KARACHI: Classical music Instruments on the way out
By Bahzad Alam Khan
KARACHI, March 22: Many eastern classical music instruments have fallen into disuse as the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation and Pakistan Television — two major patrons of classical music in the past — turn to so-called modern instruments.
Musicians bewail the fact that the two state sponsors of classical music are fast turning to the keyboard and other electronic gadgets which can be programmed to sound like a range of instruments in their bid to end their dependence on musicians.
They point out that classical instruments like Chutarveena, Rudraveena, Sarod, Tanpura, Ektara, Sarangi, Dilruba, Jaltarang, etc have either been replaced by electronic gadgets or sunk into oblivion completely.
Analysts maintain that throughout Pakistan’s history musicians and instrumentalists have been treated with indifference, if not downright disdain, for it has always been assumed that Islam has little to do with music and other performing arts.
In his memoirs, Sarguzisht, the first director-general of Radio Pakistan, Zulfiqar Ali Bokhari, recalls how the age-old tradition of classical music was wastefully squandered by people following partition of the subcontinent. He writes: ”In the past, the Muslims excelled in all fields of human endeavour: painting, poetry, Mushaira, theatre, film, etc. And today? In Pakistan these days our actors and intellectuals denounce the music created by Amir Khusrau, Ata Hussain Khan (aka Tansen) and Hazrat Sultan Sharqi of Jaunpur state. Leading musicians such as Jhandey Khan, Abdul Karim Khan, Fayyaz Khan, Aashiq Ali Khan, Bundoo Khan, Ali Buksh, Fateh Ali Khan, Meherban, Rajab Ali Khan, Allah Diya Khan, Sadarang, Adarang, etc have been forgotten. Yesterday, their songs were our prized singing tradition. Today, they are not even acceptable to the young. As a result, we have discarded and disowned this classical tradition. India, on the other hand, has laid claim to this cherished classical tradition.”
Leading musician Arshad Mahmood points out that at times musicians, pressed for time, are forced to prefer electronic gadgets to instrumentalists, for “electronic instruments always turn up on time and do not eat paan”. Talking to Dawn recently, he said: “However, a keyboard or any other electronic instrument is as good as the player. Besides, it is not a substitute for a skillful instrumentalist. Besides, it is not a substitute for a skillful instrumentalist. We have an excellent Sitar player in Nafees Ahmad. Why does Pakistan Television or the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation not arrange solo functions for such a great instrumentalist? Because the question is that if these organizations do not get him to play for their programmes, who would?”
It is ironic that while most eastern classical music instruments are gathering dust in museums, those instruments which have become popular in the West are still going strong. Talking to Dawn, Sitar player Nafees Ahmad said: “A lot of people ask me what would be the future of Sitar. My answer to this question is that the future of Sitar is bright, because it is being played by western instrumentalists. All those instruments which have found favour with western musicians are not really threatened with extinction.”
