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Chapter 17, Bismillah Khan: The Shehnai Maestro., Word- meanings, 1. Legend : an extremely famous person, especially in a, particular field., 2. Maestro : a distinguished musician., 3. Accomplishment : attainment, 4. Immense : huge, 5. Solitude : loneliness, 6. Ramparts : high wide walls built around forts, 7. Personified: treated as a person, 8. Secularism : the belief that religion should not be, involved in the functioning of government and, organization of society,, education, etc., 9. Spartan : simple and austere and lacking anything, that makes life easier or more pleasant., 10., , Reverberate : (ofa sound/noise) be repeated, , several times as an echo., 11., , Intermingle : mix

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12., , Defy : refuse to obey, , 13., , Confine : to keep somebody/something inside, , the limits of a particular, activity, subject, area etc., 14., , Recognition : public praise and reward for, , somebody's work or action, 15., , Contemporary : belonging to the same time, , testimony a thing that, , shows that something, , else exists or is true., , Answer the following questions;, (i) ‘Ustad was the undisputed jewel in the crown of Indian, music’. Explain., , Answer: Ustad Bismillah Khan was a great Shehnai, , player. He elevated the Shehnai from an instrument heard, only in weddings and naubatkhanas to one that was, appreciated in concert halls across the world. He was a, matchless figure in the field of music., (ii) Describe Bismillah Khan as an example of communal, harmony., , Answer: Bismillah Khan always encouragged commmunal

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harmony. He was a practicing Muslim, who offered, , ‘namaaz’ five times a day, yet he had immense faith in, Baba Vishwanath, Sankat Mochan Hanuman and Ganga, , Maiyya. He used to lead the Muharram procession as well, as that of the Ganga Puja in Banaras, playing the shehnai, while walking. In his opinion, all religions are one., (iii) When and where was Ustad Bismillad Khan born?, Answer: Bismillah Khan was born in Bihar on March 21,, 1916., (iv) Who was his first master to train him as a shehnai, player?, , Answer: His uncle was his first master to train him as a, shehnai player., (v) How did he personify real secularism?, Answer: He was a practising Muslim, who offered, ‘namaaz’ five times a day. Yet he had immense faith in, Baba Viswanath, Sankat Mochan Hunuman and Ganga, Maiyya., (vi) How can you say that Ustad preferred to live a, spartan life?, Answer: Ustad always preferred to live a spartan life. His, , room, on the top floor of his house, had only a few things

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like a cot, a chair, an earthen pot for water and is, shehnai., (vii) Write God’s wish for the shehnai maestro?, , Answer: God wished that instead of India Gate, the notes, of the shehnai should reverberate at the doors of Heaven.