From royal cheers to utter neglect

MALERKOTLA: He sang in the royal celebrations at the birth of Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh. On Sunday, 75-year-old Bankar Hussein Khan, the raj gayak of the Patiala gharana, lies frail, ill and forgotten.
Seven generations of Khan’s family sang for the Maharaja of Patiala’s court. Khan used to play the tanpura and sing at the darbar of Maharaja Yadwinder Singh.He also played with Amarinder Singh in the royal gardens during his childhood.
Today, a dusty interior road leads to a sketchy three-room house, with a leaking roof. Inside the dismal room, Hussein has laid with illness for the past five years. He has cervical problem and cannot walk. He eats on the bed. A father to three daughters and one son, he doesn’t have money for his medicine. Hussein, who has taught hundreds of pupil music, today lies alone and forlorn. There is no pension for him and no resources to cater to his needs.
Last year on the Independence Day, chief minister Amarinder Singh had honoured him at Patiala with a cash award of Rs 11,000, and a certificate of honour. Hussein, who could no more contain himself, cried bitterly saying that he had told the CM about his poor plight, but the CM had asked the singer to see him at his place. Hussein said he could not travel, and nobody allowed his son or daughters to see the ‘‘big man’’.
Naseer Akhtar, his daughter said they were neither allowed to meet the CM nor did he sent any representative from the administration to help them out in the past year.
The man reminisces the four palatial havelis (houses) they owned in Patiala, till they were snatched away from them during the Partition, even though he had continued to perform at the darbar. He said his children today did petty jobs like embroidery etc., to eke out a living.
The great musician, frail at 75, bald, hard of hearing and shortsighted, lies in the gloom of poverty, hoping that some respite would come his way. “I can’t reach him (Amarinder) myself, but may be I can reach him through your article,’’ he said in a desperate voice.