New Delhi, Aug 07: When Bismillah Khan's shehnai echoed in the temple of democracy, his very distinguished audience sat mesmerised, putting behind politics and the heat of the day in Parliament.
As the sun set outside, the magnificent Parliament library auditorium reverberated with "Ras Barse", a jugalbandi by Khan and his adopted daughter vocalist Soma Chakravarty Ghosh, enthralling the gathering which included President A P J Abdul Kalam, Speaker Manohar Joshi, leader of Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh, Leader of Opposition Sonia Gandhi, Union ministers and MPs.
The Bharat Ratna awardee wanted to take their minds away from the daily rut for a few hours and he probably did just that when he and Ghosh began with Kajri, generally played at night, on a rainy day.
"I am a devotee of melody.... its just a sound. But when you hear it you forget everything," a frail Khan said in his simplistic manner sitting in a wheelchair minutes before the performance.
Describing Delhi as a "high place", the octogenarian expressed his love for Banaras saying "it is full of 'Ras' (music)."
After the lighting of the lamp and being felicitated by Kalam and other dignitaries, Khan and Ghosh presented vintage Benarasi jugalbandi with Raga Yaman and a beautiful Kajri with Dadra Tal.
Bureau Report