Ustad Alladiya Khan
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| Ustad Alladiya Khan अल्लादिया ख़ान |
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| Birth name | Ghulam Ahmad Khan |
| Born | August 10, 1855 |
| Origin | Atrauli, Uttar Pradesh |
| Died | ??, 1946 |
| Genre(s) | Dhrupad, Khayal, Bhajans, Thumris, Qawwalis |
| Occupation(s) | Hindustani Classical Vocalist |
| Years active | 1870 - 1940 |
| Label(s) | No Recordings Known |
"Gaan Samraat" Ustad Alladiya Khansahab (1855 – 1946) was one of the most distinguished Indian singers of his time, earning the grand title of "Gaan Samraat" (Emperor of Music). He is recognized for his creation of the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana, a Gharana based on the Agra Dhrupad Gharana. Khansahab is also recognized for his revival and creations of many Raags.
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[edit] Life
Alladiya Khan was born in 1885 to a family of musicians in Rajasthan. Though his father Ahmet Khan died early in Alladiya's life, his uncle, Jehangir Khan (of the Agra Gharana), taught him dhrupad for 5 years and then Khayal for another 8 years.
He served in the court of various kings of Rajasthan including that of Amlata. He sung so well and so much for the kings that he nearly lost his voice due to hours of daily singing. While trying to regain his voice he developed a new and profound style of singing by which he could sing without compromising the purity of raga but the passage, Taans, and creativity of singing the Raag. Later he settled down in Kolhapur as the court musician of the local king, Shahu Maharaj. In 1922 he moved back to Bombay due to the king's demise. With his distinguished reputation, Ustad Alladiya Khan became a gem among the many masters in Mumbai. He taught many disciples and sung in many mehfils in Mumbai to which his reputation as an academic grew. He grew wealthy, famous and well respected until his death, at the age of 91, in 1946.
His autobiography, as narrated to his grandson Azizzudin Khan Sahab, is available in English translation, as My Life, translated with and introduction by Amlan Dasgupta and Urmila Bhirdikar, published by Thema, Kolkata, 2000
[edit] Repetoire
Ustad Alladiya Khansahab was acknowledged for his creation and resurrection of many complex Raags such as Nat Kamod, Nat Bilawal, Sampoorna Malkauns, Basanti Kedar, and many more.
Many of these Raags were originally created and sung by the Havelis in northern Rajasthan, where Khansahab grew up. Hearing the Haveli sangeet Khansahab took many of the Raag-based Bhajans (either taking the Raag or Bhajan) and created Raags and Bandishes with them. One of the Raags he resurrected was Raag Basanti Kanada. Few of the many Haveli sangeet dhrupads which he made into bandishes were the famous Raag Nayaki Kanada Bandish "Mero Piya Rasiya" and Bihagda Bandish "Ye Pyaari pag hole".
[edit] Students
Khansahab's most principle disciples were his younger brother, Ustad Haider Khan and his own sons, Ustad Manji Khansahab and Ustad Bhurji Khansahab. Khansahab's brother helped grow the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana after Khansahab's demise. Ustad Manji Khan, the first son, died early in 1937, so it was Ustad Bhurji Khan, the youngest son, who passed on the Gayaki of his father to others worthy of it.
Apart from family, Khansahab's initial disciples were Sarangiya Ustad Abdul Majid Khan, Pandit Bhaskarbuwa Bakhale, and Pandit Wamanrao Sadolikar
In Mumbai, Alladiya Khan saheb's prime disciples were Smt. Kesarbai Kerkar, "Gaanatapaswini" Smt. Mogubai Kurdikar and Nivruttibuwa Sarnaik.
