The Great Pakistani Tabla Making Challenge- Part 2

Some of the tablas....

We move to the second part of the three part series of the tabla making challenge involving the major craftsmen of Pakistan. Just to recap, each participating tabla maker was asked to produce a tabla dayaan tuned to C sharp with a playing skin diameter of 5.75 inches. Here are the profiles and selected products offered by each maker. For further information, kindly contact the maker directly or alternatively send an e-mail to sadarang786@googlemail.com

The first profile is of Haji Akhtar Ali, who runs the sole tabla shop in the village where Pakistani tabla making began, Dhonkal.

Dhonkal

Haji Akhtar Ali

Ancestral Village: Dhonkal

Contact:0092-3026650500

Haji Akhtar Ali owns the sole tabla making shop remaining in Dhonkal today. Most of his customers are based in rural Punjab.

Lahore

Akhtar Hussain
Aqeel Hussain
Haji Nasir Hussain

Akhtar Hussain

Aqeel Hussain

Haji Nasir

Ancestral Village- Dheerkay

Owner of the Awami Rhythm store, Akhtar Hussain was a favourite craftsman for leading percussionists Ustad Shaukat Hussain and Ustad Tari Khan.

Akhtar Hussain passed away due to a protracted illness in 2010. His last commissioned work was for this contest. Younger brother Haji Nasir Hussain (0092- 3009486304) now manages the store. Akhtar’s son Aqeel (0092- 3135593355) is also an extremely gifted craftsman amongst the younger generation.

Photo Gallery

Instruments made by Akhtar Hussain and Haji Nasir Hussain

Babar Ali 'Rambo'

Babar Ali alias ‘Rambo’ Ancestral Village- Dhonkal
Contact: 0092- 3058032825
Babar is the son of the distinguished tabla maestro Ustad Bashir Hussain Goga. He is striving hard in being recognized as a respected maker.

Ghulam Abbas 'Labba'

 Ghulam Abbas alias Labba
Ancestral Village- Dhonkal   
Contact: 0092-3004682719          
Son of Latif Ali and nephew of Ustad Bashir Hussain Goga, Labba has recently found prominence for being one of the favoured makers of the qawwali tabla maestro Ustad Dildar Hussain. High pitched tablas are his specialty.

Niyamat Hussain

Niyamat Ali
Contact:0092-3008098305
Niyamat was the apprentice of the legendary maker Sadiq Hussain and has the rare distinction of being amongst the few tabla makers who have made a mark outside the Dhonkal- Dheerkay clan. His ability has been praised highly by tabla players Ustad Jimmy Khan and Sajid Ali.

Qaiser and Naseer Hussain

Qaiser Hussain and Naseer Hussain
Ancestral Village- Dheerkay
Contact: 0092-3004193296
Amongst the finest tabla makers in Pakistan are the Hussain brothers, Qaiser and Naseer. They have an excellent reputation for making quality instruments, especially classical and qawwali tablas. Ustad Tafo Khan and Ustad Dildar Hussain are their regular clients.

Photo Gallery

A selection of Qaiser Hussain's instruments

Rafaqat Ali

Rafaqat Ali

Ancestral Village: Dhonkal

Contact: 0092-3008873794

Rafaqat is a nephew of Ustad Bashir Hussain Goga and runs ‘Zeenat Mausiqui’. He specializes in novel designs of tabla making including ‘Double Goond’ and ‘Goom Siyahi’ tablas.

Photo Gallery

Rafaqat Ali's selection of drums

Rawalpindi

Gulfam Hussain 'Labba'

Gulfam Hussain ‘Labba’
Ancestral Village- Dheerkay
Gulfam is not as well known as his Dheerkay cousins but nonetheless produces good quality instruments. His specialty is high pitched tablas and braided gajra work known as ‘Hunter goond’.

Photo Gallery

Gulfam Hussain alias Labba's special braided skin

Mujahid Hussain 'Labba'

Mujahid Hussain ‘Labba’- Tufail Hussain

Ancestral village- Dheerkay

Contact: 0092-332 5146082

Labba is amongst the finest craftsmen of his generation and is renowned for his sweet sounding bayaans favored by Ustad Tari Khan. He learnt the craft from his father, the great Tufail Hussain, who sadly passed away in 2010. Tufail Hussain oversaw the construction of the drum during this competition.

Mushtaq Hussain

Mushtaq Hussain
Ancestral village- Dheerkay
Contact: 0092-3015112671
Mushtaq is the younger brother of the great tabla maker Sadiq Hussain and makes exceptionally good tablas. Mushtaq is regarded amongst the top makers in Pakistan.

Gujrat

Ilyas Hussain

 Ilyas Hussain
Contact: 0092-3016220645
Ilyas is the disciple of renowned tabla maker Ustad Nabi Bukhsh alias Baba Nabba of Dhonkal. A lot of Qawwals request Ilyas's tabla making skills.

Peshawar

Murtaza Raheem Bukhsh

Murtaza Raheem Bukhsh
Ancestral Village: Dhonkal
Contact: 0092-3005884180
Murtaza is rated as the best tabla maker in Peshawar. His tablas are frequently used by tabla players of both Pushto and classical music. The late Ustad Khalifa Akhtar Hussain, Sabz Ali and Ustad Nisar Hussain Qadri are some of his clients.

Karachi



Arif with his mentor Ustad Arshad Ali

Arif Hussain and Shahid Hussain

Ancestral Village: Laidar Gujrat

Contact: 0092-3016871419

Arif hails from a family of instrument makers from a village called Laidar in Gujrat who are disciples of the Dhonkal- Dheerkay clan. He has almost 40 years of experience and used to make the tablas for his mentor, the late Ustad Arshad Ali. Arif's son Shahid is taking the hereditary profession forward.

Father and Son Duo
Tanveer and Saddam

Tanveer Hussain and Saddam Hussain
Ancestral Village: Laidar Gujrat
Contact: 0092-3432618578
Tanveer Hussain is the owner of  ‘Barkat Prince Music House’ in the ‘tabla galli’ located in Lea Market Karachi. Tanveer is regarded amongst the senior most tabla makers in Karachi, having been trained under the guidance of his elder brother, the late Shaada Pehelwan.

Images of other craftsmen not participating in the tabla making challenge

Profiles of all the prominent tabla makers of Pakistan have now been provided to readers. The winner of the Pakistani Tabla Making Challenge will be revealed in the concluding part of the blog….