A Dream I Lived Alone - by Namrata Gupta Khan | Revolver Book Club By Verus Ferreira

When Namrata Gupta Khan married singer Rabbani Mustafa Khan, she had no idea how her life would change from being a customer service / sales executive with a telecom company, turning an Entrepreneur to an author of the book ‘A Dream I Lived Alone’ - a life story of her father-in-law Padmavi Bhushan Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan, a Giant of Hindustani Classical Music. For as days went by living in the Khan household, she realized the artist in him and things he did daily. This fuelled her desire to pen down the book.   

Captured on a one on one basis, vocalist Ustad Ghulam Khan never really wanted the book, says Namrata, but she noticed the great maestro’s lifestyle and simplicity and jotted it down over a period of five years. “The biggest challenge was to get him to share his life experiences, achievements, moments of pride and glory, as well as his disappointments and struggles.” she states. 

The conversations ranged from his childhood experiences to his troubled adolescence, and all the recognition he had received. The book narrates his childhood days and covers every important detail of his life, from practicing music in a graveyard as a young boy to teaching music to his sons, grandsons and stalwarts of the music industry AR Rahman, Sonu Nigam, Hariharan and many more and his experiences with them and his struggles to be where he is. 

Namrata travelled with Ustadji to various countries, noticing his performances, his gait and the way with which he went about doing things differently. The book is a must for music connoisseurs and sangeet sadhaks. It is beautifully written and focuses on the evergreen musician's journey to success and also has captures the musician in a variety of old and new images from his performance pictures to meeting up with the who’s who of the music world. 

The octogenarian has nourished his family with love and care, even in his absence. Ustadji passed away on 17th January 2021, but leaves behind a heartwarming story of love, dedication to one’s craft and the magic of music.

⬇ Aao Balma - A.R Rahman, Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan - Coke Studio @ MTV Season 3

⬇ Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan - Bahut bechain hai dil.avi