Shujaat Hussain Khan

Indian classical music has accommodated all sorts of instruments. Each of these instruments has its own beauty. One of the finest instruments Indian Classical Music has is, Sitar. Sitar is perhaps the most delicate instrument. Most loved by the listeners across the world. Shujaat Hussain Khan, one of the famous musicians of India has created his own place in the world of Sitar players.

Shujaat Hussain Khan is son of the legendry Sitar player, Ustaad Vilayat Khan. I have been listening to him for quite a long. Shujaat Hussain Khan won my heart in his first record. It was Raga Charukeshi played by him for the album Maestro’s Choice. Then, I tried to get his different recordings and loved him more and more.

Yesterday, I got a chance to listen him in a live concert that too just 15 feet away from the stage. The concert was named ‘Arghya’ is memory of Pandit Bhimsen Joshi at Pune. Shujaat Hussain Khan played Raga Shuddha Kalyan. It was really very nice experience to listen to him. Shuddha Kalyan was being played very delicately, breezes were flowing and audience was at peak of their tastefulness. The composition was, ‘Maundar Bajo’ by Ustaad Amir Khan Sahab which is made very popular by Pandit Bhimsen Joshi Ji.

The thing which I liked the most is, Shujaat Hussain is dissolved in his music while playing. He is totally in tune with his music. The world gets closed- he and his Sitar; noting else. He just constantly tries to make it very delicate, goes on refining it again and again. The outcome of this all effort is, a performance which always goes on higher and higher, which takes audience higher and higher along with it. Shujaat Hussain Khan Ji is much concerned about the subtlety of Sitar. He very well knows for what Sitar is made. He knows Sitar completely.

His was followed by a vocal performance accompanied by Sitar by him. He sung very beautiful Sufi compositions. He was singing, along with him was singing was his Sitar. Each verse was followed by a clapping. His Sitar was picking up the najakat of each word and was putting it in front of the thousands of people. For nearly an hour, he took us all in a very delicate world. Shujaat Hussain Khan  is certainly a worthy successor of ImdadKhani Gharana and soon will take it to the never seen heights.