Contribution of Rahimat Khan to Music

Contribution of Rahimat Khan in the field of music has left an indomitable impact on the field of Indian classical music. Rahimat Khan was born in a family where music was considered an important part of day to day living. In such an outpour of music of Gwalior Gharaanaa, the fountainhead of Hindustani classical music, Rahimat Khan began to learn singing at the age of four at his father`s feet. Besides, his maternal uncle Gulaam Nabib Khan, the Court Hakeem and sitar player, used to stay with his father. As soon as lessons in singing were over, Rahimat Khan would run to his uncle for sitar lessons. The call of the sitar grew stronger and stronger.

With time, Rahimat Khan, gained proficiency in singing and also in sitar, and received immense adulation for both from his guru and from listeners or audiences. From a very young age Rahimat Khan concentrated on the sitar, the instrument that was to make him immortal. Mumbai was the hub of musical activity, thanks to Bhatkhande and Paluskar. Naturally, Mumbai beckoned Rahimat Khan. All over Mumbai his concerts were held and his sitar play captured the hearts of music lovers and connoisseurs alike. He moved over to Pune where also his new sitar continued its conquests.

Rahimat Khan was a sitar player par excellence. His style was a fine blend of the melody of Beenkaar Gharaana, the high seriousness and infallible Layakaari of Gwalior Gharaana, coupled with Gaayaki Ang (the vocal touch).

Rahimat Khan belongs to a family steeped in a hoary tradition of music. Three generations before and after him have been musicians in his family. His father Gulaam Hussain Khan was a vocalist in the Court of Bhavanagar princedom. His grandfather Madaar Baksh was a vocalist and sitar player in the Court of Ratlam principality. His great grandfather was a vocalist in the Courts of Indore and Ratlam.

Rahimat Khan`s son, A. Karim Khan retired as Professor of Sitar from Karnatak College, Dharwad as also from the Academy of Music, Goa. Another son of Rahimat Khan, Satish Kumar, was a Staff Sitar Artiste in All India Radio, Delhi (A.I.R.). Yet another son Dastagir Khan, also a sitarist, runs a musical instruments shop at Mumbai.

Seven of Rahimat Khan`s nine grandsons are Sitarists. Usman Khan has settled at Pune, Bale Khan retired as staff artist from A.I.R. Dharwad. Mehboob Khan has settled at Mumbai. Hamid Khan is Principal of Karnatak College of Music, Dharwad. Chote Rahimat Khan teaches sitar at Goa Academy. The last twin grandsons, Shafique Khan and Rafique Khan, are staff artistes in A.I.R. Mangalore and Gulbarga.

Ever since he passed away in 1954, Rahimat Khan`s memory is kept alive through a music fete every year. First it was in Pune till 1961, when the family shifted to Dharwad, dislodged by the catastrophic Mula-Mutha flood. Since then it has been at Dharwad.

Artists like Hirabai Bododekar, Mallikarjun Mansur, Gangubai Hangal, Basavaraj Raj guru, Bhimsen Joshi, Prabha Atre, Rasiklal Andharia, Jitendra Abhiseki, Kankan Banerjee, Pandit Pratap Narayan, Prabhakar Karekar, Sangameshwar Gurav, Ashwini Bhide, Padma Talavalkar, Shruti Sadolikar, N.Rajam (Violin), Rajeev Taranath (Sarod), Vishwamohan Bhat (Mohan Veena), Brij Narain (Sarod) and a host of others have been featured in Rahimat Khan`s punyatithis. Many youngsters are provided exposure. Quite a few times, it has been a three-day music-dance festival. Over the years it has come to be so well-organized that music-lovers look forward to it.