The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan

Multiple Choice

Where is the shehnai played?

• Temples

• Mosques

• Weddings

• Both (a) and (c)

Multiple Choice

Who banned the playing of the pungi in the Mughal royal residence?

• Akbar

• Babar

• Humayun

• Alamgir

​Aurangzeb is also known as Alamgir.

Multiple Choice

The pungi was banned for its sound had a _______.

• Low pitch

• High pitch

• Low amplification

• High amplification

​If a sound is shrill, it means it has a high pitch or frequency.

Amplified sound refers to the sound for which the volume has been increased.​

Multiple Choice

_________ became the generic name for reeded noisemakers.

• Pungi

• Shehnai

• Violin

• Clarinet

Multiple Choice

The _____ who had access to the royal palace and belonged to a family of ___________, wanted to improve the _____ quality of the Pungi.

• nai, shehnai players, toning

• barber, shehnai players, tonesome

• barber, professional musicians, tonal

• barber, shehnai nawazes, physical

Multiple Choice

The barber chose a pipe with a _____ stem that was _____ and _______ than the pungi and made ______ holes on the pipe's body to make the _______.

• hollow, broader, longer, eight, pungi

• natural hollow, longer, broader, seven, shehnai

• natural, broader, longer, eight, pungi

• natural hollow, longer, broader, 7, shehnai

​While learning a language, numerals are written in the same language. E.g.,

Seven (not 7)

Eight (not 8)​

Multiple Choice

The shehnai produced ____ and _________ sounds.

• shrill, unpleasant

• good, better

• beautiful, adorable

• soft, melodious

Multiple Choice

Shehnai is composed of the words-

• Shah (Aurangzeb) +nai (barber)

• sah(Aurangzeb) +nai(barber)

• sah(shaahi darbaar) +nai(barber)

• shah(shaahi darbaar) +nai(barber)

​In online media, you would find the explanation to Shah's chambers given as 'shaahi darbaar', which is wrong. As you can see, 'Shah' is capitalised, which suggests that it is a proper noun and hence another name for Aurangzeb.

Draw

Encircle the shehnai from the following.

Multiple Choice

Why is the shehnai played in temples and North Indian weddings?

• It is nefarious

• It is ineffable

• It is negligible

• It is auspicious

​Vocabulary for the previous question:

ineffable: something that you cannot measure.

nefarious: something that is considered as a crime.​

auspicious: lucky

negligible: in a little amount​

Multiple Choice

In the past, the _______ was a part of the ______ or the traditional ensemble of ______ instruments found at royal courts.

• Shehnai, naubat, nine

• Marimba, navratna, 9

• Marimba, navratna, nine

• Shehnai, naubat, 9

Evelyn Glennie used to play the marimba.

Marimba

Multiple Choice

The credit for bringing the shehnai onto the _____ stage goes to Ustad Bismillah Khan.

• Physical

• Chemical

• Classical

• Contemporary

Multiple Choice

Bismillah Khan at ___ years of age played ____ near a ____ in the ancient estate of _____ in ____.

• three, shehnai, temple, Benaras, Bihar

• five, gilli-danda, pond, Dumraon, Bihar

• five, shehnai, temple, Benaras, Uttar Pradesh

• None of these

Multiple Choice

Khan used to regularly go to the ____ temple to sing the ______ and would earn a laddu weighing _____ given by the _______ which happened ___ years ago.

• Bihariji, Bhojpuri Chaita, 1.25 kg, local Maharaja, eighty

• Bihariji, Bhojpuri Chaita, 1.75 kg, eighty, local Maharaja

• Shakti, Bhojpuri Chaita, 1.25 kg, local Maharaja, eighty

• Bihariji, Bhojpuri Chaita, 1.25 kg, local Maharaja, seventy-nine

Multiple Choice

Bismillah was born on ____.

• 21 August, 1916

• 23 March, 1916

• 21 September, 1916

• 21 March, 1916

Multiple Choice

The paternal side of Bismillah's family were the ____ who lived in ____ and were great ____ players.

• Bux's, Benaras, tabla

• Khan's, Dumraon, shehnai

• Khan's, Dumraon, shahnai

• Bux's, Dumaraon, shehnai

​The paternal side of Bismillah family were the Khan's and the maternal side were the Vilayatu's. Bux is a common surname in the Muslim community which both the maternal (Ali Bux) and paternal (Paigambar Bux) sides of Bismillah carried.

Multiple Choice

Bismillah's grandfather, __________, was the _________ of the __________.

His (Bismillah's) father's name was ___________.

• Paigambar Bux, Shehnai nawaaz, Bhojpur king's court, Rasool Bux Khan

• Shah Bux, Shehnai nawaz, Bhojpur king's court, Rasool Bux Khan

• Paigambar Khan, Shehnai nawaz, Bhojpur king's court, Rasool Bux Khan

• Rasool Bux Khan, Shehnai nawaz, Bhojpur king's court, Paigambar Bux

Multiple Choice

Bismillah's maternal side lived in _____ in _______ and were great _______ players.

• Varanasi, Chhattisgarh, pungi

• Dumaraon, Bihar, shehnai

• Benaras, Uttar Pradesh, shehnai

• Benaras, Bihar, shehnai

Multiple Choice

The lad took to music when he turned _____ and his mother took him to his _____ uncle's house where he was awestruck watching his uncles practise the _____.

• four, paternal, shehnai

• three, naternal, pungi

• Paigambar Bux, Shehnai nawaaz, Bhojpur king's court, Rasool Bux Khan

• three, maternal, shehnai

Multiple Choice

Bismillah's maternal uncle's name was ______.

• Rasool Bux

• Paigambar Bux

• Ali Bux

• Ail Bux

Multiple Choice

Khan started accompanying his uncle to the ______ temple in _____ where Ali Bux was employed to play the _____.

• Narayana, Benaras, shehnai

• Kamalnayan, Benaras, shehnai

• Vishnu, Benaras, shehnai

• All of these

​Soon after, Bismillah started getting lessons in playing the shehnai.

Multiple Choice

What were the young apprentice's favorite haunts?

• Balaji and Mangala Maiya temple, Ganga river bank

• Bihariji and Mangala Maiya temple, Ganga river bank

• Balaji and Shanti Maiya temple, Ganga river bank

• Balaji and Mangala Maiya temple, Yamuna river bank

Multiple Choice

The flowing waters of the river ____ inspired Bismillah to _______ and ______ _______ that were earlier considered to be beyond the _____ of the shehnai.

• Yamuna, invent, imrpovise, rags, range

• Ganga, imrovise, invent, raagas, range

• Ganga, imrovise, invent, raagas, volume

• Both (b) and (c)

​Range refers to frequency and not amplitude.

Multiple Choice

At the age of four___, Bismillah accompanied his uncle to the ___________.

• teen, Muzaffarpur Music Conference

• (?) Prayagraj Music Conference

• teen, Allahabad Music Conference

• toddler, Allahabad Music Conference

Multiple Choice

Ustad _________ patted Bismillah's back and said, ___________

• Faiyaz Ali, Work hard to achieve your goal

• Faiyaz Ali, "Work hard to chieve your goal."

• Faiyaz Khan, "Work hard and you shall make it."

• Faiyaz Khan, "Work hard and you shall make it".

​Be careful with the punctuation to be used in direct speech.

Multiple Choice

Bismillah's big break came with the opening of the ________ in __________ in the year _____ after which he became a/an ________ on radio.

• 92.7 Big FM, Lucknow, 1938, often-heard

• Radio Mirchi, Lucknow, 1947, often-listened to

• All India Radio, Kopak, 1938, often -heard

• None of these

​Bismillah Khan's big break came with the opening of the All India Radio in Lucknow in the year 1938 after which he became an often-heard player on radio.

Multiple Choice

Bismillah Khan became the first person to greet the nation on the __________ on ____________(date) with his shehnai by playing raag ___ from the ________.

• Independence Day, 15 August 1947, Kafi, Red Fort

• Republic Day, 15 August 1947, Kafi, Red Fort

• Independence Day, 15 August 1945, Kafi, Red Fort

• Independence Day, 15 August 1947, Kaafi, Red Fort

Multiple Choice

'Tryst with Destiny' speech was given by _________.

• Dr B.R. Ambedkar

• Dr Rajendra Prasad

• Dr K.K. Aggarwal

• Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru

Multiple Choice

Bismillah's first trip abroad was to ____ where _____ gifted him priceless _____ and other _______.

• U.S.A. President Lincoln, jewels, awards

• Montreal, World Exposition, awards, recognition

• Afghanistan, King Zahir Shah, Persian carpets, souvenirs

• Teheran, King Aurangzeb, Coca Colas, soft drinks

Multiple Choice

Bismillah Khan composed __________ in the film_______ directed by __________.

• 'Dil Ka Khilona Hai Toot Gaya', 'Gunj Uthi Shehnai', Vijay Bhatt

• Kannada songs, 'Sanadhi Apanna', Vikram Srinivas

• music, 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe', Andrew Adamson

• Both (a) and (b)

​It is wardrobe and not wadrobe.

Multiple Choice

Which awards were conferred on Bismillah Khan?

• Padma Shri

• Padma Bhushan

• Padma Vibhushan

• All of the above

Multiple Choice

In the year ___, Bismillah Khan won the Bharat Ratna to which he said, "---"

• 2005, God Forbid! Me, leave Benaras?

• 2007, Work hard and you shall make it.

• 2001, Teach your children music, this is Hindustan's richest tradition; even the West is now coming to learn our music.

• 2006, Teach your children music, this is Hindustan's richest tradition; even the West is now coming to learn our music.

Multiple Choice

Bismillah Khan is fondly called _______.

• Khansaab

• Khansahab

• Khansahib

• Ustad

Multiple Choice

A student of his once asked him to head a shehnai school in ____.

• U.S.A.

• U.K.

• Netherlands

• None of these

​Ans. the U.S.A. (not U.S.A.)

Multiple Choice

What is special to Dumraon?

• Bihar

• Mattha

• Peda

• Rasgulla

Multiple Choice

When Bismillah crossed the border to say he has been to Pakistan, he said _______ to the Pakistanis and _________ to Indians.

• namaskar, salaam alaikum

• namashkaar, assalaam alaikum

• salaam alaikum, namaskar

• All of these

Multiple Choice

The previous question was asked to Bismillah in an interview with _______ which was published in ______ in the month of _________ in the year ______.

• Shyam Kumar, The Times of India, 2005, October

• Shyam Kumar, The Hindustan Times, 2005, October

• Shekhar Gupta, Readers' Digest, October, 2005

• Shekhar Gupta, Reader's Digest, October, 2005

Multiple Choice

Bismillah Khan's life is an example of the heritage of India that effortlessly accepts that a devout ____ like can very naturally play the shehnai every ____ at the ________.

• Muslim, evening, Kashi Vishwanath Temple

• Muslim, morning, Somnath Temple

• Muslim, morning, Vishwanath Temple

• Muslim, morning, Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Multiple Choice

Bismillah Khan passed away on _________ at the age of _______.

• 21 August, 2006, ninety

• 21 August, 2005, eighty

• 23 August, 2006, ninety

• 21 September, 2006, eighty

Multiple Choice

He was given _______ and the Government of India declared one day of _________.

• sweets, celebration

• the Bharat Ratna, celebration

• a state funeral, national mourning

• a state funeral, national morning

Multiple Choice

__________ and _________ were the most wonderful towns in the world for Bismillah Khan.

• Mumbai, Shahjahanabaad

• Mumbai, Dehli

• Benaras, Bihar

• Benaras, Dumraon

Draw

Encircle Bismillah Khan from the following.