Hindustani classical · c. 1840s–1927
Allabande Khan
Court musician at Udaipur and later Alwar, renowned for a serene alap and for his use of gamak.
- Instrument
- Dhrupad vocal
- Gharana
- Dagar vani (Dagarbani)
- Died
- 1927
- On these dates
- His birth date is not securely documented; dhrupad.info gives "1840's?".
Official website & social links
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Biography
Life
Allabande Khan was the younger son of Mohammad Jan Khan and a grand-nephew of Behram Khan, who took up his training together with that of his elder brother Zakiruddin. He served in the court of Udaipur State alongside his brother and, around 1912, was appointed principal musician in the court of Alwar.
His singing at the All-India Music Conferences of 1918 (with Zakiruddin), 1919 (with Nasiruddin) and 1925 (with Nasiruddin and Ziauddin) earned wide acclaim. Like his elder brother he was well versed in Sanskrit and Persian; he kept diaries, some of which survive with detailed accounts of his daily life and his music, and wrote an unpublished work on music in Urdu.
He married the younger daughter of the veena player Bande Ali Khan, who bore him four sons — Nasiruddin Khan, Rahimuddin Khan, Imamuddin Khan and Hussainuddin Khan — all of whom became dhrupad singers of repute. He died in 1927.
Musical contribution
What they brought to music
He was renowned for his alap and his use of gamak, in a style described as serene and mellifluous in contrast to the forceful singing of Zakiruddin Khan. Dhurjati Prasad Mukerji, who heard him on several occasions, wrote that "Allabande Khan's style of alap in dagar bani is still a legend in music circles". A surviving recording of his nephew Rahimuddin Dagar illustrates the difference between the two brothers' approaches by singing the same phrase in Raga Shree in each style. He is variously reported to have also played the sursringar or the dilruba.
Life in dates
Timeline
c. 1912
Court of Alwar
Appointed principal musician in the court of Alwar, having earlier served at Udaipur.
1918
All-India Music Conference, Delhi
Sang with Zakiruddin Khan; he also sang at the 1919 and 1925 conferences.
1927
Died
Lineage & company
Teachers, students and musical connections
People
Grouped by the kind of relationship the sources record — who taught this musician, who they taught, family, and the people they played with.
Teachers and gurus
- Behram KhanTeacher
"A repentant Behram Khan then took up the task of teaching Mohammad Jan Khan's sons Zakiruddin and Allabande Khan."
dhrupad.info — Baba Behram Khan
Family
- Mohammad Jan KhanFather
"Allabande Khan the younger son of Mohammad Jan Khan and grand nephew of Behram Khan." Family relationship; the sources do not describe instruction by his father.
dhrupad.info — Ustad Allabande Khan - Zakiruddin KhanBrother and duet partner
"They together formed a very effective pair and were renowned for their duets."
dhrupad.info — Ustad Allabande Khan - Nasiruddin Khan DagarSon
"He married the younger daughter of famed vina player Bande Ali Khan who bore him four sons Nasiruddin Khan, Rahimuddin Khan, Imamuddin Khan and Hussainuddin Khan all of whom became Dhrupad singers of repute." Family relationship; instruction is not described in this source.
dhrupad.info — Ustad Allabande Khan - Rahimuddin Khan DagarSon
"He married the younger daughter of famed vina player Bande Ali Khan who bore him four sons Nasiruddin Khan, Rahimuddin Khan, Imamuddin Khan and Hussainuddin Khan all of whom became Dhrupad singers of repute." Instruction by his father is described on the Rahimuddin page: "The second son of Ustad Allabande Khan trained under his father and uncle Zakiruddin Khan."
dhrupad.info — Ustad Rahimuddin Khan Dagar - Imamuddin KhanSon
"...four sons Nasiruddin Khan, Rahimuddin Khan, Imamuddin Khan and Hussainuddin Khan all of whom became Dhrupad singers of repute." Family relationship; instruction is not described in this source.
dhrupad.info — Ustad Allabande Khan - Hussainuddin KhanSon
"...four sons Nasiruddin Khan, Rahimuddin Khan, Imamuddin Khan and Hussainuddin Khan all of whom became Dhrupad singers of repute." Family relationship; instruction is not described in this source.
dhrupad.info — Ustad Allabande Khan
Community
Memories from the community
Personal recollections, not verified history
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Provenance
Sources and image credits
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