Finding Ustad Ji

An unplanned trip to Kasi led me to a place Google Maps couldn't quite find: the humble home of Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan.

Deep in the alley near Dashashwamedh Ghat, the streets get so narrow that technology gives up. You have to rely on the locals, who can guide you.

Ustad Ji was the embodiment of Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb. He saw the Ganges as his mother and revered Kashi Vishwanath and Allah as one. They say as a young boy, while playing at the Balaji Temple in Varanasi, he once reached a state of pure Nirvana through his music -an experience he never elaborated much, as his Guru (his maternal Uncle) didn't want him to share that spiritual experience with others.

This small house, perhaps 800 sq. ft., two floors was his world from youth until his final breath. There were many offers from his rich, aristocrat fans to move to Delhi or Dubai or USA, he wanted to lived in the banks of Ganges.

Today, his descendants keep his memory alive, and his room has become a small, sacred museum.

Standing there, you realize: Greatness doesn't need a palace. 🇮🇳