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Short Summary of the Chapter: Part II – The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan

This chapter is about Ustad Bismillah Khan, a great shehnai player from India. The shehnai is a musical instrument that was made better from an old instrument called the pungi. It was first played in the king’s court and later in temples and weddings.

Bismillah Khan was born in 1916 in a small town called Dumraon in Bihar. His family had a musical background. His uncle Ali Bux was a famous shehnai player. Bismillah Khan learned shehnai from him and practised for hours by the River Ganga in Varanasi.

He made the shehnai very popular in India and other countries. He was the first person to play the shehnai at the Red Fort on 15th August 1947, the day India got independence. He also performed in many countries, like USA, Canada, and Iran.

Bismillah Khan won many awards, such as the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, and the Bharat Ratna, which is India’s highest civilian award.

Even after becoming world-famous, he never left India to live anywhere else. He loved Varanasi, its temples, and the Ganga River. He believed that true music comes from the soul, not from big buildings or money.

Also Read:

• The Sound of Music Part II- Extra Questions and Notes
• The Sound of Music Part-II NCERT Solution
• The Sound of Music Part-II- Extract Based comprehension test Questions
• The Sound of Music Part-II- Message & Characters
• The Sound of Music Part-II- Introduction

This chapter shows that Bismillah Khan was not only a great artist but also a simple man who loved his country and culture very much.

Detailed Summary of the Chapter: Part II – The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan

1. The Beginning of the Shehnai: Long ago, a musical instrument called the pungi was played in royal palaces. But it made an unpleasant sound. The Emperor Aurangzeb didn’t like it and banned it. Later, a barber in the king’s court made some changes to the pungi. He made its sound softer and better. He played this new instrument in the temple, so it was named shehnai. The word comes from ‘shah’ (king) and ‘nai’ (barber).

2. A New Instrument for a New Time: The shehnai was played only at royal events, weddings, and temples. It was never played on stage. But this changed when Ustad Bismillah Khan came. He took the shehnai to the concert stage and made it famous all over the world.

3. Bismillah Khan’s Early Life: Bismillah Khan was born on 21 March 1916 in Dumraon, a town in Bihar. His family had a long tradition of playing shehnai. As a 5-year-old, he would go to the Bihariji temple with his uncle Ali Bux. There he would sit and listen to the shehnai for hours. Slowly, he started learning from his uncle, who used to play in the Vishnu temple of Varanasi.

4. Love for Music and the Ganga: Bismillah Khan would go to the bank of the River Ganga to practise for hours. He believed that the Ganga gave him the power and peace to play good music. He loved the simple life of Varanasi and the sounds around the temples.

5. His Big Achievements: He became very famous. On 15 August 1947, when India became independent, he played the shehnai at the Red Fort in front of Jawaharlal Nehru. He also performed in many countries like USA, Canada, and Iran. He got many awards — Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, and the Bharat Ratna.

6. A Man of Simplicity: Even though he could live in other countries, he never left India. He said no place in the world could match the feel of the Ganga in Varanasi. He believed music comes from the soul, not from money or fame.

7. What the Chapter Teaches: This chapter teaches us to respect our culture, love our country, and work hard. Bismillah Khan showed the world that true music comes from the heart, and one can become great even by being simple and humble.

Pointwise Summary of the Chapter: Part II – The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan

1. The pungi was a musical instrument banned by Emperor Aurangzeb for its bad sound.

2. A barber improved it and created the shehnai, which was first played in temples and weddings.

3. Bismillah Khan was born on 21 March 1916 in Dumraon, Bihar, in a family of musicians.

4. He learned shehnai from his uncle Ali Bux, who played in the Vishnu temple of Varanasi.

5. He used to practise shehnai for hours near the River Ganga, which he deeply loved.

6. Bismillah Khan made the shehnai a stage instrument and made it famous worldwide.

7. He played shehnai on 15 August 1947 at the Red Fort when India became independent.

8. He performed in many countries like the USA, Canada, and Iran.

9. He received top Indian awards – Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, and the Bharat Ratna.

10. He stayed in India all his life and said that Varanasi and the Ganga meant everything to him.