User:A K Ashikur Rahman/sandbox

http://archive.thedailystar.net/starinsight/2006/12/01/cover.htm

Maestro 'Afzalur Rahman

Brahmanbaria is the home of Maestro Afzalur Rahman, world first blind sarod player. He born in 1935 [Former British India] Brahmanbaria Bangladesh town lakhi bari in a Muslim family. Afzal was the youngest son of Land Sub register Sayed Abdur Rajjak Chowdhury and Aison Bibi. After his barth The family moved to Shorail a village of Brahmanbaria. In child hood Afzal had great interest in Science and he kept making toys like Boat with engine that move on water he wanted to become a inventer But unfortunately he became blind because of Typhoid when he was in class 3. after that he had to changed his aim and mind and started to learn music. One day he got a chance to touch Bengali folk instrument Dotara from Khalek Baul [folk singer] he saw it by touching very attentively very next day blind boy Afzal made same Dotara by himself. He in his turn in to musicianship was also patronized by the great Khan family. Losing his eyesight after an attack of Typhoid at age 9, he was helped in to taking up the Violin by an engineer as well film director late Mr. Rakib uddin Ahmed who was the son of Afzalur’s elder sister MRS. Mahmuda Ahmed. Along side the Violin Afzalur Rahman was also drown to the folk instrument very close to heart of Bangal the dotara. Babu Hemanta Kumar gave him lessons in Violin and ustad Israel Khan who was the nephew of great Maestro Baba Alauddin Khan initiated him in to mysteries of the wonderful world of the Ragas. The new experience of the world of melodies and rhythms healed him largely of the pangs of his physical misfortune. Emboldened he went to Comilla to sit at the feet of Ustad Ayet Ali Khan. The illustrious brother of the legendary great Maestro Emperor of Classical Music Baba Alauddin Khan took him under his wings literally in to his family and taught him the intricacies of fine Violin playing. But in the very next year, 1953 his life changed never to be the same again. Great Maestro Baba Alauddin Khan had come to grace A musical conference at the court of the Maharaja of Tripura at Agartala. Afzal’s recital on Violin pleased the Maestro and he blessed the sightless musical greenhorn with very touching words. He said “ You came to learn music. To learn music don’t need eyes but must need this eyes that time Baba Alauddin sahib, touched Afzal’s ear & said you must need this eyes” Those words gave great inspiration, & new start to young blind boy Afzal. ‘one can have diving audience with art only with the eyes of melody, ‘he side, indicating that the Afzal was not at all disadvantaged that way. And the great Khan himself gave a performance of the Sarod which moved the neophyte so much that he decided on the spot to abandon Violin and pick up the Sarod. Maestro Ayet Ali Khan would have nothing of this at first. But through persevering devotion to the Maestro Afzal got his forgiveness at last. With Sarod, recognition came his way in an accelerating pace. He got first prize at the National competition at Brahmanbaria in 1954. As a result National Radio started broadcasting his recitals from the same year 13th of April at his first program he played Raga Kafi & Raga Pilo. Since 1962 he has been playing both Violin and Sarod on the radio .And in 1967 Television hired him for a recital and it has not stopped in doing that in the last  year of his life. In 1974 4th of June a new part of his life has been started. Afzal got marry with same village’s Folk singer late Matur Rahman & Saleha Khatun’s elder daughter 14 years sweet girl Anwara. Because of Afzal’s music he became most valuable & most lovable respectable person to Anwara though he was blind. After marry she started to learn Guitar & Sarod from her husband & Anwara became first Bangladeshi female Sarod player. They had a wonderful, happy musical conjugal life. Anwara always gave him excellent company. She was not only wife but also like the eyes of Afzal. They have 2 daughters and A son. Elder one is Mohua Rahman Ruba & younger is Antara Rahman Tungtang and A K Ashikur Rahman the son. All of them had eye’s disease day by day their vision getting closer. Afzal & Anwara tried best to save rest of the vision of children. How ever Afzal & Anwara started to take very special care of them as a result they became wellEducated extra ordinary talented musician, Sarod player, lyricist, story writer. The Alauddin Sangeetangon which was established in Brahmanbaria had chosen Afzal to head its instrumental section.Here he spread his command of instruments to Sitar and Flute,Tabla, guitar and Esraj. His services and his ever-shining quality earned him an unceasing array of accolades.iIn 1977 the Comilla Foundation gold medal,the next year the Education Minister ‘s gold medal, the same year he was awarded a special reception as the most excellent product of his District .Just recently, he has been awarded the Rabindra Padak 1998,a rare distinction that was given to him for his life-long achievement in classical music. In 1999 he got Ustad Ayet Ali Khan Gold medal. In 2003 he has been awarded by Bangladesh jatiyo Shilpakala ecademy. Same year Choyon Shahitto magazine gave him Honour. He also got Pandit Barin Majumdar award in 2004. Banglar kantha the only bengali news paper of Singapor gave him great Honour in 2007 same year he has been honoured & awarded by Singapor education minister. In 2009 Maestro Afzalur Rahman was Honoured by his own village Shorail Kriti Shontan Shomvordhona. In the mean time he had strayed for some time to film music doing the back ground and the songs for such well received pictures as Palatak, Je nodi moru pothey, E desh Tomar Amar ,Sujan shakhi etc. Maestro Afzalur Rahman created Raga Lalita, Raga Rubaboti, Raga Meghoboti he also created many symphonies in various Raga. Maestro Afzalur Rahman performed in various countries Like India, Sweden, Singapor, Malaysia etc he made spell bound all the audience with his classic perform. Many years of constant buffeting has failed to nudge him an inch from his quest for excellence and zest for a life of music .Almost infirm of the body he has set up in his home town,the Ustad Ayet Ali Khan smriti Mancha,a musical institution of prestigious khan gharana.He is also a central figure in attempt to buld National Philharmonic Orchestra, a conception of state arrangements on fhilharmonic basis. And he has founded the inner eyes family orchestra comprising the members of his family. His wife, 2 daughters & his Blind Son A K Ashikur rahman Ononto. Maestro thought that if blind people are trained properly in music, other educations they can be enable like all from that thought in 1990 Maestro built an institution at his home by own expenditure called Inner eyes music institution for blind. In that institution students admission & every kind of education given at free of cost. Maestro was the founder Chairman & his wife & 2 daughters kept teaching to the blind students. He also wanted to build a hostel for Bangladeshi helpless, neglected blind girls but before could do that in 2009 26th December Maestro Afzalur Rahman passed away. After his death his widow & his 2 daughters completed his dream by building the hostel called Inner eyes hostel for blind girls. https://sites.google.com/site/innereyesbd/ Now Anwara Rahman is the Chairman of the both institutions & & institutions are continuing by Maestro’s widow Anwara Rahman & 2 daughters and son. http://archive.thedailystar.net/starinsight/2006/12/01/cover.htm Bold text