incident taken from book, " The Lost World of Hindustani Music"written by Kumar Prasad Mukherji

 *From : Yogesh Gogwekar*

*Following incident taken from book, " The Lost World of Hindustani Music"written by Kumar Prasad Mukherji*

Two legend Hindustani classical singers Ali Baksh Khan and Fate Ali Khan used to sing jugalbandi in Khyal. For twenty years they practiced taankari before they came to Doab. They were popularly known as Alia-Fatu. Once they came to Jaipur Court to perform their music. Pandit Vishambhar Nath was one of the court musicians whose name has been mentioned by Ustad Vilayat Husain Khan of Agra Gharana as one of the his forty-one Gurus. He was well versed in dhrupad and heavier type of khyal.  The young musicians Alia-Fatu were naturally keen to ascertain the reaction of venerable old Pandit who heard them singing in Court. Not satisfied with the customary words of praise, they wanted to know his true opinion.

Pandiji invited them to his house, made them sit on a charpoy and brought out a looking glass. After holding the mirror in front of Ali Baksh, he asked, " what do you see in the mirror?. Ali Baksh said," Ji his face". He again asked the question, " Can you see your face clearly?" And reply was yes. Later on he started shaking the the mirror and asked him to look his face again. Now, Ali Baksh reverted that, " How can I see my face when mirror ia not steady? Sometimes ears are missing, sometimes the nose".

Panditji laughed and said, " My boy, that is exactly the trouble with you and your music. If you had worked just as hard on your swarasthaan and ragaroop all these years, instead of taankari alone, you would have been great singers. Your violent taankari is clipping the ears and noses of ragas you sing".  Later on they did as per his advice and became great musicians of Gwalior Gharana.

This is applicable to all fields in our life. One should have full or deep knowledge about his work before expressing his comments.

Thank you