Zakir Hussain: What his father whispered instead of prayers at his birth. – Times of India

Legendary Tabla maker, Ustad Zakir Hussain Died in San Francisco on December 16, 2024 (Monday) after suffering from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. His age was 73 years. According to reports, Zakir Hussain was fighting idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis For a long time and was hospitalized two weeks ago. However, his condition worsened and he was later admitted to the ICU.
Zakir Hussain was born on 9 March 1951 in Mumbai to a tabla player. God kept And Boi Begum. He was the eldest child of the couple who grew up to be one of the greatest tabla players of all time.
Affirmation plays a huge role in our career, and after knowing this story about Zakir Hussain and his father, you will believe it too. Zakir Hussain’s career was shaped by music and its seeds were sown at birth. His father, Allah Rakhi, whispered something in his ear when he was a child that became a powerful affirmation that guided his entire life and career. In one of his first interviews, Ustad Zakir Hussain once narrated a family incident. He recalled how his father, a Muslim by birth but a devotee of the Hindu goddess Saraswati and Lord Ganesha, always wanted him to become a table player like him. So much so that when he was born, his father played the tabla beats in his ears instead of prayers!
Recalling the incident, Zakir Hussain once said in an interview, “I was brought home, I was given to my father in his arms. The tradition was that the father had to recite the dua in the child’s ear. Welcoming the child with some kind words, he takes me in his arms, puts his lips close to my ear and recites some (tabla) rhythm in my ears. And my mother became angry and said, “You what are you doing Prayers are not these rhythms. And he said, ‘Well, these are my prayers’ He said, ‘I am a worshiper of Goddess Saraswati and Lord Ganesha’ This knowledge (vidya) I got from my teachers. You want to give it to my son, so why not start soon?”
And rightly so! Ustad Zakir Hussain started his musical career at the age of 13 and over the years has gone on to build his legacy as a tabla player. He received. Padma Shri In 1988, a Padma Bhushan in 2002, and Padma Vibhushan in 2023. He also won several awards, including five Grammy Awards.
Ustad Zakir Hussain is survived by his wife Antonia Manicola and two daughters Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi. He also has two brothers Tawfiq Qureshi and Fazal Qureshi and a sister Khurshid Auliya.
While the legendary tabla maestro is no longer with us, his legacy will be remembered for generations to come.