali Khan
        XVII. Wazir Khan (Rampur). (1860–1926).Chief musician at the court of Nawab Hamid Ali Khan of Rampur
        XIX. Mohammad Nazeer Khan
        XXII. Mohammad Dabir Khan.
        XXIII.Mohammad Shabbir Khan
        
        XX. Mohammad Naseer Khan.
        
        XXI.Mohammad Sagheer Khan.
        
        XVIII. Fida Ali Khan.
        XXIV. Mumtaz Ali Khan.
        
        XXV. Imtiyaz ali khan.
        
        XXVI.Imdad Ali Khan.

^[9]^[10]^[11]

References

^ ^a ^b Mukhopādhyāẏa, Kumāraprasāda (2006). The Lost World of Hindustani Music. Penguin Books India. ISBN 9780143061991.
^ ^a ^b ^c Khanna, Shailaja (15 April 2021). "The ustad behind Senia gharana". The Hindu newspaper. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
^ Hamilton, James Sadler (1994). Sitar Music in Calcutta: An Ethnomusicological Study. Motilal Banarsidass Publishe. ISBN 9788120812109.
^ Rampur ki Sadarang Parampara by Saryu Kalekar, 1984 New Delhi Publications
^ Lavezzoli, Peter (24 April 2006). The Dawn of Indian Music in the West. A&C Black. ISBN 9780826418159.
^ Neuman, Daniel M. (15 March 1990). The Life of Music in North India. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226575162.
^ Mehta, Ved (15 December 2013). Portrait of India. Penguin Books. p. 75. ISBN 9789351182771 – via Google Books.
^ 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. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9780824049461.
^ Ustad Mohammad Wazir Khan and his prominent disciples, PhD thesis by Rati Rastogi, RohilKhand University.
^ Islamic Culture Journal by Prof. Abdul Haleem, October 1945, P.P 357-386
^ Moorthy, Vijaya (2001). Romance of the Raga. Abhinav Publications. ISBN 9788170173823.

[Google-1] Mukhopādhyāẏa, Kumāraprasāda (2006). The Lost World of Hindustani Music. Penguin Books India. ISBN 9780143061991.

[TheHindu-2] Khanna, Shailaja (15 April 2021). "The ustad behind Senia gharana". The Hindu newspaper. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2024.

[Google2-3] Hamilton, James Sadler (1994). Sitar Music in Calcutta: An Ethnomusicological Study. Motilal Banarsidass Publishe. ISBN 9788120812109.

[4] Rampur ki Sadarang Parampara by Saryu Kalekar, 1984 New Delhi Publications

[5] Lavezzoli, Peter (24 April 2006). The Dawn of Indian Music in the West. A&C Black. ISBN 9780826418159.

[6] Neuman, Daniel M. (15 March 1990). The Life of Music in North India. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226575162.

[7] Mehta, Ved (15 December 2013). Portrait of India. Penguin Books. p. 75. ISBN 9789351182771 – via Google Books.

[8] 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. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9780824049461.

[9] Ustad Mohammad Wazir Khan and his prominent disciples, PhD thesis by Rati Rastogi, RohilKhand University.

[10] Islamic Culture Journal by Prof. Abdul Haleem, October 1945, P.P 357-386

[11] Moorthy, Vijaya (2001). Romance of the Raga. Abhinav Publications. ISBN 9788170173823.

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