‘King of Santoor’: Remembering Ustaad Muhammad Abdullah Tibetbaqal
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Kashmir owns much of its connection to Central Asia. Many known families have their roots there. One among the famous families, counted as one of the leading and reputed business and trading family of the Kashmir valley, having raw Pashmina trade relations with the Central-Asian countries like Tibet, Yarkand, Samarkand, Bukhara, Gilgit, Askarud, Tajikistan, and Russia, were Bota Wanis (Buddhist Traders), now known as TibetBaqals.
Their connection with the trade and business originates from their Turkish origin. They came to Kashmir with the arrival of Hazrat Syed Sharif-ud-din Abdul Rehman Bulbul (RA) accompanied by other Syeds, during the reign of king Sahadev in 1320 AD.
They owned a seven-story house at Bodhgair, in Old Srinagar, which was then designed according to the central Asian style of architecture. A turning point in the family history was the birth of Ustaad Muhammad Abdullah Tibetbaqal alias Abl-e-Saab on July 03, 1914.
Abdullah received his initial education through the conventional mode of learning in the Theologian school of Hazrat Moulana Maqbool Sahib (RA) situated at Buch-Mohalla, Rajouri-Kadal, Srinagar and then for formal education, he was admitted in Mission School situated at Fateh-Kadal, Srinagar, now known as Tyndale Biscoe School of Srinagar.
As a child, Abdullah used to play with wooden planks, arrange them in a definite symmetry and the start making sounds out of them. Everything he got his hands on was a sound-making opportunity for him. He used glasses and plates to make different rhythmic sounds.
As he grew up his interest in music also grew but being a business family, his family did not allow him to pursue music as a profession. But he kept putting in his efforts as his love for music was above all.
He went against his family’s preference and purchased a Santoor and started practising the 100-string dulcimer but being an obedient child he also extended his helping hand in the family business.
He used to accompany his father to central Asian countries which subsequently made him an expert in Persian, Ladakhi and other regional languages.
Tibet Baqal during a performance.
This became the triggering moment for him which created a place of fondness for Sufi-music in his heart. All his knowledge with regard to music was only based on observation which he gathered from the Sufi gatherings.
According to his only son Mohammad Ashraf TibetBaqal, whatever his father achieved in the artistic field was purely the Creator’s gift and sincere prayers of his well-wishers.
With the advent of Radio Kashmir in 1948, it was felt that the local artists of the Kashmir should be promoted and Abdullah’s name was recommended.
But to surprise of many, he rejected the offer.
It was then the Deputy Prime Minister of Kashmir, Bakshi Ghulam Muhammad, Sadruddin Mujahid, Chatter Ji (then Director Radio Kashmir) insisted him personally to take up the job. He finally agreed and took up the job in 1948. He was offered the highest payment of Rs. 150 against the other AIR-Staff artists who were given only Rs. 60 per month.
He rose to become as one of the most successful vocalist and composer Kashmir has produced so far. His brilliant performances-cum-composition in the 20th Century are world renowned, earning him the famous title, “King of Santoor”. During his Radio Kashmir tenure, Abdullah was also honoured with the title “TibetBaqal”, as a mark of honour in terms of dignity, reputation and recognition for his musical skills and services.
TibetBaqal during a performance in 1951.
He sang Maulana Jami’s Ya Rasool e Hashmi and Pandit Krishen Joo Razdan’s Beil Ta Maadhal venna Golaab Pamposh Dastaai with equal spiritual longing. His moistened his listeners’ eyes with numbers like Baael Ha Ruma Rummaai and Baal Marrayo.
Then, Santoor was predominantly used as an accompanying instrument in making music. But it was Ustaad Tibetbaqal, who, for the first time introduced it as a lead instrument in solo-music. The archived tapes in possession of All India Radio / Sangeet Natak Academy, Doordarshan Mandi and private library of Ustaad Tibetbaqal are a bystander to this fact.
In 1944, Taj Company of Lahore recorded some Solo – instrumental Santoor recitals of Ustaad Tibetbaqal besides other recitations and archived them for preservation. In 1950’s for the first time, All India Radio broadcast Sufiyana / Santoor – Wadan of Ustaad Tibetbaqal at the National level. His contribution and recognition are of the Global level.
Besides these, many well-known people like Dr Rajendra Prasad in 1953 invited him to listen to his magical art performance of Sufi-music and Santoor-wadans.
Similarly, many renowned people like Dr Ruhullah Khaliqi (Director-National School of Music, Tehran) who, addressed Ustaad Tibetbaqal with the title of Hassan and Khan Habib (the grand Santoor Maestros and Musicologists of Iran) for his artistic caliber, have endorsed his art. Even Jawaharlal Lal Nehru, Indra Gandhi, Dilip Kumar and Syed Kaiser Qalander (Former DDG-AIR) were special listeners of him.
It’s said that when renowned singer and maestro Muhammad Rafi came to Kashmir for his magical performances for the first time at Polo-ground and then at Tagore-hall, Srinagar, he took the skilled and art-crafted hands of Ustaad Tibetbaqal in his own hands and kissed them.
The Santoor legend won many awards. He won his first award in 1972 and became the First Person from Jammu and Kashmir, to receive the Sangeet Natak Academy Award. He was honoured with Robe of Honour by Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Pride of Performance, Kala Kendra and Golden Jubilee Award – All India Radio by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government besides other prestigious awards.
An aged Tibet Baqal.
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