History News Desk!! Ahmed Jan Thirakwa (English: Ahmed Jan Thirakwa, born: 1891, Uttar Pradesh – death: January 13, 1976) was counted among the famous tabla players of India. He remembered many families like Lucknow, Meerut and Farrukhabad etc. Thirakwa ji was especially adept at playing the lute of Delhi and Farrukhabad.
life introduction
Ahmed Jan Thirakwa was born in 1891 in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. His maternal grandfather Baba Qalandar Bakhsh and his brothers Ilahi Bakhsh (Natori Wale), Boli Bakhsh, Karim Bakhsh were all famous tabla players of Moradabad. Ahmed Jan Thirakwa’s uncle Sher Khan, maternal uncle Faiyaz Khan, Basava Khan and Fazli Khan were famous tabla nawaz.
Naming
Late Ustad Abdul Aziz Khan of Patiala used to say that when Ahmed Jaan used to learn tabla from a young age, his hand used to dance on the tabla in a strange way. That is why he was named ‘Thirkwa’. It is also said that this name ‘Thirkwa’ was given by Ustad Kale Khan, father of Ustad Munir Khan, due to being mischievous in his student life.
Education
Thirakwa had learned the style of playing tabla from Ustad Munir Khan, a resident of Meerut. Munir Khan had become a keen scholar of Taal Vidya. He remembered hundreds of words and verses. Although there was arrangement for tabla in Thirakwa’s house also, because your uncle Ustad Sher Khan had become a famous tabla player, but for regular education of tabla you had to go to Ustad Munir Khan.
proficiency
Through his hard work and dedication, Thirakva very quickly gained proficiency in playing the tabla. Thirakva remembered the instruments of all the houses of Lucknow, Meerut, Ajrada, Farrukhabad etc., but he was especially adept at playing the instruments of Delhi and Farrukhabad. Those music lovers who had heard the words of Ustad Thirakva while playing the tabla, knew that the more beautifully he played, the more beautiful and clear the words came out of his mouth. He could play even difficult rhythms with great ease.
awards and honors
Thirakva received the ‘President’s Award’ in the year 1953-1954. After this, in 1970, he was honored with the title of ‘Padma Bhushan’ by the Government of India.
demise
Ahmed Jan Thirakwa stayed in Rampur court for a long time. Later he came and settled in Lucknow. He died here on January 13, 1976.