When Alla Rakha Recited Tabla Rhythms Instead of Prayers in Baby Zakir Hussain’s Ears: The Goddess that is most revered is Goddess Saraswati

At that time Alla Rakha also said that all this is the knowledge he inherited from his teachers and wanted to teach his child.

Tabla maestro who passed on latently, Zakir Hussain, once narrated a very poignant story that he recalls about his father Rakha, holding him for the first time. It is regrettable and would suffice to say that PTI reported this incident eight years ago when Zakir narrated it. He narrated how he was welcomed into this world by having his father chanting tabla beats into his ears instead of speaking blessings.

The day when Alla Rakha whispered tabla rhythms into his infant son’s ears

Zakir continued, “I was taken back home and was handed over to my dad.” According to the tradition the father was expected to whisper a prayer into the ears of the baby as a way of introducing the child. But when my father held me, in stead of whispering words of tabla rhythms into my ear, he said table rhythms actually.

Alla Rakha’s Reply and Zakir’s Mother’sReaction

Zakir said, “Sulochana became very angry with me.” She responded ‘What are you doing?’ I once used the wrong word joking that you are supposed to repeat prayers, not rhythms. To this my father retorted,’ These are my prayers. This is how I worship.’ He said, ‘I am a very great worshiper of Goddess Saraswati and Lord Ganesh.’ This was coming from a devoted Muslim. He went on to affirm this as information he had been taught by his teachers and his intention was to transmit to his son.”

About Zakir Hussain

From idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, the tabla maestro died in a San Francisco hospital, this Monday as announced by his family. Indeed, Zakir Hussain born on 9th March 1951 in Mumbai was awarded the Padma Shri in 1988, Padma Bhushan in 2002, and recently Padma Vibhushan 2023.

He studied at the St. Michael’s School, Mahim and completed his degree in St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. Zakir used to travel by train in his initial years of his career. If he didn’t get a seat, he laid newspapers on the floor and slept. In order to safeguard this favorite tool of his, he would always place tabla on his own lap while these travel; the table would never be touched by anyone’s feet as per PTI.

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