The Day I Became Baba Bismillah Khan’s Adopted Daughter – Dr. Soma Ghosh

In 2001, the legendary shehnai maestro, the late Bismillah Khan, who was awarded the Bharat Ratna, elevated the shehnai from being a mere ceremonial instrument to a major instrument of Indian classical music. He is credited with making the shehnai world-famous. Although he was a Shia Muslim by birth, he was also a devoted follower of Goddess Saraswati. He adopted Dr. Soma Ghosh, a Hindu Brahmin girl and classical singer, as his daughter. During his lifetime, he even refused proposals to settle in the United States, as his musical journey was deeply connected to the Ganga, Kashi, and the temples of Balaji. The great shehnai maestro, Bismillah Khan, was born on March 21, 1916, in Dumraon, Bihar, and passed away on August 21, 2006, in Varanasi. His adopted daughter, classical singer Dr. Soma Ghosh, fulfills her promise to the former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam by organizing a music program every year on August 21, Bismillah Khan’s death anniversary, in his memory.

Recently, Dr. Soma Ghosh spoke to Mayapuri and shared many memories about the late Bismillah Khan.

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You are originally from Varanasi, and the famous shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan was also from there. Is that how your meeting happened?

Our first meeting has a very unique story. In 2000, after the sudden demise of my guru, Mrs. Bageshwari Devi, I organized a music program at Nehru Centre, Mumbai, in her memory, and we invited Bismillah Khan Ji. Actually, my guru, Mrs. Bageshwari Devi, used to reside in Vindhyachal, where I used to go to learn music from her. She always told me that even after she is gone, I should continue performing shehnai music because it is precious. She was a pure singer of Banaras, and we performed in her style. Her sudden demise was shocking.

Almost everyone knows that in Varanasi, main artists often do not get money. Only the accompanying musicians earn a little. This is why my guru left Banaras to do spiritual practice in Vindhyachal. She struggled financially because she couldn’t find a job without a degree. Unfortunately, in earlier times, artists didn’t think about getting degrees—they were fully devoted to their art. Earlier, kings and rulers used to patronize art and artists. Artists in the Darbhanga court were supported, and the Kashi Naresh also protected them, provided land and covered expenses. But now, true artists rarely get such patronage. True practitioners are fully immersed in music and only see God through it. Naturally, they don’t focus on earning money or taking up jobs.

After my guru’s demise, I decided to pay a special tribute to her. I organized a music program at Nehru Centre in Mumbai in 2001 and invited Ustad Bismillah Khan. At that time, he had not yet received the Bharat Ratna. By the time he attended my program, he had been awarded the Bharat Ratna. I had booked him for January 15, 2001, and he received the Bharat Ratna on January 26, 2001. So, after receiving the Bharat Ratna, Bismillah Khan played shehnai first at my concert. He did not know anything about me before coming, and I had never met him before. Many other artists advised me not to invite him. One senior artist even offered that instead of Bismillah Khan, I should invite him and he would take me to 15 musical concerts in London. But I did not change my mind. I said I wanted nothing except to pay tribute to my guru. My decision brought me a lot. Perhaps God was testing me. At our program, along with Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Home Minister Kripashankar Singh, Sunil Dutt also attended and welcomed Bismillah Khan Ji. He was declared a ‘state guest.

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The program was scheduled to start at 7 PM; I was performing first, and Bismillah Khan Ji was given the time slot of 7:45 PM, but as soon as my performance started, he arrived and was seated backstage. Perhaps my devotion and sincerity were working.

After listening to my singing for three to four minutes, he asked, “Who is singing? This is like the voice of old Rasoolan Bai.” My husband and three-time National Award-winning film director Shubhankar Ghosh were sitting with him. They told him that the person who invited him is singing. Then he said, “Okay, she sings too. I will first meet the one who is singing.” This is the magic of classical music. From that first meeting itself, our father-daughter bond was formed. Everyone feared Bharat Ratna Bismillah Khan, but in front of me, he became like a child. Our program was magnificent. As I was seeing him off, he himself said, “Daughter! I will play with you.” This was about 24 years ago, when I was quite young. Now I realize how big a blessing I received that day.

When he said he would play with me, I thought it was a passing remark. A few days later, when I was in Kolkata for my in-laws, there was a musical program where Baba had come. When I reached him at the hotel, he said, “How could you forget what I said? Did you think I was joking? This is not a joke. It is Allah’s blessing. I have to do it for you. A great singer is performing with me, but I was thinking of you. You have 50 years of singing experience, which is unmatched.” I cried and said, “Baba, how is this possible? You are Bharat Ratna, and I am so young. What will people say?” Baba said, “Music is not inherited. Only those who practice it as devotion receive it. God wants to give you. We are only fulfilling God’s wish.”

Then he asked me to meet him in Varanasi, where he wanted to perform a jugalbandi with me. And that happened.

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Do you think this was the power of music?

Absolutely. Indian classical music has unmatched power. We need to take classical music to children. People donate to temples and renovate them. Why not for classical arts? Music existed before religion. In the form of Omkar, music existed in the universe even before creation. After creation, the first religious text was the Vedas, specifically Samaveda, which clearly mentions that peace is necessary to receive anything. Today, the environment is deteriorating. Awareness of music is needed. Music has a spiritual power that can calm and transform.

You mentioned patronage of art has reduced. Do you think money has become too important?

Yes. Now glamour and money dominate. Even during Durga Puja, film personalities are paid crores, but classical singers are ignored. Earlier, directors like Ritwik Ghatak, Bimal Roy, and V. Shantaram respected classical music. Music directors like Naushad Ji were considered divine. Today, filmmakers have moved away from classical music and literature, leading to cinema’s decline.

Where did you first perform a jugalbandi with Baba Bismillah Khan and what did you sing?

Every wish of Baba was fulfilled. Baba had told me, “Beta, I want to play the shehnai in the Parliament, at India Gate, and perform a concert with Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi.” Baba also mentioned that in their childhood, he and Pandit Bhimsen Joshi were very close friends. But now, no one could arrange a performance with both of them together because both were Bharat Ratnas. Organizing them together was no small task. Baba came with a troupe of 12 people, and Pandit Bhimsen Joshi had six people with him. There were expenses for plane tickets, accommodation, food, and managing Baba’s mood, which was not an easy task for anyone. I promised Baba that all his wishes would be fulfilled, and it was also by the grace of the Almighty. My NGO took care of fulfilling all of Baba’s wishes. However, the credit goes to the late Balasaheb Thackeray, who organized everything and even ensured the payment, as he held Baba in deep respect.

Before the jugalbandi program in Parliament, I would like to share some of Baba’s words. He always said to seek the blessings of saints. Every artist should take blessings from saints. Even Baba had received darshan of Lord Shiva three times at the Balaji temple. He always said that if you do riyaaz (practice) as mere practice, you gain nothing. When you treat it as worship, only then will it bear fruit. “This is the Sur Maharaj (Master of Melody). How many people get to see God? But we may not see God in His form; we can see God in sur (musical note)! This is God. When ‘e’ is added to sur, it becomes swar (musical note), and when ‘a’ is added to sur, it becomes asur (demon).”

Before the program at Nehru Centre, my guru in Ujjain had told me, “You may be happy with this, but I am not. We want to see you perform in Parliament with Bismillah Khan.” I asked, “Baba, how will I go to Parliament?” He said, “Everything will happen, you just try.” After that, I started the preparations and contacted Balasaheb Thackeray. Everything fell into place. We went to Parliament, and Baba played the shehnai there. This was in 2002. My singing took place along with him. Initially, the program was supposed to have the Prime Minister, the President, all state chief ministers, and MPs. It was supposed to be a historic event. But a few days before, Baba suffered from heatstroke, and we were worried about how the program would happen. I rushed to Baba’s house in Banaras and played the shehnai in his ears. Within a few minutes, he recovered, and the program in Parliament was completed. On that day, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee could not attend due to a high fever, but President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was present. The President was so moved after listening to the program that he called me and Baba to meet him the next day. I went alone, as Baba did not go. The President shared that it was his dream to organize a jugalbandi of Bismillah Khan’s shehnai and my singing at the Mughal Garden before his tenure ended. This program took place at the Mughal Garden on 4 March 2006, and Baba passed away on 21 August 2006.

During the 4 March program, an extraordinary incident occurred. Baba’s shehnai did not sound at first. I felt that the life force of his shehnai was gone. At that time, he had perhaps only half a body of strength left. Then he sang and performed the jugalbandi with me.

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I learned a lot from Baba Bismillah Khan. Ten days before his demise on 21 August, I went to meet him in Banaras. I also had a concert at the Ganga Mahotsav there. Baba told me, “Do not lose yourself at someone else’s word. First, sing with some attention, then sing whatever you want. Do not be afraid. Even if eight out of ten people leave after listening to your singing, do not worry. People will come back to listen to you… this is my blessing.”

He used to say that when you comment on someone, always follow through. I always did. At the Manikarnika Ghat in Banaras, the trustee told me that during Chaitra Navratri, the Nagarvadhu (temple dancers) come to perform. People come with alcohol and ill intentions. How can we prevent this? I promised Baba that I would sing this time. He said, “You are a Brahmin girl… what are you saying?” I told him, “No one is above or below in devotion… devotion does not lower anyone’s status.” When the king renovated the temple, everyone refused to sing, saying it was a cremation ground. Then the Nagarvadhus came to dance, as Lord Shiva resides there, and for the past 350 years, they have been coming to dance. They are embodiments of Shiva and forms of Goddess Durga. I also promised to cover the expenses. Now see how God tests us. I fulfilled my commitment and caught a plane to Mumbai. Meanwhile, I received a call from the Judges’ Association in Allahabad inviting me to perform at the 150-year celebration of the Judge’s Club, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi would also attend. I declined. They were offering a huge amount, but I had already committed to someone else. Sadly, nowadays, people do not honor their commitments. People commit, but when they are offered more money elsewhere, they immediately forget their promise and go for the higher pay.

After the first jugalbandi, what changes did you feel?

Many offers for jugalbandi came, but Baba said, “My daughter, I am not being charitable. Twenty to twenty-five lakh rupees must be paid for the jugalbandi.” This was a record. Baba only performed jugalbandis for me after that, specifically for my NGO Madhu Moorchhna.

How was your promise with Baba fulfilled?

Baba’s every wish was fulfilled. He wanted to play in Parliament, at India Gate, and with Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. My NGO arranged all these programs. Credit goes to Balasaheb Thackeray, who organized these events.

Why did you decide to write the book ‘Baba and Me’ on Bismillah Khan?

Because he was a true faqir artist. I saw Lord Shiva in him. All virtues—truth, beauty, goodness—were in him. The book narrates my childhood, family, Varanasi gharana, and my journey with Baba from 2001 to 2006.

What all are you doing to keep the memory of Bismillah Khan alive?

I promised former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to keep his memory alive. We made a documentary directed by Shubhankar Ghosh. I wrote the book Baba and Me. Every year, on his death anniversary, I organize a program in Delhi. We also honor shehnai players or their family members to preserve his legacy. Past honorees include Pandit Kishan Maharaj, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Vidushi Prabha Atre, Pandit Jasraj, Ustad Afzal Ali Khan, and Suresh Talwalkar.

You organize a program every year on Bismillah Khan’s death anniversary… is it just to remember him?

Not just to remember him. We also support shehnai players, especially those facing financial or medical hardships. I am also working to preserve endangered musical instruments.