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Classic act
Flanked by one son making the vocal journey with his father, and another son accompanying him on the harmonium, Naseeruddin Saami recently bowled over with his magic a small gathering of classical music lovers in Karachi. The only drawback that marred the evening was the thought of so few people enjoying this rare treat.
Saami’s ancestors founded the school of music known as the Delhi Gharana. His ancestor, Mian Samanth, had the privilege of being trained by Hazrat Amir Khusro himself. Another great personality from his family, Ustad Taan Rus Khan, led the music troupe in the court of Bahadur Shah Zafar.
It is ironic that despite his impressive background and distinct style, Naseeruddin Saami has not been encouraged to perform on radio and television. And it is only of late that he is geting the recognition that he clearly deserves
S.U. Khan, while introducing Saami to the audience, said that ‘Taan Rus’ was the title bestowed upon the Ustad by the Mughal Emperor for curing a close relative of insomnia. Mr Khan rightly pointed out that Saami combines the traditional vocalist art of the Delhi Gharana, in practice for the last 700 years, as well as his training with his own four mentors. His main mentor was his uncle and father-in-law, the renowned Munshi Raziuddin.
Saami started the performance with raga Aiman, which he said was derived from amn, the Arabic word for peace and calm. It set the pace for the evening. He then sang three pieces in raga Adana, which he had recently recorded for Anarkali. This dance-drama has been scripted and directed by designer Rizwan Beyg, to be performed in Los Angeles, New York and London.
Saami started raga Adana with the first piece, a Sadra, Langa Chado Ramji, which he said was introduced during Emperor Akbar’s time. “There was no Hindu-Muslim in the music of those times, as music was for all,” he said, referring to the words.
One was reminded of Bade Ghulam Ali, when he returned to India in 1950 when Radio Pakistan would not let him sing Hari Om Tat Sat, the first song he learnt from his ustad as a guru-mantra.
The second Sadra was Ram Chado Raghbir, and the third piece was a Tirwat for which Saami credited Amir Khusro who mixed the words of the tabla and pakhawaj, and set them in a raga. “Laykari ka khail hota hai,” (It is all a play of melody) Saami further elucidated, and proved it, too.
After giving his audience a taste of this superb rendition, he sang raga Des, and next was vocal acrobatics at its best in raga Jaijaiwanti in the Dhrupad style, which is the 15th century temple and court genre. Saami continued to enthral his spell-bound audience with raga Basant, then a thumri, Jaag Padi May Tau Piya Kay Jagae and then ended the evening with the celebrated and sensuous Bhairveen: Bajubund Khul Khul Jae, Kaa Karay Waid Bechara.
It is ironic that despite his impressive background and distinct style, Saami has not been encouraged to perform on radio and television, and it is quite recent that he has been brought out of obscurity.
He was ‘discovered’ by Beena Jawwad who persuaded him to shift to Lahore, where he was introduced to classical music lovers. In turn, a connoisseur who lives in Lahore, Haris Noorani, launched him in Karachi. The credit for organizing this memorable performance goes to Sampurna, which celebrates its fifth year this month. Saffia Beyg is the moving spirit behind it.
Saami is not new to audiences in Delhi and Bombay though, where he has given many performances and his singing has become extremely popular. Despite his surging popularity in India, he is only just beginning to get recognized in Pakistan. Saami’s sons, Mohammad Urooj and Rauf Naseer, are competent enough but fortune has not endowed them as liberally as it did their father. They are apparently good teachers, and a few young students who are under the tutelage of the trio were seen listening with rapt attention.
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