Evelyn Glennie is profoundly deaf and cannot hear a word. Thus, she overcame this difficulty and learnt to listen music from her body. She not only scored highest marks in the history of the Royal Academy of Music but also became a renowned musician. She is an idol for a lot of people and a source of inspiration for. them. Her sfory tells us that no problem is so great that it cannot be overcome.
Part 2
Bismillah Khan Summary
•This chapter throws light on the origin of Shehnai and the life of all time great Shehnai Vadak – Bismillah Khan. The winner of Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of India, his dedication to music and his love for India.
•”Pungi” a musical instrument, was banned by Emperor Aurangzeb, because of its shrill and unpleasant sound. In fact, it was regarded more as a noise maker rather than a musical instrument. It was modified and perfected by a barber who belonged to a family of professional musicians. He played it in the chamber of the king. Its sound was so appreciated by the emperor that it was made a part of Naubat. Since it was played for the first time in Shah’s chamber by a Nai, it came to be known as Shehnai.
•Traditionally, it was played in the temples and on every auspicious domestic occasions also. Its sound was regarded as auspicious. But it was treated as an incomplete musical instrument, not capable of creating independent pages. But Bismillah Khan broke this myth.
•Bismillah belongs to the Benares Gharana. He was bom in 1916 at Dumraon, in Bihar. As a 5 year old, he used to visit the Bihariji Temple and sing Bhojpuri “Chaitya” there. For his melodious singing he used to earn a big Laddu from the local Bhojpuri King. At the age of 6, he moved to Benares. There under the guidance and training of his maternal uncle, Ali Bux, he started picking up the finer nuances of shehnai. He used to spend most of his time practicing on the banks of the River Ganges. The themes of his music were deeply affected by the sounds of flowing water of the Ganga.
•He got the best performer award at All India Music Conference in Allahabad in 1930. In 2001, he won 3 awards’the Padma Bhushan, Padmashree and Padma Vibhushan. He was invited to play the shehnai from the ramparts of the Red Fort in 194?, becoming the first to greet the independent India. He won many international awards also. He became the first Indian to perform at titje Lincoln Central Hall, in USA. An auditorium in Tehran was named after him-Tahar Mosiquee Ustaad Bismillah Khan.
•Bismillah was very fond of Benares and Dumraon. He declined an offer from one of his students to settle in the USA, as he was not willing to stay away for long from Benaras and its holy river Ganga. He ventured into film world also. He gave his music in 2 movies. His composition “Dil ka khillonahai ” for movie “Goonj Uthi Shehnai”, was a chartbuster. But he could not associate himself with the artificial glamour of die film world. For him, music was his soul, his life.
Extract Based Questions (3 marks each)
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.
Overview: The Sound of Music
Part I tells the story of Evelyn Glennie, a Scottish girl diagnosed profoundly deaf at age eleven, who became one of the world's leading percussionists by learning to feel music through vibrations in different parts of her body. Ron Forbes, her teacher, encouraged this unconventional approach. Part II chronicles Ustad Bismillah Khan, who elevated the shehnai from a wedding/folk instrument to classical concert stage. Born in Dumraon, Bihar, he remained devoted to Benaras and Indian classical music throughout his life, refusing lucrative offers abroad.
Key Points
- Part I: Evelyn Glennie — Scottish, profoundly deaf since age 11
- Percussionist Ron Forbes taught her to sense music through vibrations
- She plays barefoot to feel vibrations through the floor
- She became one of the most acclaimed percussionists in the world
- Part II: Bismillah Khan — shehnai maestro from Dumraon, Bihar
- He elevated shehnai from folk/wedding instrument to concert classical
- Played shehnai at Red Fort on India's first Independence Day (1947)
- Awarded Bharat Ratna — India's highest civilian honour
- Refused to settle abroad — deeply attached to Benaras and the Ganga
- Both parts share themes of passion, dedication, and overcoming obstacles
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Evelyn Glennie hear music despite being deaf?
Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to leave India?
Common Mistakes
- Not reading the text carefully before attempting questions.
- Giving vague answers without specific textual references.
- Confusing characters, events, or themes from different chapters.
- Writing too much for short-answer questions (should be 30-40 words).
Scoring Tips
- For extract-based MCQs: read the passage carefully; eliminate wrong options systematically.
- For short answers: be concise (30-40 words), use key vocabulary from the text.
- For long answers: structure with introduction, body, conclusion. Quote from the text.
- Always identify the chapter/poem name and author when answering.