In the late 18th century the
Pashtun clans known as the Rohilla Afghans created a spot of bother for the
grand Nawab of Awadh. The Nawab’s forces
had, a few years previous, loaned the Rohillas a substantial bit of cash to
support their fight against the rampaging Maratha fighters coming up from the
western parts of India. It was a time of
chaos. Lots of wars. Everyone was jockeying for power as the once mighty Mughal
Empire began its rather rapid decline.
The Rohillas turned the Nawab’s debt
collectors away when they came asking to be repaid which left no option but to
crush the bastards. The Rohillas, who had settled for the best part of a
century in several districts of what is now Uttar Pradesh, were scattered and
shattered. The only substantial group to survive was led by one Faizullah Khan who set up shop in the
town of Rampur. Under his ‘strong’
leadership the new state of Rampur became an island of enlightened rule and
luxurious consumption surrounded by a pretty bleak and poor countryside.
Faziullah
Khan’s rule was stable which made the economy
flourish. As did the protection and active support of the British, who had a
habit of supporting pliant local rulers. The city state became one of the main
centers, along with Lucknow (Awadh), for the consumption of luxury goods,
especially woolen paisley shawls. The
arts and learning were sponsored by the court and an amazing collection of
manuscripts and books, the Rampur Raza Library, was preserved in a royal
palace. A Rampur gharana (school) of classical gayiki
(singing) emerged under the guidance of Ustad
Mehboob Khan.
Tonight the Washerman’s Dog highlights the contemporary scion of the house of
Rampur, Ustad Rashid Khan. Born in 1966 he initially showed little
interest in singing or music but under the wing of his uncle Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan who
recognized genius amidst the youngster’s humming (how, don’t ask me), Rashid blossomed. Today he is widely regarded as one of the
finest classical vocalists in South Asia and indeed, none other than the iconic
Pandit Bhimsen Joshi stated the
survival of the form was ‘assured’ as long as Rashid Khan kept singing.
This double disc set is one of the recent
brilliant releases by India’s National Center for the Performing Arts. As you listen and absorb this sublime music
spare a thought and note of thanks for Faizullah
Khan, who all those years ago, didn’t pay his debts but more than made up
for it by gifting to the world the Rampur gharana.
Track
Listing:
(Disc
1)
01 Raga Basant
(Piya Sang Kheloon)
02 Raga Marwa
03 Raga
Jhinjhoti (Tarana)
04 Raga Basant
Bahar
Track
Listing:
(Disc
2)
01 Raga Bhoopali
02 Raga Shuddh Kalyan
03 Raga Puriya Kalyan
04 Raga Kirwani
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