Mohammad Hussain Sarahang

Mohammad Hussain Sarāhang
استاد محمد حسین سرآهنگ
Birth name Mohammad Hussain
Born 1924
Origin Kharabat, Kabul, Afghanistan
Died 1983
Genres Khayal, Thumri, Tarana and Ghazal
Occupation(s) Hindustani Classical Vocalist

Ustād Mohammad Hussain Sarāhang (Pashto/Persian: استاد محمد حسین سرآهنگ‎‎ - Sarahang; 1924–1983) was an Afghan musician and exponent of hindustani classical music from Kabul Afghanistan. He was the second oldest son of the musician Ustad Ghulam Hussain. Mohammad Hussain was born and raised in Kharabat (Kabul).

Career and education

Ustad Mohammad Hussain Sarahang was an Afghan musician trained in the Hindustani classical vocalist genre. Ustad Mohammad Hussain Sarahang was born in 1924 in the Kharabat area of Kabul, an area known for breeding some of the country’s greatest musicians. His father Ustad Ghulam Hussain, was a musician, and taught his son the basics of music. Ustad Sarahang excelled in these lessons so much that his father sent him to India, to learn under Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan. After 16 years, Ustad Sarahang returned to Kabul at the age of 25. Ustad Sarahang typically performed khayals, thumris, taranas and ghazals, which are all classical and semi-classical genres of music. He usually sang the ghazals of Amir Khusraw and Abul Ma’ani Bedil, famous Indian poets who wrote in Persian. Ustad Sarahang recorded over 500raga performances and ghazals throughout his time in India, and at Radio Kabul. He composed many of his own ragasas well. He published two books, one titled Qanun-e Tarab (The Law of Music), explaining the rules of eastern music, and Mussiqi-e Rag-ha (Music of Ragas). He also wrote for the Pashtun Ghag newspaper in Kabul. Throughout his career, Ustad Sarahang gained many fans throughout Afghanistan, India, and Central Asia. His amazing voice, coupled with his extremely technical understanding of classical music earned him many awards, including the titleSarahang from the government of Afghanistan, Degree of Master, Doctor and Professor of Music from Kalakendra School of Music in Calcutta, and Baba-e Musiqee (The Father of Music) at his last concert in New Delhi, just to name a few. Ustad Sarahang was a huge influence on classical music in Afghanistan, and was treasured greatly. He died in 1983

He was born in Kharabat, an area in the old city of Kabul as Mohammad Hussain, the second son of the Peshawar musician, Ustad Ghulam Hussain, from whom he learned the basics of music. Hussain then studied Indian Classical Music in the Patiala School of Music in India. After 16 years of learning from Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan, he returned to Kabul at the age of 25. Soon afterward he was awarded the title of Sarāhang by the government of Afghanistan.

Ustad Sarahang performed various genres of classical and semi-classical music, including khayal, thumri, tarana, and ghazal. He earned the following titles and degrees from various music schools of India:

Sarahang recorded roughly 500 raga performances and ghazals in India and at Radio Kabul. He has sung mostly the Ghazals of Amir Khusraw and Abul Ma'āni Bedil, the poets of Indian School of Poetry in Persian, as he was a Bedil Shenās (Bedil Expert).

He wrote two books about classical music, Qānūn-e Tarab (The Law of Music)[1] and Mūssīqī-e Rāg-hā (Music of Ragas).[2] He has also created or composed several ragas including Hazra and Minamalee.

Festival of Music in Kabul

At the age of 25, Ustad Mohammad Hussain Sarahang participated in a festival of music held at Kabul's Pamir Cinema. Amongst the participants were Ustad Qasim and Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan.

At this festival, Ustad Mohammad Hussain Sarahang was awarded the Gold Medal over the Masters of music. He was awarded the title of Ustad for his performance at this festival and a few years later, the government of Afghanistan awarded him the title of Sarāhang.

Books

Qanon e Tarab : Explaining the rules of eastern music

Ustad Sarahang also wrote articles in Pashtun Ghag newspaper.

Fame in India

During his last trip to Allahabad School of Music, in order to show respect, Indian female ‘Ustads’ and students of the school lined up and bowed their heads furnishing the path to the stage with their hair so that Ustad Sarahang could walk over them.[3] Ustad Sarahang once said that if he were to die in India, he was to be buried next to the tomb of Baydel Abdul-Qādir Bēdil. Upon his last trip to India in 1983, Ustad Sarahang fell ill and was hospitalized and ordered not to sing and to keep his talking to a minimum. Ustad Sarahang told his doctors he was feeling homesick and he would get better if he went back to Afghanistan. Ustad Sarahang went back to Afghanistan but he disregarded the orders of his doctors and continued his performance. As a result, he was given another medal. He became ill again and was hospitalized in Afghanistan where he died from a heart attack.

Notes

  1. ↑ Mohammad Hussain Sarahang was the lead author of Qānūn-e Tarab OCLC 48368272, along with Shahrānī, ʻInāyat Allāh and Rahīn, ʻAbd al-Rasūl. It covered a history of Afghan music with selected biographies as well as music theory.
  2. ↑ WorldCat does not list Mūssīqī-e Rāg-hā.
  3. ↑ http://indianraga.wordpress.com/2007/12/30/ustad-sarahang-a-maestro-from-a-turbulent-land/
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