Abdul Wahid Khan was an Indian classical

Indian classical music

The origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music...

 singer, from the Kirana gharana

Kirana Gharana

Kirana Gharana is one of the most prolific Hindustani khyal gharanas.-History:The name of this school of music derives from Kirana or Kairana, a town and tehsil of Muzzafarnagar District in Uttar Pradesh...

.

Early life and background

Khansahib founded the Kirana gharana

Kirana Gharana

Kirana Gharana is one of the most prolific Hindustani khyal gharanas.-History:The name of this school of music derives from Kirana or Kairana, a town and tehsil of Muzzafarnagar District in Uttar Pradesh...

 musical family with Abdul Karim Khan

Abdul Karim Khan

Ustad Abdul Karim Khan , was an Indian classical singer of the Kairana gharana .-Early life and background:...

. Abdul Karim had married Abdul Wahid Khan's sister, Gafooran Bibi. The relationship between Khan and Abdul Karim later soured when Abdul Karim neglected Gafooran Bibi and married his student, Tarabai Mane. Abdul Wahid Khan's hearing was deficient and he was sometimes referred to as Behre Wahid Khan (Deaf Wahid Khan). Wahid Khan's son Hafizullah Khan was born in 1946. Hafizullah's uncles trained him in music, and he became an accomplished sarangi

Sarangi

The Sārangī is a bowed, short-necked string instrument of India which is originated from Rajasthani folk instruments. It plays an important role in India's Hindustani classical music tradition...

 player.

Singing career

Khansahib forbade recordings of his performances to avoid imitation by other singers. Only three of his performances survived, recordings of the ragas Patdip, Multani

Multani (raga)

Multani is a Hindustani classical raga. The newer raga Madhuvanti was inspired by Multani.-External links:* * *...

, and Darbari Kanada

Darbari Kanada

Darbari Kanada, or simply Darbari, is a Hindustani raga in the Kanada family, which is thought to have originated in Carnatic music and brought into North Indian music by Miyan Tansen, the legendary 16th century composer in emperor Akbar's court...

, accompanied by Ram Narayan

Ram Narayan

Ram Narayan , often referred to by the title Pandit, is an Indian musician who popularized the bowed instrument sarangi as a solo concert instrument in Hindustani classical music and became the first internationally successful sarangi player....

 on tambura

Tambura

The tambura, tanpura, or tambora is a long-necked plucked lute . The body shape of the tambura somewhat resembles that of the sitar, but it has no frets – only the open strings are played to accompany other musicians...

 and Chatur Lal

Chatur Lal

Chatur Lal , was an Indian tabla player. Lal toured with Ravi Shankar, Aashish Khan, Vasant Rai, and Ali Akbar Khan in the 1950s and early 60s and helped popularize the tabla in Western countries. Chatur Lal was born 1925 in Udaipur, Rajasthan. Lal died October 1965...

 on tabla

Tabla

The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...

. They were preserved by music producer Jivan Lal Mattoo, who secretly recorded a radio broadcast in 1947, a few days before his death, to document Khan's style.

Legacy

Abdul Wahid Khansahib died in 1949 in Lahore

Lahore

Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...

. A number of Wahid Khan's students became renowned musicians. They included Sureshbabu Mane

Sureshbabu Mane

Sureshbabu Mane was a prominent Hindustāni classical music singer of Kirānā Gharānā in India.-Early life and training:Sureshbabu was born as Abdul Rehmān to Kirana Gharana master Ustād Abdul Karim Khān and Tārābāi Māne. Tarabai was the daughter of Sardār Māruti Rāo Māne, a brother of princely...

, Hirabai Badodekar

Hirabai Badodekar

Hirābai Barodekar was a renowned Indian Hindustāni classical music singer, of Kirana gharana. She also sang along with her younger sister, Saraswati Rane, whom she also trained, in jugalbandi style.-Early life and background:...

, Begum Akhtar

Begum Akhtar

Akhtari Bai Faizabadi or Begum Akhtar was a well known Indian singer of Ghazal, Dadra and Thumri.She received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for vocal music, and was awarded Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan by Govt. of India...

, Saraswatibai Rane, Pran Nath, Ram Narayan

Ram Narayan

Ram Narayan , often referred to by the title Pandit, is an Indian musician who popularized the bowed instrument sarangi as a solo concert instrument in Hindustani classical music and became the first internationally successful sarangi player....

, Shakoor Khan, Pandit Jaichand Bhatt (Khyal Singer) and Mohammed Rafi

Mohammed Rafi

Mohammad Rafi , was an Indian playback singer whose career spanned four decades. He was awarded National Award and 6 Filmfare Awards. In 1967, he was honoured with the Padma Shri awarded by the Government of India....

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Khansahib influenced Amir Khan. Abdul Wahid Khan and Abdul Karim Khan had started evolving the vilambit khyal and their work inspired Amir Khan to develop his trademark ati vilambit singing.