India’s very own who yet belonged to the world: Zakir Hussain gave the tabla a new identity

His fingers flew, fluttered, and floated in quicksilver changes of raga and rhythm, drumming up music and magic. Zakir Hussain was the maestro of tabla, percussionist, composer, and even actor – a legend who was India’s very own and yet belonged to the world.

Mumbai-born Zakir Hussain passed away at a hospital in San Francisco due to complications arising out of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease, his family said on Monday (December 16). He was 73.

‘Welcomed into the world with rhythms in his ears’

Eight years ago, tabla maestro Zakir Hussain had narrated how his father Alla Rakha had welcomed him into this world by putting the musical instrument’s rhythms into his ears when asked to recite prayers.

Zakir Hussain spoke of his father holding him in his arms for the first time. Alla Rakha was an accomplished tabla player and a frequent accompanist of iconic sitar player Pandit Ravi Shankar.

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“I was brought home and handed over to my dad in his arms. The tradition was that the father is supposed to recite a prayer in the baby's ear, welcoming the baby and putting some good words. So he takes me in his arms, puts his lips to my ear and recites the tabla rhythms into my ears. My mother was livid. She said, what are you doing? You're supposed to say, you know, prayers, not rhythms.”

“And he said, but these are my prayers. This is how I pray. He said, I am the worshipper of Goddess Saraswati and Lord Ganesh. This was a devout Muslim talking. He said this is the knowledge he got from his teachers and wanted to pass it on to his son,” Zakir Hussain said.

Born on March 9, 1951 in Mumbai, Ustad Zakir Hussain was awarded the Padma Shri in 1988, Padma Bhushan in 2002 and Padma Vibhushan in 2023.

Zakir Hussain had his early education from St. Michael’s School in Mahim and did his graduation from St Xavier’s College, both in Mumbai.

During his early days, he used to travel by train and if he could not find a seat, he would spread newspapers on the floor and sleep. During such journeys, so that no one’s feet touched his tabla, he used to sleep with the musical instruments in his lap.

In another interview, Zakir Hussain had recalled an incident when he was 12 years old. He had gone to a concert with his father. Music stalwarts like Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Bismillah Khan, Pandit Shanta Prasad, and Pandit Kishan Maharaj were also present at that concert.

Zakir Hussain went on stage with his father and got five rupees for the performance.

“I have earned a lot of money in my life, but those five rupees were the most valuable,” the tabla maestro had said.

He developed an all-inclusive musical creativity

The artiste, a marquee name in India and abroad, leaves behind more than 60 years of music. He played on the stage alongside some of the greatest Indian and international musicians in a fusion of Indian classical and world music, giving the tabla a whole new identity.

The great percussionist created music across genres and styles, including in his repertoire jazz and concertos, naturally developing an “all-inclusive musical creativity” after learning and playing under the tutelage of his father and renowned tabla player, Alla Rakha.

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“The mindset as I was growing up tuned itself to the idea that music is music, it's not Indian music or that music, so when I actually started working with musicians who were non-Indian, it seemed like a natural handshake," Hussain told PTI almost a year ago ahead of a performance in Goa.

As the son of Alla Rakha, one of the greatest tabla players of all time, Hussain was to the music born.

He started early. The child prodigy performed his first concert at the age of seven and began touring at 12. After completing his education in Mumbai, where he was born, he moved to the United States in 1970.

The borders melted away when it came to his music.

First Indian musician to receive 3 Grammys

In February, Hussain became the first musician from India to receive three Grammys at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Global Music Album, Best Global Music Performance, and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.

"I am overwhelmed and humbled by the outpouring of love, affection, and blessings for my multiple Grammy wins. It is impossible for me to individually respond to all of you but be assured that you are all in my heart and I'm bowing to each and every one of you in thanks. It was a great day for India at the Grammys and I'm proud to be carrying the national flag," he wrote on Instagram at the time.

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At the 2024 Grammys, Hussain earned his first honour for best global music album for This Moment as part of the fusion music group Shakti, which includes founding member British guitarist John McLaughlin, as well as vocalist Shankar Mahadevan, violinist Ganesh Rajagopalan, and percussionist Selvaganesh Vinayakram.

He later won two other awards for the best global music performance for Pashto and best contemporary instrumental album for As We Speak, along with flautist Rakesh Chaurasia, American banjo player Bela Fleck, and American bassist Edgar Meyer.

In January last year, the Shakti quintet reunited for a world tour in India to much excitement from fans.

Many groundbreaking collaborations

Other than Shakti, Hussain also contributed to many groundbreaking collaborations, including Masters of Percussion, Planet Drum and Global Drum Project with Mickey Hart, Tabla Beat Science, Sangam with Charles Lloyd and Eric Harland, CrossCurrents with Dave Holland and Chris Potter, in trio with Béla Fleck and Edgar Meyer, and, most recently, with Herbie Hancock.

Hussain composed three concertos. His third, the first-ever concerto for tabla and orchestra, was premiered in India in September 2015 by the Symphony Orchestra of India, in Europe and the UK in 2016, and in the US in April, 2017.

The composer who travelled and performed all across the globe had reservations against performing at private gatherings and disliked latecomers. He was also very vocal in his views.

In a conversation with author Nasreen Munni Kabir as written in her book “Zakir Hussain: A Life in Music”, Hussain said a private gathering, corporate events or weddings are not places “where music should be heard”.

“Those are places where people come to socialise, to drink, and perhaps have a meal. That's not the way music should be heard. For me, it's the concert hall or the theatre - people take their seats, the hall darkens, and we musicians take our place,” he said.

Hussain would ask the organisers to close the doors once the performance began and not allow latecomers.

Distinctive star persona

Then there was the man himself. His broad smile, boyish good looks, and curly locks keeping rhythm with his fingers gave him a distinctive star persona that sometimes went beyond his music.

The percussionist was once voted the “sexiest man” by women readers of the Indian magazine “Gentleman” in 1994 in a competition against the likes of Amitabh Bachchan.

“The magazine team came to see me and wanted me to wear all these suits and jackets and Western clothes and feature on their cover. I think they were equally shocked and surprised that I won the greatest number of votes because they had assumed the winner would be Amitabh Bachchan,” Hussain is quoted as saying by Kabir.

Movies and ads

Besides his work as a tabla player, Hussain also composed music for many movies, including Manto and Mr and Mrs Iyer.

He also acted in the Merchant Ivory film production Heat and Dust, The Perfect Murder, and Saaz, opposite Shabana Azmi.

In 1988, Hussain became a household name as the face of the Taj Mahal Tea brand.

Also Read: Grammys: Shankar Mahadevan's band 'Shakti' wins best global music album award

In a 33-second TV commercial, the ustad was shown immersed in his tabla riyaaz, only to later sip on a cup of Taj tea. The voiceover, by the famous Harish Bhimani, would then compliment Hussain's skills saying "Wah Ustad, wah!". To which, the percussionist would reply: "Arre huzoor, wah Taj boliye!"

That “Wah Taj” became an oft used buzzword for many an occasion, and is still remembered all these years later.

The same year, Hussain also shared screen space with his father Allah Rakha in the iconic national integration song "Mile Sur Mera Tumhara" which premiered on Doordarshan.

He is survived by his wife Antonia Minnecola and two daughters, Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi.

Received countless awards and honours

Apart from four Grammys, Hussain was the recipient of countless awards and honours, including the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the USA's National Heritage Fellowship, and Officier in France's Order of Arts and Letters.

As his countless fans bid farewell to the artiste who transcended boundaries, of music and of geography, and went too soon, many could only say – “Wah Ustad”.