Hyderabad:

In a narrow lane of Goshamahal, behind a Durga temple, flows the dhun of ageless ghazals from the doors of Sangeet Sadhna, a hall dedicated to music by Pandit Vithal Rao Shivpurkar, one of the last court musicians of the Nizams. Hyderabadi classical ghazal tradition can be traced to Vithal Rao, who at 81 is still hail and hearty or `gazab’ as the last Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan called him. A heart attack that he suffered has failed to dampen his spirit as he sits straight on a carpet with his legs crossed, dressed in his trademark white kurta pajama, with pictures of  Md Rafi and Bade Ghulam Ali Khan saab adorning the walls, giving a glimpse into a glorious past he has lived.

With the mere mention of his huzoor, Osman Ali Khan, his eyes brighten up and a 13-year-old Vithal leaps out of his persona. He narrates, “I had taught the boys from Goshamahal School one of Huzoor’s nazms which they used to sing every morning before entering their classes,” and thus flows from his mellifluous voice__ “shahe deccan zindabaad, zindabaad-pa-hindabaad”. In no time, the Nizam heard of this little boy, whose father was a pehelwan, and called for him. “I did not know what to sing and was very nervous,” recalls Vithal. He sought the help of Shankiri Bai from Nizambaag who taught him the perfect song for the occasion. On the first day of his visit, huzoor sat on a rocking chair tapping his leg to keep with the beat. As Vithal reached the lines, “Khabar-e-tahayyur-e-ishq sun, na junootrahi na parii rahi/ na to tu rahaa na to main rahaa, jo rahii so bekhabarii rahi,” the Nizam stopped him and asked him to repeat it. Then he asked, “Naam kya hai?”(What is your name?). On hearing his Hindu name Rao, huzoor retorted “yeh gazab hain!” (It’s a wonder!) And this continued for the next ten days when Vithal was called over and over again to sing the same couplets which elicited the same response each time__ “Gazab hain!” Soon after, a gift of Rs 1,000 was sent to his house, in case the little boy lost it if handed over to him directly.

There was no looking back for Vithal Rao after this. He became a regular at the mehfils of the Nizam’s sons Taki Jah Bahadur, Hasm Jah Bahadur and he became a favourite of his daughter Shahazadi Pasha. Eventually, then prince Moazzam Jah Bahadur, who used to reside at Hillfort Palace took him under his wings. “The prince called a huge party where the creme-de-la-creme of Hyderabad was invited. He declared me as his son and renamed me Vithal Jah,” recounts Vithal. This was a moment of ultimate pride and happiness for him, says the singer who has been the lead in the military orchestra of the Nizams. In fact, the original orchestra of the Nizams used to play western instruments, but it was after hearing Vithal that a new orchestra was created to promote Indian music and he was made in charge of it.

Speaking of the change in music trends in Hyderabad, Vithal Rao says, “Pehle ghazal the, ab gazal hai.” He rues the end of a generation who knew and sang in correct Urdu. Sitting beside him, his nephews Sunil Rao and Deepak Rao, who are carrying forward his tradition of ghazals, nod in agreement. “The programmes today are mostly corporate sponsored. Artistes are treated as workmen whose work is to perform in return for fees, keeping in mind the changing taste of the audience,” says Sunil. “The element of respect is missing and art has become a commodity,” adds Vithal citing how in a recent show a lot of people came to watch him only to test his knowledge. “They went on giving various farmaish, from Mehdi Hassan to Ghulam Ali, but I managed to exhaust their requests,” Vithal says with a cynical laugh.

With pressures from all corners of the music world demanding an amendment in the classical format, does he think that ghazals can survive the changing taste? Vithal says till he is alive he will ensure that ghazals are alive. He has trained enough youngsters to carry forward his tradition and he has full confidence in them. But then nothing is certain. “Pakki baat zindagi, pakki baat maut, us beech kuch aisa kaam kar lena ki log bole__ achhe the,” the ghazal maestro signs off.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Hyderabad / by Pritha Chakrabarti / TNN / December 21st, 2011