I have known Rashid bhai for decades. He used to call me didi, and the news of his demise is deeply shocking. It pains me to pen these words on the very day he left us.
Rashid bhai was a torchbearer of the Rampur gharana in Hindustani classical music. He was not confined to a single gharana despite his training under one of the eminent ustads of the Rampur gharana — Ustad Nisar Hussain Khan, the court musician of Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda. His loss is a painful blow to both his immediate family and his disciples.
Every artist has an urge to find their own voice within the gharana, but not many are successful in doing so. Rashid bhai not only found his own voice but also touched countless hearts with it. The void left by him is irreplaceable. There will be no other like him.
Classical music is often deemed inaccessible. I have heard many say that it is reserved for the older generation. However, Rashid bhai’s voice resonated with the youth. His rendition of Bollywood songs, especially Aaoge Jab Tum Sajna from the movie Jab We Met, showcased his versatility. My personal favourites are the Thumri in sohni dekh beg man lalchaaye and the Thumri in des karam kar dijiye. He had his own way of expressing himself through music.
He also had a generous spirit. I remember when, in 2014, my husband Anish Pradhan and I started Baaaja Gaajaa, a three-day music festival in Pune, I had invited Rashid bhai to perform with Carnatic vocalist TM Krishna. On talking about the terms and conditions, Rashid bhai told me not to worry about it and readily agreed to perform a jugalbandi that he has not done anywhere else before.
A recent memory that I have of him is from June 2022, in Kolkata, where we both performed a tribute to Lata Mangeshkar after she passed away. And now, it is unimaginable for me to hear the news of him passing away too.
My deepest sympathies go out to his family and I sincerely hope his teachings endure through his students and his son Armaan, who has inherited his father’s brilliance. Despite the confirmed news of his demise, a part of me clings to the hope of a miracle, wishing the news were untrue.
Shubha Mudgal, Musician
(As told to Ishita Roy)