The late legendary tabla maestro, Zakir Hussain's mother, never wanted him to follow in the footsteps of his father, Alla Rakha, because of one major reason.
Zakir Hussain passed away on December 15, 2024, due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and the Indian music industry lost one of its greatest musicians. The four-time Grammy Award-winning tabla player won a series of prestigious awards in his illustrious career. Although he has received numerous awards in his illustrious career, some of his most notable ones include Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Shri, Kyoto Plaza, and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.
The iconic musician won numerous awards in his career and left an unprecedented legacy behind that will continue to inspire future generations. Not everyone is aware of the fact that Zakir Hussain received a payment of just five rupees for his first performance. However, after years of struggle and hard work, he reached a point where he was charging Rs. 5 lakhs to Rs. 8 lakhs for a single event. According to multiple reports, Zakir Hussain's estimated net worth was around Rs. 8.48 crore, which he left for his wife, Antonia Minnecola and their daughters, Isabella Qureshi and Anisa Qureshi.
Zakir Hussain was one of the greatest musicians of all time, but not everyone knows that his mother, Bavi Begum, didn't want him to become a tabla player. Despite her husband and Zakir's father, Alla Rakha and the success he achieved in his career, she still wanted his son to opt for a different career path. According to a report in ETimes, Zakir Hussain, in an old interview, talked about his journey as a tabla player and admitted that music wasn't considered a 'respectable' job during his time. He said:
"When we were very young, music was still not considered to be something that you could make a decent living or a respectable living."
Further, in the same interview, Zakir Hussain talked about his mother, Bavi Begum, and her concerns about his future when he was in the initial phase of his career as a tabla player. The musician revealed that he once received food as a payment for his performance instead of money, and his mother had seen it. As a result, she wanted him to focus on another career option that could provide him with a secure life. Zakir Hussain admitted that his mother tried everything to make him study and focus on his academics. He stated:
"My mother had seen me go to concerts and come back, where as payment I had food given to me packed. She had seen stuff like that and wanted me to have a better life and a secure future. She tried her damnest to make sure I studied and that I went to school and focused on being able to have something to fall back on."
Despite his mother's continuous efforts to incline her son, Zakir Hussain, towards studies, the musician admitted that he was still inspired by his father's work as a tabla player. The doting son admitted that for him, his father was nothing less than 'God', and he just wanted to emulate him as a table player. Sharing how his father's work inspired him to become a tabla player, Zakir Hussain recalled:
"My father encouraged me without actually encouraging me. I just wanted to be him. He was God. I just wanted to emulate him in any way possible."
What are your thoughts on Zakir Hussain's illustrious career as a tabla player, who made India's mark in world music with his exceptional work? Let us know.
Also Read: Zakir Hussain's Net Worth: Here's How Much Wealth Tabla Maestro Left For His Wife And Daughters