Ustad Shaik Dawood

t is often said, Vidya vinayena speaks volumes for his humility and sobhate, implying that knowledge respect for knowledge. is made more beautiful by the I Dawood started teaching early in quality of humility. How apt this is life and continued to do so almost in the context of the life and work throughout his life. He always taught of the ‘Tabla Nawaz Ustad Shaik one-to-one, and produced over Dawood Saheb’ (known as the 150 students, many of whom are Tirakhwa of the Deccan) one of the professionals today. Arthur Koestler greatest tabla legends of the twentieth once said, “Creative activity could century. be described as a type of learning Shaik Dawood was born in Sholapur process when the teacher and the pupil on 16 December 1916. His prodigious are located in the same individual”. talent in rhythm at the age of Dawood Saheb’s creativity and three compelled his father, Hashim poetic bent of mind were reflected Saheb, to buy him a tasha (kettledrum) in his prolific compositions of to play with. At eight, he started and humble demeanour despite the jodas for traditional gats and todas, learning the rudiments of tabla from acclaim and appreciation he received. and for kaidas and gat relas besides Anna Maharaj. Ameer Qawwal, who This was to become his hallmark in his own gats. owned a qawwali group, took him professional circles later in life. By The tabla maestro always as a tabla player and simultaneously the early 1930s, Dawood, although in supported up-and-coming, young initiated him into vocal music. Destiny his teens, was already the preferred musicians. He never insisted on fees brought Dawood to a concert where accompanist for some of the biggest from his students. From his students he was completely mesmerised by the names in Hindustani music like Abdul he took a one-time guru dakshina of tabla of Mohammad Khasim, a highly Karim Khan, Faiyaz Khan, Bhaskarbua just 251 rupees during ganda reputed tabla maestro from Sholapur, Bakhle, Sawai Gandharva and Wajid bandhan (a ceremony where the Guru a zamindar and a patron of classical Khan. With concerts becoming ties a sacred thread around the wrist of and Sufi music. Khasim Saheb’s frequent in Hyderabad, Roshan Ali the student signifying the acceptance acceptance of Dawood as a student was Mooljee, the producer of Deccan into discipleship). He never gave a life-changing event for the lad. Over Radio, persuaded Dawood to shift his anxious moments to his co-artists the next decade, Dawood learnt from base to Hyderabad and join him as a or organisers by arriving late to him traditional classical tabla with its staff artist. This opened a new chapter concerts. His philosophy was “Janata full range of kaidas, relas, chakradhar in Dawood’s life. Janardhan” implying that the audience s, gats and the art of accompaniment. was always supreme. He was always The knowledge, experience and He was also taught the rare technique present at the venue an hour in advance reputation he gained under his guru of playing laggi using the thumb to irrespective of whether the event was Mohammad Khasim was substantial render gamakas on the dagga. big or small. In an age where arriving enough to make him a top grade artist late was considered fashionable, Khasim’s house was always a in the country. Not one to let concerts when organisers sometimes protested resting place for any great musicians drain his energy or his desire to learn by cancelling the events altogether, journeying between Mumbai and more, he began learning tabla from Dawood Saheb remained strictly Hyderabad. They performed at his Ustad Alladiya Khan. The sheer quality punctual. house while he accompanied them of that decade-long taleem propelled on the tabla. Observing young him to the upper echelons of the tabla Even so many years after his demise, Dawood’s dedication, hard work and world. After the demise of Alladiya artists still remember his simple and commitment, Mohammad Khasim Khan, he learnt from his gifted sons, genuine nature. Eminent tabla maestro gradually started asking him to Mohammed Khan and Chhote Khan. Sheshgiri Hangal narrates an incident accompany the visiting musicians. At the age of 41, Dawood became the when many iconic classical vocalists Dawood did full justice to his disciple of Mahboob Khan Merajkar, and instrumentalists including guru’s faith, sharing the stage with an erudite scholar well versed in tabla. Shaik Dawood visited Madras for a these icons, impressing everyone with The fact that Shaik Dawood enrolled prestigious music festival. Sheshgiri his art of unobtrusive accompaniment as a disciple at the zenith of his career Hangal was to accompany Gangubai

30 l SRUTI May 2015 Hangal but he suddenly fell ill with high fever and was in no position to provide tabla accompaniment. At Gangubai’s request, Shaik Dawood readily agreed and accompanied her on the tabla. After the concert, when the organisers approached Dawood with a remuneration higher than the contracted amount, he politely refused to accept it insisting that it must go to Sheshgiri Hangal and that he was only offering his services as his duty Shaik Dawood accompanying Pandit Ravi Shankar towards his colleague. Dawood Saheb was a man of his Ektaal tarana and Shaik Dawood’s SANDEEP HATTANGADY, based in Durham, U.K., has pursued tabla for nearly two decades, word. Once he gave his acceptance, accompaniment. learning from eminent tabla gurus including he would not backtrack under any Prabhakar Betrabet. He has performed widely in The tabla maestro was awarded circumstances. It is said he once did India and the United States. the Hindu-Muslim Unity award not accompany Basavaraj Rajguru Betrabet and Hattangady have co-authored despite repeated offers of higher for his tremendous social impact the book, Tihaai, for students of tabla and remuneration simply because he had through music. He also received the music. already promised his availability to prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi GOURANG KODICAL is a veteran tabla an artist and event of lesser repute and award but the national Padma vidwan, who learnt his art from Shaik Dawood awards eluded him. he reached his in Hyderabad, after initial coaching by Shashi scale. In yet another instance, Dawood Bellare of Mumbai and Dattappa Garud of sent his senior student to accompany heavenly abode on 21 March 1992. It Bangalore. Kodical has performed in India and is indeed a matter of great consolation abroad for decades, accompanying some great Nazakat Ali and Salamat Ali at a stalwarts.) large event because he had already that the vast repository of tabla committed himself to a concert in knowledge has been passed on to his Throughout the article, the authors respectfully prefixed the honorific `Ustad’ to their guru’s name Hyderabad at the same time. It is worthy son, Shabbir Nisar, who has difficult to imagine what the star started The Tabla Nawaz Ustad Shaik brothers thought of Dawood, but a Dawood Academy of Music in his RIP few days later, another concert of father’s memory. Plans are afoot to theirs was organised for which launch his birth centenary celebrations Veteran flute vidwan T.S. Sankaran, Dawood Saheb was indeed this year in a big way. a disciple of T.R. Mahalingam, available to play with them. Today, passed away at Chennai on 9 April. that concert is heralded as one (PRABHAKAR BETRABET was a senior He was 85. Young flautist J.A. Jayanth of the greatest musical events in disciple of Shaik Dawood. Now a disciple of Shabbir Nisar, he has been performing and is his grandson and prime disciple. the history of Hyderabad and is training students in Bangalore and the U.S.A. remembered for the lightning fast drut for over 25 years. Leela Ramanathan, veteran Bharatanatyam exponent and guru, With M.S. Gopalakrishnan and Krishnanand arts patron, researcher and prolific writer, passed away on 22 March in Bangalore.

E.M. Subramaniam, senior ghatam vidwan died of multiple organ failure on 23 April in Chennai.

K. Mani, Sruti’s staff photographer (along with his brother K. Raman) for several decades, succumbed to cancer on 24 March in Chennai. The brothers were photographers and videographers known as the Waran Bros.

31 l SRUTI May 2015