Alla Rakha facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ustad
Alla Rakha Khan Qureshi
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Alla Rakha in 1988
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Alla Rakha Qureshi |
| Born | 29 April 1919 Ghagwal, District Samba Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, British India |
| Died | 3 February 2000 (aged 80) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Genres | Hindustani classical music |
| Instruments | Tabla, Pakhawaj |
| Associated acts | Ravi Shankar, Zakir Hussain, Aditya Kalyanpur |
Ustad Allarakha Qureshi (born April 29, 1919 – died February 3, 2000), known as Alla Rakha, was a very famous Indian tabla player. He was a master of Hindustani classical music. He often played with the well-known sitar player Ravi Shankar. Alla Rakha played a big part in showing the Tabla to people in Western countries.
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Alla Rakha's Early Life and Training
Alla Rakha Khan Qureshi was born on April 29, 1919, in Ghagwal Village in Jammu, India. He grew up on a farm. Even as a young boy, he loved music very much. He was always amazed by musicians who traveled through his village.
When he was 12, Alla Rakha ran away from home. He wanted to follow his dream of becoming a musician. He went to stay with his uncle in Gurdaspur city. There, he began to learn the tabla from Mian Kader Baksh. Mian Kader Baksh was a great tabla master from the Punjab gharana (a special school of music).
Mian Kader Baksh thought Alla Rakha was so talented that he adopted him. He even named Alla Rakha as the next leader of the Punjab gharana. Alla Rakha also learned classical singing from Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan. He practiced for many hours every day. This hard work helped him become a legend.
In 1943, he started working in the Bombay film industry, now known as Bollywood. He composed music for almost two dozen Hindi and Punjabi films.
Alla Rakha was married to his cousin, Bavi Begum. They had three sons: Zakir Hussain, Fazal Qureshi, and Taufiq Qureshi. All three of his sons also became famous tabla players. He also had two daughters.
Alla Rakha's Amazing Career
Alla Rakha started his career in Lahore. In 1936, he joined All India Radio in Delhi. Later, in 1940, he moved to Mumbai. There, he performed the first-ever tabla solo on the radio station. This helped make the tabla a more important instrument.
He also composed music for Hindi films in the 1940s and early 1950s. He used the name A. R. Qureshi for his film work. But he was best known for playing the tabla with other great musicians. He played with famous artists like Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and Ali Akbar Khan.
Alla Rakha became world-famous in the 1960s. He was the main tabla player for Ravi Shankar. They performed together for huge audiences in Western countries. People loved his amazing tabla skills. He was not just a great accompanist; he was also a master at making up music on the spot. He was a brilliant composer and a fantastic performer.
Their performances at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 and the Woodstock Festival in 1969 were very important. These shows helped introduce classical Indian music to many new people in the West.
Alla Rakha's Global Impact
Alla Rakha made the tabla popular all over the world. He helped people understand and respect this instrument more. His students and fans lovingly called him "Abbaji." He also helped connect different styles of Indian music. He played with musicians from both Carnatic music and Hindustani music.
Ravi Shankar and Alla Rakha traveled the world together. They represented India at many international music festivals.
Even famous American drummers, like Mickey Hart from the Grateful Dead, admired him. Mickey Hart, who is an expert on world music, said: "Allah Rakha is the Einstein, the Picasso; he is the highest form of rhythmic development on this planet." Alla Rakha also worked with jazz drummer Buddy Rich. They made an album together in 1968 called Rich à la Rakha.
Alla Rakha also played with Ravi Shankar at the Concert for Bangladesh in New York City in 1971. This concert and its album helped even more people in the West discover Indian classical music. He also shared the stage with other leading Indian musicians.
Awards and Recognition
Alla Rakha received many important awards for his contributions to music.
- In 1977, he was given the Padma Shri. This is one of India's highest civilian awards.
- In 1982, he received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. This award is given by India's national academy for music, dance, and drama.
- On April 29, 2014, which would have been his 95th birthday, he was honored with a Google Doodle.
Alla Rakha's Legacy
Ustad Alla Rakha passed away on February 3, 2000, after a heart attack. He was 80 years old.
The New York Times newspaper called him "the most important tabla drummer of his generation." They also said that Alla Rakha was given the title Ustad, which means a master musician and teacher. The newspaper noted that Alla Rakha's skill helped make every musician who played with him even better.
The Prime Minister of India at the time, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, also shared his sadness about Alla Rakha's passing. Alla Rakha's music and his influence continue to inspire musicians and listeners around the world.
