{"id":8558,"date":"2024-01-07T18:33:07","date_gmt":"2024-01-07T13:03:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/calamur.org\/gargi\/?p=8558"},"modified":"2024-01-07T18:34:10","modified_gmt":"2024-01-07T13:04:10","slug":"classical-music-had-a-long-relationship-with-the-indian-freedom-movement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/calamur.org\/gargi\/2024\/01\/07\/classical-music-had-a-long-relationship-with-the-indian-freedom-movement\/","title":{"rendered":"Let the shehnai play: Ragas of Indian freedom"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

this appeared in the ‘Splainer on the 12th of August<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the 15th of August 1947, as the world slept,  India achieved independence from British rule. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the country’s first Prime Minister, raised the Indian national flag at the Red Fort in Delhi and delivered the historic “Tryst with Destiny” speech. On the same day, at the same event, Ustad Bismillah Khan played the shehnai from the ramparts of the Red Fort. The raga he chose for this historic occasion was “Raga Kafi,” which was symbolic in evoking a sense of joy and celebration. The soulful rendition of Raga Kafi on his shehnai resonated with the emotions of millions of Indians celebrating their newfound freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, there is no known recording of the Ustad’s performance at the Red Fort on the 15th of August 1947. In an era when recording was expensive, and the need to preserve memories was not seen as important, the historical event was probably not recorded, and no recordings have surfaced since. This is a great loss, as it would have been a priceless historical document of a truly historic moment. This is one of his later renditions of Raga Kafi<\/strong><\/a>, a jugalbandi<\/em> with N Rajam on the violin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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