The 54th death anniversary of legendary Indian classical musician and maestro Ustad Allauddin Khan is being observed today, September 6. He died in Maihar, India, on this day in 1972.
Allauddin Khan was born on 8 October, 1862, in Shibpur village of what is now Nabinagar upazila in Brahmanbaria. His parents were Sabdar Hossain Khan, also known as Sadu Khan, and Sundari Begum. He was the third of five brothers.
He had one son, Ali Akbar Khan, and two daughters, Sarija and Roushan Ara, who later became known as Annapurna Devi, with his wife Madani Bibi.
Allauddin Khan developed a deep passion for music from childhood. He found the restrictions of formal schooling difficult and left home for Kolkata at the age of eight to pursue musical training. There, he adopted the name Monmohan Deb and began learning instrumental music from Ustad Nulo Babu.
After 33 years of rigorous practice and training under several masters, he emerged as one of the subcontinent’s finest musicians. His long musical education concluded with lessons in the veena under Ustad Wazir Khan.
Allauddin Khan played a major role in taking classical raga music beyond royal courts and making it accessible to ordinary people. A master of numerous instruments, he was also one of the principal architects of the Maihar gharana.
Among the notable ragas he created are Madina Manjuri, Shobhavati, Dhavashree, Bhuvaneshwar, Durgeshwari, Hemanta, Umavati, Prabhavati, Hem Behag and Nagarjun.
During a world tour in 1936, his performances in London and several other countries received widespread acclaim.
In recognition of his contribution to music, he received numerous national and international honours, including the Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Desikottama, honorary doctorates and fellowships.
He also served as an important member of India’s Central Education Commission.
Despite his international fame, Allauddin Khan maintained a deep connection with his birthplace, Shibpur. At his mother’s request, he arranged for a pond to be excavated and a permanent mosque to be built there. He visited his birthplace for the final time in 1954.
The legendary musician died in Maihar on 6 September, 1972, at the age of 109. On his death anniversary, music lovers in Brahmanbaria and beyond are remembering the great maestro with respect.
