Mishri Khan, 70, is the only jal taal player in the country. K Bhardwaj talks to the artiste about the 500-year-old musical art
Would you believe one can create music by controlling the waterIJ Not everyone can do it. But that’s not impossible then. In the large group of Manganiyar community, which truly became the head-turner at the seventh edition of Jodhpur RIFF, Mishri Khan stands out for his musical legacy. Tall, dark and lean, he is the arguably the only Manganiyar, and the artist, who plays jal taal. At a special session, which was dedicated to this community, Mishri held the audience captivated. The 70-year-old took out his assets — a brass thali, a clay lid, two wooden sticks and some water. As everyone else began to ponder, he measured some water and poured it into the thali. Though not clear from the distance, he tried to create a vacuum using the lid. What unfolded within a few minutes were terrific rhythms similar to the sound of a dhol. Welcome to the notes of of jal taal.
Mishri Khan from Barmer has been performing jal taal for last fifty years. There are no official patent rights but this taal was created by his forefathers centuries ago and has perfectly been carried forward by the generations.
The story behind its invention is also quite interesting. The rulers in 16th century were not supportive of too much of pomp and noise. Dhols and nagadas were clearly not the choice. So, Karm Chand from Barmer created music out of water similar to dhol. But it was more subtle and rhythmic. “He noticed the ‘melodious noise’ water creates in the well. He put it into a thali, covered it with a lid and created even sweeter sounds,” he said. The only technique required is to control the tempo of water. Since ages, the family boys have been performing for patrons in the state at various occasions.
Mishri’s thali has his name engraved and is more than a hundred year old. He is now preparing his sons, Ali (25) and Swaroop (20). “I had asked the administration to allow me to run a Kala Bhavan. I want to spread this art. This form of music is rare and more and more people want to learn it. In fact, once Rajiv Gandhi, the former Prime Minister, had agreed to do so. But then, he died and no one in the administration is willing to take it forward now. I am not educated and cannot fight with them,” he told us.
Both his sons still don’t perform jal tall at occasions and only assist their father. They haven’t mastered the art yet. “They will take time. Only they can play since women are not allowed in our family to perform,” he said.