Bhurji Khan | |
Birth Name: | Shamsuddin Ghulam Ahmad Khan |
Birth Date: | [1] |
Birth Place: | Bundi, North-Western Provinces, British India |
Death Place: | Mumbai, Bombay Presidency, British India |
Origin: | Bundi, India |
Instrument: | Vocalist of Classical music |
Genre: | Khayal, Bhajans, Thumris |
Occupation: | Hindustani classical vocalist of the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana |
Years Active: | 1900–1950 |
Ustad Shamsuddin "Bhurji" Khan (1890–1950) was a Hindustani Classical vocalist of the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana founded by his father, Ustad Alladiya Khan.[1]
Ustad Bhurji Khan was the third and the youngest son of Ustad Alladiya Khan. Despite this, Ustad Alladiya Khan felt that Ustad Bhurji Khan was the most capable of his children.
In his late youth, Ustad Bhurji Khan fell seriously ill with influenza while visiting Uniara, Rajasthan.
Ustad Bhurji Khan's illness affected his musical growth. Brain-damage from the illness contributed to his forgetfulness and memory loss. As a result, his father abandoned training him, where he continued his musical training with his uncle, Ustad Haider Khan. Despite Ustad Haider Khan's persistence, it was only until Ustad Bhurji Khan took to teaching that his memory solidified and his musical growth resumed. After this, his training with his father also resumed.
Ustad Bhurji Khan was instrumental in expanding the presence of the Jaipur-Atrauli gayaki in Hindustani Classical music. Among his many disciples are Gaanyogini Dhondutai Kulkarni, Madhusudhan Kanetkar, Gajananbua Joshi, Madhukar Sadolikar, Wamanrao Sadolikar, and his own son, Baba Azizuddin Khan.
Ustad Bhurji Khan's famous disciple was Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur. After the death of his elder brother, Ustad Manji Khan, Ustad Bhurji Khan agreed to teach Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur under his father's command.[2]
Ustad Bhurji Khan died in 1950 after a prolonged illness.