As Harivallabh Sammelan begins today, Zakir Hussain’s city connect will be recalled

As the world mourns the demise of tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain on December 15, an era flashed by in an instant for Jalandhar too. The passing of the shining star of Punjab Gharana, brought back memories of the illustrious legacies, hidden away in the winding bylanes of Jalandhar.

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As the 149th Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan, dedicated to Ustad Zakir Hussain begins on Friday, Jalandhar remembers the deep, lesser known connection the musician shares with the city. Zakir’s father Ustad Allah Rakha Khan Sahib and Jalandhar’s Ustad Lachman Singh Seen were both Guru Bhais (brothers in tutelage), the disciples of Punjab Gharana tabla virtuoso Ustad Mian Qadir Baksh of Lahore.

Tutored under Mian Qadir Baksh at Lahore, the two doyens of the Punjab Gharana spread the intricacies of the gharana not just in India, but across the world. While they chose separate cities to work in, their connection and musical ties lasted through generations. Even after shifting to separate cities, they remained regulars at each other’s homes.

Sangeet Vilas, the Jalandhar residence of Ustad Lachman Singh Seen has seen many an evening of Punjab Gharana tabla jamming sessions with the two masters playing to an audience of little children who are now renowned musicians. Honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2010, Ustad Lachman Singh Seen passed away on June 13, 2022.

The musical notes at Sangeet Vilas continue to reverberate as Ustad Seen’s son Pt Manu Seen in now a famous Sitarist, Manu’s children —- son Rishabh too is a third generation Sitar artiste and his daughter Surpriya plays the Sarod. All three have played at the Harivallabh. Ustad Lachman’s son Pt Kinnar Seen (settled abroad), Ustad Kale Ram of Jalandhar, grandson Avirbhav Verma, tabla artiste and musician Talvin Singh, among a host of other illustrious artistes, are Ustad Seen’s disciples.

For Pt Manu Seen, Ustad Lachman Singh Seen was “Pita ji” and Ustad Allah Rakha was “Abba ji”. Born at the famous Chamb Jaurian border village in Jammu, to the house of Thakur Mangat Singh, it was tabla which took Ustad Lachman to Lahore.

Pt Manu Seen says, “The passing of Ustad Zakir Hussain was a moment of deep nostalgia, an era ended. “Pita ji” was Jammu bred and through the touring Ramleelas in the village, picked up a fascination for the tabla. They would stay for months during which he would learn tabla from artistes. Once an artiste took a break, father jumped in as a substitute. When the artiste returned, people wanted the kid to continue playing, an artiste was born.”

“He chose tabla as his calling and was determined to go to Lahore. Though Dada ji (Thakur Mangat Singh) played tabla, father wanted to learn the shastra, notations, tabla bol and qaidas which no one in Jammu could teach. Sharp diagreements arose between the father and son ,but eventually, father rebelled which persuaded grandfather to make arrangements to send him to Lahore,” he says.

After walking for miles and hitching multiple rides on “Bail gadis” (bullock carts), Ustad Lachman finally landed at his Guru’s doorsteps and Mian Qadir Baksh took him in as a disciple. It is here that the camaraderie between Allah Rakha and Lachman took roots.

Pt Manu Seen adds, “When the Partition happened, Ustad Allah Rakha moved to Mumbai and father moved to Jalandhar, despite persuasions from Ustad Allah Rakha to choose Mumbai. He was a son of Punjab and didn’ want to leave this soil. The idea was, ‘Aap vahan Punjab Gharane ka prachar karein aur main yahan’. (you propagate Punjab Gharana there and I’ll do it here.).”

Ustad Lachman Singh Seen was head of the Department of Instrumental Music at Hans Raja Mahila Vidyalaya in Jalandhar for over two decades. Pt Seen says, “Whenever Ustad Zakir Hussain and Ustad Allah Rakha came to play in Punjab, they would stay at our house. They all practised tabla for hours. A hot favourite during their stay was my mother’s Gajar ka Halwa. When I met Zakir ji at Bhaini Sahib during a concert years ago, he was really happy to know that my daughter’s name was Surpriya (lover of music).”