The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan
|. Answer this questions in 30- 40 words.
1. Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?
Ans- Emperor Aurangzeb banned the playing of the musical instrument called pungi in his Royal residence for its loud and pleasant noise. Later pungi became the generic name for reeded noise makers.
2. How is a shehnai different from pungi?
Ans- A shehnai is different from a pungi and the following ways:
i. The shehnai has the better tonal quality than the pungi.
ii. It is longer and broader than the pungi with seven holes on it
3. Where was the shehnai played traditionally? How did Bismillah Khan change this?
Ans- The shehnai was traditionally played at royal courts. Later the sound of the shehnai begin to be considered auspicious and for this it began to be played in temples and weddings also.
Bismillah Khan took this musical instrument on to the classical stage.
4. When and how Bismillah Khan get his big break?
Ans- Bismillah Khan got a big break with the opening of the All India Radio in Lucknow in 1938. He played the shehnai so well that he soon became an often heard shehnai player on radio.
5. Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15th August 1947? Why was the event historic?
Ans- On 15th August 1947, Bismillah Khan played the shehnai from the Red Fort. The event was historic because he became the first Indian to great the nation with the shehnai. The rag, which was played by Bismillah Khan on this auspicious day, was raag kafi to an audience which included Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
6. Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to a start a shehnai school in the USA?
Ans- Bismillah Khan refused to start a shehnai school in the USA because he did not like to live away from his own country. Whenever he was in a foreign country, he always longed to see Hindustan.
7. Find at least two instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras?
Ans- The two instances which tell us that Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras are as follows:
i. Bismillah Khan refuses the offer of one of his students to the start a shehnai school in the USA.
ii. Whenever is in a foreign country, he keeps longing to see Hindustan.
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