Sound of music in Shujaat Khan’s Shimla

By Shailaja Khanna

Ustad Shujaat Khan is, as the Americans say, "comfortable in his skin". Despite being the musical heir of one of the greatest musicians of our times, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Shujaat has managed to create his own distinct style of playing, and his music unmistakably has his own" chaap"(stamp). No one who has heard him in concert can forget his delicate touch and lyricism.

In an informal chat, Shujaat reminisced about where it all started for him -- in Shimla. He recalled that his father went to Shimla as a guest of Raja Padamjit Singh, a trusted friend, for the summer season, and he liked it so much that he decided to hire a cottage to stay in the next year. In those days, there were very few concerts in June July, and it was easy to take off for a couple of months. So for about 2-3 years, the family stayed in the Aira Holme Cottage in Chota Simla that belonged to the late Sanjiv Kaur and her husband Billy Malhans, the painter. After sometime, the Ustad wanted a permanent home there, so with the intercession of Raja Padamjit Singh, the state government, offered Parimahal, one of the palaces of the Jubbals, beyond Kasumpti on the old route to Junga State to the Ustad on a yearly rent of Re 1! It was a beautiful property with a 360-degree view. 

Shujaat remembered how he joined the famed Bishop Cotton School and he spoke of how he walked to school and back, taking a shortcut from Chota Shimla down to BCS. "For me, my association with a place is always through sound. So for me, Shimla means Pahari, and folk tunes I heard from my maid Ratna who was from the hills. Those were wonderful days. It's very important to grow up with nature, instead of in a 20th floor apartment," he said. 

"Today a lot of my success in music is through my link with folk music. People only know the folk music of Punjab, Bengal and Rajasthan - but the folk music of Himachal, for me, is very important. Also, many musicians would come and visit my father — I remember the happy music baithaks we had. I learnt a lot by just listening."

Shujaat says his childhood days in Shimla were spent on as "riyaaz" (practice). "From 10am to 3am I would play my sitar. After school, I was involved in sports, so when I came home from school in the afternoon I would sleep, have dinner then start my riyaz. My father gave me full attention, whenever he was not busy with a concert. "

The musician says Shimla is too crowded now, so he doesn't necessarily stay in Simla. "I love staying outside Simla, at the Wildflower Hall Hotel. About three years ago, I drove past Parimahal, our old home. But I must say the house is not as bad as I thought it would be. The building was well maintained, there was a plaque outside commemorating the fact that Ustad Vilayat Khan lived there. I was not born in Simla, but otherwise so much of my childhood was spent there." The maestro says he doesn't like being surrounded by fans and students." 

Shujaat says he has heard that the state cultural department is doing a lot to revive Shimla's vibrant musical heritage with a classical music festival, and standalone concerts. "They are also considering a commemorative music festival in honour of my father. I do hope it materializes. Shimla needs to be revived musically again, maybe it can bring back those days of the 1960s," he says.