The Sound of Music Part 1

Short Answer Type Questions

1. Which train was Evelyn waiting for on the underground train platform? How did she
feel when she sensed the train approaching?
Answer: On the underground train platform, Evelyn was waiting for a train to London where she
was to join the prestigious Royal Academy for Music. As she sensed the train approaching, she
felt both nervous and excited.
2. How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of Music? Why was she
nervous on her way to the academy?
Answer: Evelyn was only seventeen years of age when she went to the Royal Academy of
Music, London. Her nervousness was the result of her young age and lack of exposure. Coming
from a farmland in Scotland, she had not experienced much of the world. In addition, going to a
big institute like The Royal Academy of Music with her hearing disability made her uneasy.
3. While leaving for the Royal Academy of Music, why was Evelyn excited despite her
nervousness?
Answer: For Evelyn, going to the Royal Academy of Music, London was a dream come true.
She was going to join a three-year course in an institute she had cherished to join. It excited her
to think that despite her impaired hearing she had made her way to such a prestigious institute.
4. When was Evelyn’s deafness first noticed? When was it confirmed?
Or
How did Evelyn’s parents come to discover her deafness?
Answer: Evelyn’s deafness was first noticed when she was eight years old. In fact, her mother
had noticed it when Evelyn had not responded to a call for a performance on the piano. Her
deafness was confirmed at the age of eleven when her poor academic performance forced her
parents to consult a specialist, who discovered that her hearing was badly impaired because of
gradual nerve damage.
5. Why had Evelyn’s headmistress advised her parents to take her to a specialist?
Answer: Evelyn managed to hide her growing deafness from students and teachers for some
time. However, by the time she was eleven years old, her performance in school deteriorated and
her marks decreased. It was then that the headmistress advised her parents to consult a specialist.
6. What advice were the parents of Evelyn given once her deafness was confirmed?
Answer: When the deafness of Evelyn was confirmed by a specialist, Evelyn’s parents were
advised to get hearing aids for their daughter. They were also advised to send her to a special
school where only deaf children were taught.
7. “Everything suddenly looked black”. Why does Evelyn say so?
Answer: When Evelyn was advised to use hearing aids and join the school for the deaf, she felt
that her future was bleak and dark. She was depressed, as all hope for great achievements seemed
to have vanished. She had now become a disabled child who could not have easy access to
normal life.
8. How did Evelyn Glennie respond to the discovery of her deafness?
Answer: On learning about her deafness due to gradual nerve damage, Evelyn Glennie, instead
of giving up, decided to lead a normal life like other children, and pursue her dream of learning
music.
9. How did Evelyn’s teachers respond when she expressed her desire to play the
xylophone?
Answer: Evelyn always loved music and despite her deafness, she expressed a desire to play the
xylophone when she saw another girl playing it. But her teachers felt that she would not be able
to play it because of her impaired hearing and they discouraged her.
10. Who wiped Evelyn to continue with music? What did he do and say?
Answer: It was Ron Forbes, the percussionist, who encouraged and helped. Evelyn to continue
with music. While her teachers discouraged her, he noticed her potential and decided to develop
it. He told Evelyn to train different parts of her body to sense musical notes. He turned two
drums with different notes to make her sense the higher ones through the upper part of her body
and the lower ones through down her waist.
11. How did Evelyn open her mind and body to musical sounds and vibrations?
Answer: As the guide I by Ron Forbes, Evelyn learnt to listen through different parts of the body
other than her ears. Her mind and body were sensitized to notice and differentiate various sounds
and vibrations of music. She compensated for the loss of hearing with this awakened and
sharpened sense in other parts of her body.
12. Why does Evelyn say that men with bushy beards give her trouble?
Answer: Evelyn says that men with bushy beards give her trouble because she has to watch their
whole face, especially their eyes in order to grasp what they say just watching their lips did not
help as the lips remained partially hidden in the beards.
13. Which qualities of character enabled Evelyn to move ahead in life?
Answer: Unfaltering determination and hard work enabled Evelyn to move ahead in life without
looking back. Instead of yielding before her handicap, she decided to overcome it and lead the
life of a normal person. Being a workaholic, she put in her earnest efforts and kept advancing
further and further.
14. How did Evelyn get admission to the Royal Academy of Music, London?
Answer: Evelyn gave audition for admission to Royal Academy of Music, London. Her score in
the audition was one of the highest in the history of the academy. Therefore, she got selected for
a three-year course.
15. What were Evelyn’s achievements after she joined the Royal Academy of Music,
London?
Answer: At the Royal Academy of Music, London, Evelyn began as one of the performers in an
orchestra. But gradually she moved on to give solo performances. At the end of her three-year
course, she had bagged the biggest awards in the Academy.
16. What is Evelyn’s view of her achievements?
Answer: Evelyn is so modest that she does not consider her achievements to be heroic deeds.
She feels that if one has the clarity of the goat and puts in hard work, one is sure to achieve the
aim. She believes that it is through hard work only that she has been able to achieve success.
17. What reveals that Evelyn has succeeded immensely in her career?
Answer: Evelyn’s success in her career is revealed by the fact that she has command over about
a thousand musical instruments. As a percussionist, she is the most admired one at the
international level. In 1991, the Royal Philharmonic Society conferred on her the most
prestigious “Soloist of the Year Award”.
18. Name the various places and causes for which Evelyn performs.
Answer: Evelyn performs in regular concerts on the global level. But she also gives concerts
free of charge in prisons and hospitals. In addition, she holds classes for young musicians.
19. Who is James Blades? What is his opinion about Evelyn’s talent
Answer: James Blades is a master percussionist. He believes that God might have taken
Evelyn’s hearing but has given her back something extraordinary. The audience hears what she
feels, which is far deeper than what any of the other percussionists feel. It is due to this talent
that she expresses music so beautifully.
20. How is Evelyn an inspiration for the handicapped people?
Answer: Evelyn’s achievements, gained through determination and hard work, set an example
before other handicapped people. They gain confidence from her example and believe that they
too can achieve their goals in life by overcoming their handicaps with firm determination.
21. What is Evelyn’s contribution to percussion?
Answer: Evelyn has contributed to percussion by securing for it a front place in the orchestra.
She has shown how the music of the percussion instruments is deeply moving and touches the
hearts and emotions of people.
Long Answer Type Questions
1. How does Evelyn hear music?
Or
Evelyn Glennie’s deafness was more than compensated by other parts of her body so far as
the music was concerned. Discuss.
Answer: Evelyn Glennie had a deep passion for music but unfortunately, she lost her hearing
completely at the age of eleven years. She wanted to lead a normal life and play the xylophone,
but her teachers discouraged her considering her deafness to be an obstruction. However, Ron
Forbes, a great percussionist, trained her to listen to the musical sounds and vibrations not
through ears, but through other parts of her body. He created two drums with different sounds to
make her hear the higher beats from the upper part of her body and the lower beats from the parts
lower than her waist. The experiment was so effective that Evelyn opened her mind and body to
the fine sounds of music.
Evelyn now believes that music penetrates into her through every part – through her skin,
cheekbones and even her hair. When she plays the xylophone, she feels that the sounds move
from the stick into the tips of her fingers. When the drums are played, she can feel the resonant
sounds pouring into her body. She takes off her footwear on a wooden stage and the vibrations of
the instruments pass from her bare feet into her legs. Thus, Evelyn has sensitized the different
parts of her body to the different sounds of music.
2. If you work hard and know where you are going, you’ll get there,” remarks Evelyn
Glennie. What does it reveal about her character?
Or
Which traits of Evelyn’s personality enabled her to overcome the challenge of deafness?
Or
Which values of life strengthened Evelyn against the handicap of her deafness? What does
her career teach to the handicapped people?
Answer: Evelyn’s firm determination, her industrious nature and her clarity of aim are well
revealed in her statement. These values of her character have enabled her to overcome her
handicap of deafness very bravely. Although she developed hearing impairment at a young age
of eight only, she has never let it become a stumbling block in her way to success.
Firmly determined to lead the life of a normal person, Evelyn never gave up her passion for
music. The encouragement and training provided by Ron Forbes paved the way for her
advancement and she stuck to the path with unstaggering confidence. It was this confidence and
faith in herself that made her dare to audition for the Royal Academy of Music, London where
she received the topmost awards.
Evelyn is a workaholic. This helped her to toil hard, in fact much harder than the classical
musicians to bring percussion to the front stage in the orchestra. She believes that no goal is
unachievable for those who work hard and are focused on the goal. With her earnest efforts, she
moved from orchestra to solo performances and eventually became an internationally renowned
percussionist owing to her command over a large number of instruments. She had the courage
and confidence to trample down her disability and move on without looking back.
Her firm decisions, her sincere efforts, her passionate labour, and her untiring devotion to music
are a source of inspiration for the people with challenges.
3. Suppose you are Evelyn Glennie. The doctor has diagnosed that your hearing is
completely lost. Write a diary entry in about 150 words about how you feel and what you
plan to do.
Answer:
(Day and Date)
Dear Diary
(Time)
Today is a very sad day in my life. The doctor has told me that I can no longer hear because my
hearing is completely impaired owing to some nerve damage. The headmistress and teachers at
my school have advised me to use hearing aids and join a school for the deaf. It is a real agony to
think that I am not among the normal, able children.
I understand that I’ll have to depend on hearing aids, but I have decided not to give in to my
handicap. I know a number of people who have risen to great heights despite their disabilities. I
have never forgotten about the life and achievements of Helen Keller. I will continue to pursue
my passion for music and put in my best efforts to find a way to overcome the handicap. I know
that all obstructions can be conquered by firm determination. Therefore, I’ll never ever accept
defeat. I’ll prove that one can find ways to come out of problems if one adheres firmly to one’s
aims and objectives.
I pray to the Almighty to strengthen my mind and give me moral courage so that I may make it
to the Royal Academy of Music. The dream is much too lofty but not impossible to achieve.
Amen!
Evelyn

Extract 1 Evelyn Glennie- The Sound of Music

Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow—

Evelyn Glennie's loss of hearing had been gradual. Her mother remembers noticing something
was wrong when the eight years old Evelyn was waiting to play the piano. "They called her
name and she didn't move. I suddenly realised she hadn't heard," says Isabel Glennie. For quite a
while Evelyn managed to conceal her growing deafness from friends and teachers.

Question 1: Which impairment had Evelyn been suffering from?

(a) speech impairment
(b) hearing impairment
(c) vision impairment
(d) None of these
Answer
(b) Hearing impairment

Question 2: At what age was Evelyn's hearing impairment identified?

(a) 12 years old
(b) 6 years old
(c) 8 years old
(d) 15 years old
Answer
(c) 8 years

Question 3: Which musical instrument did she play that showed her interest in music?
(a) piano
(b) guitar
(c) violin
(d) trumpet
Answer
(a) piano
Question 4: Who noticed her hearing problem at first?
(a) her brother
(b) her father
(c) her mother
(d) her sister
Answer
(c) her mother

Extract 2 Evelyn Glennie- The Sound of Music

But Evelyn was not going to give up. She was determined to lead a normal life and pursue her
interest in music. One day she noticed a girl playing a xylophone and decided that she wanted to
play it too. Most of the teachers discouraged her but percussionist Ron Forbes spotted her
potential.

Question 1: Evelyn didn't have a normal life because she was profoundly :
(a) blind
(b) deaf
(c) dumb
(d) All of these
Answer
(b) deaf

Question 2: Ron Forbes used to play :

(a) wind instruments
(b) percussion instruments
(c) brass instruments
(d) string instruments
Answer
(b) percussion instruments

Question 3: Evelyn wanted to pursue her interest in :

(a) music
(b) swimming
(c) dancing
(d) mountaineering
Answer
(a) music

Question 4: Which musical instrument was the girl playing?

(a) organ
(b) flute
(c) drum
(d) xylophone
Answer
(d) xylophone
Extract 3 Evelyn Glennie- The Sound of Music
She toured the United Kingdom with a youth orchestra and by the time she was sixteen, she had
decided to make music her life. She auditioned for the Royal Academy of Music and scored one
of the highest marks in the history of the academy. She gradually moved from orchestral work to
solo performances. At the end of her three-year course, she had captured most of the top awards.

Question 1: By what time had Evelyn decided to make music her life?
(a) by the time she was eighteen
(b) by the time she was thirteen
(c) by the time she was sixteen
(d) by the time she was twenty
Answer
(c) by the time she was sixteen

Question 2: Which of the following statements is true about Evelyn?

(a) she used to do solo performances only
(b) she used to do orchestral work only
(c) she moved from solo performances to orchestral work
(d) she moved from orchestral work to solo performances
Answer
(d) she moved from orchestral work to solo performances

Question 3: Which place had she toured with a youth orchestra by the time she was
sixteen?
(a) Finland
(b) United Kingdom
(c) Egypt
(d) India
Answer
(b) United Kingdom

Question 4: What was the name of the academy for which she had auditioned?
(a) Royal Academy of Music
(b) Angels Music Academy
(c) Rising Star Academy of Music
(d) None of these
Answer
(a) Royal Academy of Music

Extract 4 Evelyn Glennie- The Sound of Music

As for music, she explains, "It pours in through every part of my body. It tingles in the skin, my
cheekbones and even in my hair." When she plays the xylophone, she can sense the sound
passing up the the stick into her fingertips. By leaning against the drums, she can feel the
resonances flowing into her body. On a wooden platform, she removes her shoes so that the
vibrations pass through her bare feet and up her legs.

Question 1: Who is 'she' here?

(a) Evelyn
(b) Evelyn's mother
(c) Evelyn's friend
(d) None of them
Answer
(a) Evelyn
Question 2: She senses the sound passing up the stick into her fingertips when she plays :
(a) drums
(b) cellos
(c) xylophone
(d) trombones
Answer
(c) xylophone

Question 3: The platform was made of :

(a) iron
(b) wood
(c) plastic
(d) None of these
Answer
(b) wood

Question 4: How does she feel vibrations on the wooden platform?

(a) by removing her hand gloves
(b) by listening to the music carefully
(c) by meditating
(d) by removing her shoes
Answer
(d) by removing her shoes

Extract 5 Evelyn Glennie- The Sound of Music

Evelyn confesses that she is something of a workaholic. "I've just got to work ... often harder
than classical musicians. But the rewards are enormous." Apart from the regular concerts, Evelyn
also gives free concerts in prisons and hospitals. She also gives high priority to classes for young
musicians. Ann Rachlin of the Beethoven Fund for Deaf Children says, "She is a shining
inspiration for deaf children".

Question 1: Evelyn confesses that she has become :

(a) lazy
(b) workaholic
(c) stubborn
(d) coward
Answer
(b) workaholic

Question 2: Who is a shining inspiration for deaf children?

(a) Evelyn Glennie
(b) Ann Rachlin
(c) Ron Forbes
(d) None of these
Answer
(a) Evelyn Glennie

Question 3: Evelyn used to give free concerts in :

(a) Hospitals
(b) Prisons
(c) schools
(d) Both (a) and (b)
Answer
(d) Both (a) and (b)

Question 4: She helped the young musicians by :

(a) giving them money
(b) giving high priority to their classes
(c) teaching them for free
(d) organising their concerts
Answer
(b) giving high priority to their classes

The Sound of Music Part 2

Short Answer Type Questions
1. Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?
Answer: Emperor Aurangzeb banned the playing of the pungi because he considered it as a
reeded noisemaker with its loud, shrill, and unpleasant sound. He prohibited its play in the royal
court.
2. Why did the pungi become a generic name for “reeded noisemakers”?
Answer: The pungi produced loud, unpleasant and jarring music. Because of this shrill music,
Aurangzeb banned it in the royal house. As it was made from a reed and produced noisy sounds,
it became a generic name for “reeded noisemakers”.
3. How is a ‘shehnai’ different from a pungi?
Answer: Though a reeded instrument like a pungi, a shehnai differs from it in width and sound.
It is made with a longer and broader stem than a pungi and produces soft, melodious sounds
instead of the loud, jarring sound of a pungi.
4. Who revived the pungi and what shape did it take?
Answer: When Aurangzeb banned the playing of the pungi in the royal residence, a barber who
belonged to a family of professional musicians revived it by taking a wider and longer hollow
stem and making seven holes in it. The improved pungi produced soft and sweet sounds.
5. How did the ‘shehnai’ get its name?
Answer: It is believed that the barber (nai) who improved the pungi, played his instrument in the
chamber of the emperor (shah). The c combination of the two words ‘shah’ and ‘nai’ formed the
name ‘shehnai’.
6. Why was the shehnai played in temples and weddings?
Answer: The music of the shehnai was melodious and soft. It came to be believed that it was
auspicious. Therefore, in the holy temples and on the happy auspicious occasions of weddings,
the shehnai was played.
7. Where was the shehnai played traditionally? How did Bismillah Khan change it?
Or
How did Bismillah Khan bring the ‘shehnai’ onto the classical stage?
Answer: Traditionally, the shehnai was played in the royal court as one of the nine instruments
together known as naubat. Bismillah Khan made it an independent instrument and gave its music
a place among other classical instrumental music.
8. Where did Bismillah Khan usually sing at the age of five? How was he rewarded and by
whom?
Answer: At the age of five, Bismillah Khan usually sang the Bhojpuri ‘chaita a’ in the Bihariji
temple in his native town Dumraon in Bihar. At the end of the song, he earned a big laddu
weighing 1.25 kg which was given by the local Maharaja as a prize.
9. What does the feature “The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan”, tell us about the paternal
ancestors of Bismillah Khan?
Or
What kind of family did Bismillah Khan hail from?
Answer: Bismillah Khan hailed from a family of musicians in Bihar. His grandfather Rasool
Bux Khan was the shehnai player in the royal court of the king of Bhojpur. His father Paigambar
Bux and many paternal and maternal uncles were also ‘shehnai vaadaks’ (players).
10. Who was Ali Bux? Where was he employed and what was his influence on Bismillah
Khan?
Answer: Ali Bux was the maternal uncle of Bismillah Khan and may be regarded as his mentor
and trainer. He was a great shehnai player and was employed to play the shehnai in the Vishnu
temple of Benaras. At a very young age, Bismillah Khan started accompanying him and got
lessons in playing the shehnai from him. The young boy would sit for hours listening to his uncle
and later practise throughout the day.
11. Which places were young Bismillah Khan’s favourite haunts for practising music?
Why?
Answer: The temple of Balaji and Mangala Maiya, as well as the banks of the Ganga, were
young Bismillah Khan’s favourite haunts because he could practice his music there in solitude.
The flowing waters of Ganga inspired him to improvise and invent raagas which were earlier
considered beyond the range of the shehnai.
12. When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?
Answer: The ‘big break’ came to Bismillah Khan when in 1938 the All India Radio was started
in Lucknow. Khansaab was regularly invited to play the shehnai and soon became an often-heard
shehnai player on the radio.
13. Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on August 15, 1947? Why was the event
historic?
Answer: Bismillah Khan played the shehnai on August 15, 1947, at the Red Fort in New Delhi
prior to the speech of Pandit Nehru. It was a historic event as India had got independence from
the British on this day. Bismillah Khan was the first Indian to greet the nation and he poured his
heart out while playing the melodious Raag Kafi on his shehnai.
14. Where did Bismillah Khan go on his first foreign trip? How was he honoured there?
Answer: Bismillah Khan’s first foreign trip took him to Afghanistan where King Zahir Shah was
so impressed with the maestro’s shehnai recital that he honoured him with gifts of priceless
Persian carpets and other souvenirs.
15. Why did the film director Vijay Bhatt name his film “Gunj Uthi Shehnai“?
Answer: The film director, Vijay Bhatt, once heard the shehnai recital of Bismillah Khan in a
festival. He was so fascinated by the performance that he decided to name his next film after the
instrument and called it “Gun Uthi Shehnai“
16. Which films did Bismillah Khan provide music for? Why did he discontinue playing the
shehnai for films?
Answer: Bismillah Khan ventured into the film world with Vijay Bhatt’s “Gunj Uthi Shehnai” .
Then he played in a Kannada film – “Samadhi Apanna“. Though he was very successful, he gave
up the film world because his tastes did not tune well with the artificiality and glamour of
filmdom.
17. How was Bismillah Khan’s music appreciated and recognised on the international
level?
Answer: Bismillah Khan’s music was so much appreciated on the international level that he
became the first Indian to be invited to perform in the prestigious Lincoln Central Hall, USA. He
participated in the World Exposition in Montreal, the Cannes Art Festival and the Osaka Trade
Fair. In Teheran, an auditorium was named after him.
38. How did India honour and reward the great musician, Bismillah Khan?
Answer: India honoured Bismillah Khan by conferring on him the greatest national awards – the
Padmashri, the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan. He was also awarded the Bharat
Rama in 2001, the highest civilian award in India.
39. Why did Bismillah Khan want that the children in India should be taught music?
Answer: Bismillah Khan had great regard for Indian music and considered the Hindustani music
to be its richest heritage. He wanted that children must not cut off their bond from this grand
tradition which was fascinating even for the people of the west.
20. What offer did one of Bismillah Khan’s students in the US make to him? Why?
Answer: A student of Bismillah Khan, who himself was settled in the US, wanted that the great
maestro should be the head of a shehnai school in the U.S. He promised that he would create the
environment of India by erecting the temples like those in Benaras, India.
21. Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.?
Answer: Bismillah Khan was a staunch patriot and was passionately in love with Benaras and
Dumraon in India. He intensely loved the Ganga and could not stay away from the sacred river.
Therefore, he declined the offer to settle down in the US and head a shehnai school there.
22. Why does the author believe that Bismillah Khan’s life is “a perfect example of the rich,
cultural heritage of India”?
Answer: India has always shown a liberal attitude to all communities and religions. Its cultural
heritage is a blend of various castes and creeds. Bismillah Khan’s life perfectly represents this
blend. Although a devout Muslim, Khansaab played the shehnai in the Kashi Vishwanath temple
every morning.
23. Find instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loved India and Benaras.
Answer: Bismillah Khan’s love for India and Benaras is revealed by the fact that he refused to
settle down in the US as the head of a shehnai school in spite of a strong assurance from his
student to build temples like those in India. This love also becomes obvious in his acceptance
speech after receiving the Bharat Ratna when he declared Hindustani music to be the richest
heritage.
24. How did Evelyn sense the sounds and vibrations of the music?
Answer: Evelyn sensed the sounds and vibrations of the music by opening her mind and body to
them. She felt different notes through different parts of her body.
25. What was the contribution of Forbes in helping Evelyn to learn music?
Answer: Forbes played a crucial role in shaping Evelyn’s musical talents. He asked her to sense
the sounds and vibrations through her different body parts. He turned two large drums to
different notes and asked her to feel the different notes and sounds some other way.
26. How was Evelyn a source of great pleasure to her audience?
Answer: Evelyn was very young. She performed despite her handicap. Her music was better
than those of her double age. She was an inspiration to the handicapped. Thus, she has given
enormous pleasure to millions.
27. How is Evelyn able to express music so beautifully?
Answer: Though deaf, Evelyn was able to express music beautifully as she could feel far more
deeply than many of us. That is why she expressed music so beautifully.
28. How was Evelyn able to get admission to the Royal Academy of Music?
Answer: Ron Forbes spotted Evelyn’s potential in music. She never looked back from that point.
By the time she was sixteen, she had decided to make music her life. She auditioned for the
Royal Academy of Music and scored the highest marks in the history of the academy.
29. Why does Evelyn remove her shoes on the wooden platform?
Answer: While playing instruments she removes shoes on the wooden platform. It allows the
vibrations to pass through her bare feet and up to her legs. She is able to feel the music through
every part of her body. She can also feel the echo of sound flowing into her body by leaning
against the drums.
30. How did Ron Forbes give training in music to Evelyn?
Answer: He took two large drums for tuning Evelyn at once realised higher drums from the
waist up and lower drums from the waist down. He motivated her to feel the music in different
parts of her body.
31. When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?
Answer: With the opening of All India Radio in Lucknow in 1938, Bismillah Khan got a big
break. He became an often-heard Shehnai player on Radio. When India got independence on
15th August 1947, Bismillah Khan became the first Indian to greet the nation with his Shehnai.
32. Where did Bismillah Khan play the Shehnai on 15 August 1947? Why was the event
historic?
Answer: Bismillah Khan played the Shehnai from the Red Fort on 15th August 1947. It was a
historic event because he became the first Indian to greet the nation on the occasion of the first
Independence Day. This programme was attended by Nehru, the first Prime Minister and many
stalwarts of the nations.
33. What were the recurring themes of Bismillah Khan’s music?
Answer: Bismillah Khan was a true Indian at heart. The recurring themes of his music were the
ethics of temples and human relationships. The flowing waters of the Ganga inspired him to
improve and invent `raagas’.
34. How was pungi came to be named Whehnai’?
Answer: A barber from a family of professional musicians decided to improve the pungi. He
chose a pipe with a hollow stem that was longer and broader than the pungi. He played the
instrument before the king and everyone was impressed. Since it was played by a barber, and in
the Shah’s chambers, the instrument was named as ‘She/tile.
35. Bismillah Khan loved India and Benaras the most. Justify it by giving two instances
from the text.
Answer: He was fond of Benaras and Dumraon. They remained for him the most wonderful
towns in the world. He said that whenever he was in a foreign country, he kept yearning to see
India. While in Mumbai, he thinks only of Benaras and the holy Ganga. And while in Benaras,
he misses the unique mattha of Dumraon.
36. How did the barber change the tonal quality of a pungi into the melodious voice of the
Shehnai?
Answer: The barber chose a pipe with a natural hollow-stem. It was longer and broader than
`pungi’. He made seven holes on the body of the pipe. He played on it. Soft and melodious
sounds were produced. The barber played it before the royalty and it came to be known as
Shehnai.
37. How did Ustad Bismillah Khan bring Shehnai to the classical stage?
Answer: Bismillah Khan was a great Shehnai player. He invented many raagas and played them
on Shehnai. His tunes enchanted everybody. Thus, Shehnai became a popular musical instrument
in the country.
38. What idea did Ustad Bismillah Khan hold about Hindustani music?
Answer: He held a high about Hindustani music. He was of the opinion that every child should
learn Hindustani music. India has a very rich tradition of music. Even the West come here to
learn our music.
Long Answer Type Questions
1. Write a note on the origin of the Shehnai.
Answer: It is said that in the past a musical instrument called pungi used to be played in palaces
before the Kings and Nawabs. But Aurangzeb did not like the shrill and unpleasant sound of the
pungi. So he banned the playing of this musical instrument in the royal residence. There was a
barber who belonged to a family of musicians.He had access to the royal palace. He tried hard to
improve the tonal quality of the instrument: Ile chose a pipe with a natural hollow stem that was
longer and broader than the original pungi. lie carved seven holes on the body of the instrument.
When he played on it, an impressive sonorous tonal sound was produced. The barber played it
before the king and his courtiers. Everybody was impressed. The instrument Was called Shehnai
because it was born in the Shah’s chamber and was invented by a ‘nai’ (barber). There is another
story about the origin of Shehnai. It is said that a doctor of Iran invented it. His name was I
laquim Bu All Saina and the instrument was named after him.
2. What are the recurring themes of Bismillah Khan’s music and how did they originate?
Answer: At the age of flute, Bismillah Khan went to Benaras. Here his maternal uncle taught
him the nuances of the Shehnai. the lie used to practice in the temple of Balaji and Mangla
Maiya. He also practiced on the banks of the Ganga. There is practiced for hours in complete
solitude. The flowing waters of the Ganga inspired him to improvise his music. There he
invented the ‘ragas’ that were earlier considered beyond the range of Shehnai. The atmosphere of
the temple and the solitude of the banks of the Ganga had a great effect on him. They influenced
the themes of his music also. One such theme was the ethos of the temple. The other theme was
the relationship between human beings based on the tune of the flowing river. These became the
recurring themes of Bismillah Khan’s music.
3. Why is Benaras so important to Bismillah Khan?
Answer: Mr Bismillah Khan is fondly called Khansaab. He has travelled all over the world. He
got honours in every country. In Tehran, an auditorium was named after him. He has seen many
cities, but he remains very fond of Benaras and Dumraon. He calls them the most wonderful
towns in the world. He has a special fascination for Benaras because of the Ganga there. In his
youth, he used to practice Shehnai in solitude on the banks of the Ganga. Once one of his
students in the USA requested him to head a Shehnai school there. He said that he would recreate
the atmosphere of Benaras by building similar temples there. But the Ustad asked him whether
he would bring the Ganga also there. Once he said, “Whenever I am in Mumbai, I think of only
Varanasi and the holy Ganga”.
4. Write a note on the life and achievements of Bismillah Khan as a ‘shehnai vaadak’.
What values of life do you derive from his story?
Answer: Bismillah Khan’s journey as a ‘shehnai vaadak’ carries in itself deep moral values of
dedication, simplicity, and patriotism. It started at the young age of three and continued up to the
age of ninety. The journey ranged from playing the instrument in the temples to getting
international fame.
Hailing from a family of musicians, Bismillah Khan inherited an interest in the shehnai. At a
young age of three, he started accompanying his maternal Uncle Ali Bux to the Vishnu temple in
Benaras and learned a lot from him. He would sing scriptures like the Bhojpuri chaita’.
Bismillah Khan got a significant break when he started playing for the All India Radio, Lucknow
in 1938. His music was so admired that he was invited to play at the historic moment of Indian
independence on 15 August 1947. In recognition of his talent, he was conferred upon with the
greatest awards of India – the Padma shri, the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan. He was
awarded the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in India, in 2001.
Bismillah Khan ventured into the film world but abandoned it after he found it to be too artificial
and glamorous. On the international level, he mesmerized the King of Afghanistan with o his
shehnai music. He was the only Indian to be invited to play shehnai in the Lincoln Central Hall,
USA. He also played in international events like the World Exposition, Montreal, the Cannes Art
Festival and the Osaka Trade Fair. As a token of appreciation, the Teheran government has
named an auditorium after Bismillah Khan.
Bismillah Khan has a deep devotion to his motherland and is proud of its heritage of music.
Hence, he declined the offer to settle down in foreign countries. F His journey teaches the values
of dedication to one’s talent and persistent efforts to reach the greatest heights of excellence.
5. How does the author of The Sound of Music” portray Bismillah Khan as a great patriot?
Or
Bismillah Khan, on receiving the Bharat Ratna, remarked, “Teach your children music,
this is Hindustan’s richest tradition; even the West is now coming to learn our music.”
What does it reveal about his sentiments towards India?
Answer: Bismillah Khan, in “The Sound of Music”, emerged as a person imbued with intense
and strong patriotic emotions. He had a profound and passionate love for his birthplace,
Dumraon in Bihar and for Benaras where he took training to play the shehnai. He feels a deep
bond with the Ganga because the flowing waters of the holy river made him improvise and
spontaneously play new raagas – the ones which were earlier regarded to be beyond the range of
the shehnai. Such was Bismillah Khan’s love for his country and the Ganga that he refused to
settle down in America to head a-school for the shehnai. His strong attachment with the sacred
river made him miss Banaras when he was in Mumbai or elsewhere. Equally strong was his
bonding with his birthplace Dumraon.
Bismillah Khan had great regard for the Hindustani music which, for him, is the richest cultural
heritage of India. He wanted the tradition of Indian music to be carried on from generation to
generation. That is why he advised the people of India to teach music to their children and felt
proud that this music fascinated even the people of the west.
6. You have now read about two musicians, Evelyn Glennie, and Ustad Bismillah Khan. Do
you think that they both worked hard? Where did they want to go?
Or
Evelyn Glennie and Bismillah Khan shared the values of hard work and perseverance.
Discuss.
Or
What important lesson does the life of Evelyn Glennie and Bismillah Khan teach us?
Answer: Evelyn Glennie and Bismillah Khan, the two eminent music maestros, through their
achievements, have proved to the world that the values of hard work and unstaggering efforts are
always rewarded. Evelyn Glennie became an internationally admired multi-percussionist only
because of her untiring work which could conquer even her handicap. Instead of yielding to her
deafness, she made all-out efforts to sense the sounds of music through different parts of her
body and never looked back. With her persistent efforts, she made it to the Royal Academy of
Music, London and bagged the most prestigious awards. Her sincere devotion to her art has
given percussion a new place on the international stage.
Bismillah Khan, like Evelyn, was dedicated to his art and attained greatest heights as a ‘shehnai
vaadak’. He too worked diligently and transformed the shehnai into a classical instrument. He
added enormously to what he had inherited by widening the range of the shehnai. He invented
many new raagas spontaneously. Starting with playing in the temples of Benaras and on the
banks of Ganga, he reached the stage of international acclaim. His hard work enabled him to win
the most prestigious awards in India and in the world.
Thus, the lives of both Evelyn Glennie and Bismillah Khan are perfect examples of how
dedicated efforts and persistent hard work lead to grand achievements.
7. Write a note on some of the most memorable performances of Ustad Bismillah Khan as
described in the feature “The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan”.
Answer: During his illustrious career spanning over 80 years, Bismillah Khan gave countless
music performances, but a few of them stand out as milestones in his career.
For example, his performance of the Bhojpuri ‘chaita’ at the Bihariji temple at the age of five
indicated the signs of a maestro he was to evolve into. For every recital, he would get a 1.25 kg
laddu as a reward from the local king. At the age of 14, he was patted for his performance at the
Allahabad Music Conference by Ustad Faiyaz Khan. In 1938, Bismillah Khan got perhaps the
biggest break of his career when he got to perform on the All India Radio, Lucknow. Equally
remarkable was the opportunity to usher in the Independence of the country from the ramparts of
the Red Fort on 15th August 1947. His first foreign performance in Afghanistan got him rich
accolades and honours. He also had the chance to provide music to two films – Vijay Bhatt’s
“Gunj Uthi Shehnai” and Srinivas’s Kannada movie “Samadhi Apanna”. Then followed a string
of international performances, notable among them being the performances at the prestigious
Lincoln Centre Hall (USA), World Exposition (Montreal), Cannes Art Festival and Osaka Trade
fair.
8. “Music has no religion.” How did Bismillah Khan’s Shehani prove it?
Answer: Music is the voice of the soul. It is sacred beyond the religions. It is eternal and acts as
a source of inspiration for everyone. A musician never plays music for any particular religion.
Bismillah Khan who belonged to the Muslim community played Shehnai in temples. He was
deeply attached to the holy city of Benaras and the holy river Ganga. The river Ganga and its
flowing water were the main source of inspiration for him. He could never think of leaving
Benaras and holy river Ganga. Since his childhood, he was fond of music. As a five-year-old
child, he used to visit Bihariji temple at Dumraon to sing Bhojpuri Chaita. His love for music
was so deeply influenced by Benaras and Ganga that once a student from the USA wanted him to
head a Shehnai school there. He promised him to recreate the atmosphere of Benaras in the USA
by replicating the temple. But Bismillah Khan refused to say that he couldn’t take the Ganga
there.
9. Describe the life and character of Ustad Bismillah Khan with emphasis on values of his
character you should imbibe.
Answer: Ustad Bismillah Khan was a great Shehnai player. He was born in a village of Bihar
state. He belonged to a family of professional musicians. He made Shehnai a famous musical
instrument in the world. The government of India gave him the greatest civilian award —”
Bharat Ratna”. He was a true patriot. He never showed his desire to settle abroad when he was
offered several chances. Bismillah had a great passion for Shehnai. He took lessons from his
maternal uncle Ali Bux and practiced hard on the peaceful banks of the river Ganga. Infect his
life is motivating for students. He teaches them that human beings should give up narrow
mindedness. They should take values from different religions.
10. Why did Emperor Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi and how it was improved
and called Shehnai?
Answer: Emperor Aurangzeb banned the playing of the pungi in the royal residence because it
had a shrill and unpleasant sound. But a barber of a professional family of musicians was able to
improve it. He chose a pipe with a natural hollow stem that was longer and broader than the
pungi. He made seven holes on the body of the pipe. He played the instrument before the king
and everyone was impressed. Since it was first played in the Shah’s chambers and was played by
an’ (barber), the instrument was named the ‘Shehnai’
11. What important lesson does the life of Bismillah Khan teach us?
Answer: Bismillah Khan teaches us a very remarkable lesson of life. People make advancement
in life by dint of hard work and devotion. He was very interested in music as he was born in the
family of a musician. He used to sing Chaita in the Biharji temple. When he was in Benaras, he
was greatly influenced by his maternal uncle, who was a great Shehnai player. He copied his
uncle in the true spirit and practiced Shehnai in the peaceful environment of the Ganga. His hard
work and devotion brought him good fruits. He was awarded the greatest civilian award, the
Bharat Ratna.

The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan Extract Based Question

Extract 1 The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow—

A barber of a family of professional musicians, who had access to the royal palace, decided to
improve the tonal quality of the pungi. He chose a pipe with a natural hollow stem that was
longer and broader than the pungi, and made seven holes on the body of the pipe. When he
played on it, closing and opening some of these holes, soft and melodious sounds were produced.
Questions 1: What did the barber decide to do with the pungi?
(a) He decided to improve its appearance
(b) He decided to improve its total quality
(c) He decided to give it to his musician friend
(d) He decided to throw it away
Answer
(b) He decided to improve its total quality

Questions 2: The barber selected a pipe with a stem that was :

(a) longer than the pungi
(b) smaller than the pungi
(c) as long as the pungi
(d) narrower than the pungi
Answer
(a) longer than the pungi

Questions 3: What did he do with the pipe?

(a) He closed all the holes on it
(b) He made three big holes on it
(c) He made seven holes on it
(d) He closed all the holes except one
Answer
(c) He made seven holes on it

Questions 4: What is the similarity between a pungi and a shehnai?

(a) Both are percussion instruments
(b) Both are wind instruments
(c) Both are string instruments
(d) Both are keyboard instruments
Answer
(b) Both are wind instruments

Extract 2 The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan

As a five-year old Bismillah Khan played gilli-danda near a pond in the ancient estate of
Dumraon in Bihar. He would regularly go to the nearby Bihariji temple to sing the Bhojpuri
Vhaita', at the end of which he would earn a big laddu weighing 1.25 kg, a prize given by the
local Maharaja. This happened 80 years ago, and the little boy has travelled far to earn the
highest civilian award in India-the Bharat Ratna.

Questions 1: Which phase of Bismillah Khan's life is referred here?

(a) When he was newly married
(b) When he was in collage
(c) When he was eighteen year old
(d) When he was a five year old child
Answer
(d) When he was a five year old child

Questions 2: He used to play gilli-danda :

(a) near his school
(b) inside his house
(c) near a pond
(d) in the playground
Answer
(c) near a pond

Questions 3: What did he use to earn a prize for singing Bhojpuri 'Chaita'?
(a) A big trophy
(b) A big laddu
(c) Lots of money
(d) Appreciation from the listeners
Answer
(b) A big laddu

Questions 4: Bismillah used to get his prize from :

(a) the principal of his school
(b) the foreigners who visited there
(c) the localities
(d) the local Maharaja
Answer
(d) the local Maharaja
Extract 3 The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan
The young boy took to music early in life. At the age of three when his mother took him to his
maternal uncle's house in Benaras (now Varanasi), Bismillah was fascinated watching his uncle's
practise the shehnai. Soon Bismillah started accompanying his uncle, Ali Bux, to the Vishnu
temple of Benaras where Bux was employed to play the shehnai. Ali Bux would play the shehnai
and Bismillah would sit captivated for hours on end.

Questions 1: Bismillah started to form a liking for music at :

(a) his music classes
(b) the house of his music teacher
(c) the house of his relative
(d) his school
Answer
(c) the house of his relative

Questions 2: It was fascinating for Bismillah to watch the :

(a) singing practice of his aunt
(b) shehnai practice of his uncle
(c) piano practice of his mother
(d) dance practice of his sister
Answer
(b) shehnai practice of his uncle

Questions 3: Where was his uncle's house situated?

(a) It was in Banaras
(b) It was in Mathura
(c) It was in Chennai
(d) It was in Delhi
Answer
(a) It was in Banaras
Questions 4: He started to join his uncle to the :
(a) Shiva temple
(b) Bharat Mata temple
(c) Jaigurudev temple
(d) Vishnu temple
Answer
(d) Vishnu temple

Extract 4 The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan

Bismillah Khan has given many memorable performances both in India and abroad. His first trip
abroad was to Afghanistan where King Zahir Shah was so taken in by the maestro that he gifted
him priceless Persian carpets and other souvenirs. The King of Afghanistan was not the only one
to be fascinated with Bismillah's music. Film director Vijay Bhatt was so impressed after hearing
Bismillah play at a festival that he named a film after the instrument called Gunj Uthi Shehnai.

Questions 1: To where was his first trip abroad?

(a) It was to France
(b) It was to Afghanistan
(c) It was to Switzerland
(d) It was to Germany
Answer
(b) It was to Afghanistan

Questions 2: What priceless gifts were given to him by King Zahir Shah?
(a) Persian carpets
(b) Lots of gold items
(c) Gemstone watches
(d) All of these
Answer
(a) Persian carpets

Questions 3: After being impressed by the talent of Bismillah, a film director Vijay Bhat :
(a) offered him a role in his film
(b) gave a music contract to him
(c) named a film after his name
(d) named a film after his musical instrument
Answer
(d) named a film after his musical instrument

Questions 4: The film director got impressed by him because of :

(a) the great looks of him
(b) the melodious sound of shehnai he played
(c) the way he introduced himself
(d) the great knowledge he had about film industry
Answer
(b) the melodious sound of shehnai he played

Extract 5 The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan

A student of his once wanted him to head a shehnai school in the U.S.A., and the student
promised to recreate the atmosphere of Benaras by replicating the temples there. But Khansaab
asked him if he would be able to transport River Ganga as well. Later he is remembered to have
said, 'Mat is why whenever I am in a foreign country, I keep yearning to see Hindustan. While in
Mumbai, I think of only Benaras and the holy Ganga. And while in Benaras, I miss the unique
mattha of Dumraon."

Questions 1: One of the students of Bismillah Khan wanted him to :

(a) open a music class in the U.S.A.
(b) head of shehnai school in the U.S.A.
(c) do a music concert in the U.S.A.
(d) write a book on himself
Answer
(b) head of shehnai school in the U.S.A.

Questions 2: What did the student promise to do in the U.S.A. to convince him?
(a) He promised to bring his relatives there
(b) He promised to feed him with Indian food
(c) He promised to recreate the atmosphere of Banaras there.
(d) He promised to make him visit all the Indian restaurants
Answer
(c) He promised to recreate the atmosphere of Banaras there

Questions 3: What does Bismillah keep doing whenever he is in a foreign country?

(a) He keeps watching music videos
(b) He keeps yearning to see his children
(c) He keeps talking to his family on phone
(d) He keeps yearning to see India
Answer
(d) He keeps yearning to see India

Questions 4: What does Bismillah think of when he is in Mumbai?

(a) He thinks of Banaras and the holy river Ganga
(b) He thinks of India and the temples there
(c) He thinks of luxurious life of U.S.A.
(d) He thinks of unique `Mattha' of Dumraon
Answer
(a) He thinks of Banaras and the holy river Ganga