Classical musicians especially those of ‘Gharanas (custodians of classical music) cannot be fully absolved of the responsibility as they had their share in ‘asphyxiating’ classical music. They have been suffering from the vestiges of the somnolent past when rajas, landlords and other bigwigs patronised music and musicians if not for real, at least for a semblance of being cultured.

Musicians had ample time to practice and audience would spend hours enjoying the performances. Each Gharana jealously guarded its exclusive repertoire as it was what got it patronage, employment and livelihood. It was their trade secret not to be shared because sharing would create competitors in the limited market of classical music. It was /is a part of high culture. It had rigorous standards beyond the grasp of ordinary mortals because it was highly structured and sophisticated. Consequently, being accepted as a student/disciple was a tall order and extremely demanding. For years the student was subjected to torturous discipline which demanded absolute submission to Ustad (maestro). Unquestioning loyalty was the test one had to clear. A student in some cases had to serve the maestro for decades just to learn how to do ‘Sargum (practicing ascending and descending notes). Any classical musician would scare you with staggering stories, real and mythical, regarding student’s unshakeable allegiance to his /her teacher.

But in the conditions of modern society such a practice doesn’t seem viable. Hardly any student can take care of his/ her teacher’s shoes for a decade or prepare their hookah in order to be initiated. Secondly, Gharanas have failed to evolve an objective method of teaching that can benefit those who desire to practice music. The emphasis is on rote learning. Thirdly, Khan sahabs (Muslim maestros) are tradition-ridden; what comes from the past is sacred for them. The worth of a structure a Gharana has is measured by its supposed age. Old is literally considered gold. Thus innovation is a taboo. Any deviation or experiment is an anathema; it can defile the sanctity of heritage.

We invariably had evening studio shifts from 1970s onward for the recording of classical music at PTV Centre Lahore. Once I requested a star vocalist that would he care to sing something other than one of the evening ragas? He looked at me in utter wonder as if I had committed a cardinal sin. I argued that of course ach raga traditionally had for its rendition a specific time of day or night but if sung creatively a raga had the potential to change the sense of external time through its evocative power.

A morning raga, for example, sung in the evening would have the potential to create the ambiance of morning. He was not amused at all and thought that I was just being silly for being a non-practitioner. What Chhote Ghulam Ali Khan (Kasur Gharana) narrated can help us to understand the point. He narrated that Lahore Radio held one day music festival. Bade Ghulam Ali Khan rendered raga Basant Bahaar. When he finished “I felt as if my eyes couldn’t see any colour other than yellow; people turned yellow, walls turned yellow. I felt as if I had jaundice”. But any suggestion to innovate and experiment is spurned with the result that our classical musicians never imagine themselves to be out of the cocoon of their traditional comfort zone. No doubt they are highly accomplished and deserve all the admiration. Problem is that though they have highest level of skills they suffer from the poverty of imagination. They are stuck in a groove and make little effort to come out of it. Most of them are poorly schooled and lack exposure. However, we should not be obvious to the socio-cultural conditions created by the state in collusion with orthodox forces which treat creativity, innovation and experimentation as something heretical. Fed up with their constant struggle for bread and butter and social recognition musicians have resigned themselves to their fate. Seniors have become withdrawn.

Late Ustad Ghulam Hassan Shaggan, a robust vocalist of Gwalior-Kapurthala Gharana, lived life of a recluse for years. So did great Roshan Ara Begum of Kirana Gharana. Younger generation of Gharanas with no future prospects have almost given up classical music. A scion of an illustrious father and well-known Gharana performed in one of the sessions of the ‘All Pakistan Music Conference’ with such gusto that he frolicked on the stage from one end to the other. After his performance a senior citizen stood up and shouted; “I had the privilege of hosting your great father. I want to invite you for a private performance but I am afraid I don’t have a stage large enough for you at my home.”

It’s interesting to note that if our elites are indifferent to classical music, the musicians pay them in the same coin by pouring scorn on them; they dub them ‘Koodh’ (philistines). However it’s a matter of relief that classical music, a shared asset, is alive and kicking across the border in India.

To understand the difference in treatment classical music gets in India and Pakistan it is enough to observe the conduct of Indian and Pakistani artists on stage. Indians don lavish but refined dresses. They are self-assured and look gods. After greeting the audiences they forget them focusing on their music. Such supreme confidence is a result of their being proud of their profession which is respected and admired for its aesthetic and cultural value. The profession besides being a powerful means of artistic expression enables them to earn their fortune and social status.

On the other hand, our artists reflect how our society treats them. When they mount the stage they are unsure of themselves and thus tentative. They appear in gaudy regalia and are obsequious to their audiences eager to please them with their sycophantic gestures. This is how our philistines have reduced our classical musicians; they are treated as little more than a mere appendage of the entertainment industry.

Contemporary music scene in our society reminds me of late Ustad Nazar Husain, a unique music composer. “I wish music was a yard to measure a piece of a cloth for my shirt. I wish it was a basket filled with vegetables for my kitchen,” he said once. — soofi01@hotmail.com

(Concluded)

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2024