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Documentary Film on Dhrupad

Ustad Ziauddin Khan

Ustad Ziauddin Khan(1886-1946)

He succeeded his father Zakiruddin Khan at the Udaipur court. Although primarily a vocalist he had a passion for the Rudra Veena which he played in private. His style of singing was forceful like that of his father. He was renowned for his mastery over tala, and sang the Dhamar in a style that was especially demanding for the pakhawaj accompanist. Ustad Fahimuddin Dagar, who had the privilege of learning from him, recollects that one could see the sam or the first beat of the Dhamar approaching from a distance in his masterful improvisations on this tala. He used to be called 'Dhamarnath' or the king of Dhamar. His singing was characterized by a great inventiveness and mastery in the use of khandarbani elements like lahak, ghamak and hudak in the fast part of the alap. He trained his sons Ustads Zia Mohiuddin Dagar and Zia Fariduddin Dagar and also the elder Dagar Brothers Ustads Nasir Moinuddin and Nasir Aminuddin Dagar. Ustad Rahimuddin Dagar in a recorded interview named him as one of his gurus. His singing has been highly praised by renowned musicologist S. N. Ratanjankar and by sarangi exponent Pandit Ramnarayan who heard him in Lahore. He had a bright and sonorous voice in his youth which unfortunately changed and became coarse later. But his mastery was such that he could still work magic with his singing. There are no known recordings of this maestro.

see Maestros for more on other singers of the Dagar tradition.