Wherefrom this history has been collected? Frances Shepherd had long ago proved that Ram Sahai was born in the year 1780 and died in the year 1826 at the age of 46 years. Moreover, the members of the Sahai family of Kabeer Choura locality of Benares do admit that. Ram Sahai performed not in the court of Nawab Gaziuddin Haider but of Nawab Wazir Ali, the adopted son of Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula.
Nirmal Kumar Ganguli I am student of Pt. Kishan Maharaj and these facts are quite similar to Kanthe Maharaj ji's version of story. 1- Kanthe Maharaj ji was cousin brother and deciple of Baldev sahai ji and guru to sharda sahai ji as well. Most of the stories and history of Sahai family was narrated by him only after a certain point. 2- His version was that his guru Baldev sahai who was himself grandson of Ram sahai was last ganda bandh shagird of Ram sahai ji. And Baldev sahai ji was born around 1840-50. So logically Ram sahai ji would have probably passed away in the same decade or a bit later. After all Kanthe Maharaj had witnessed and associated more than anybody else with Ram sahai ji's family. I believe the oral versions narrated by gurus rather than several documentaries with various standpoints by people who have not even seen or associated with anybody else in Sahai family except Sharda sahai ji (I refer to francis shephard)
kukkutharri : For your information, Dr. Frances Shepherd's thesis worked out over the story of Pt. Kanthe Maharaj, and available sources, like other old members of the Benares gharana as well as spot enquiries and written history of various authors. With due apology, I like to mention that the route of all the controversies that still exist regarding the Benares gharana is the story narrated by revered Pt. Kanthe Maharaj himself. Kantheji and Kishanji were very close to our family since 1936. Kantheji was the second tabla teacher of my uncle after the death of Pt. Durga Sahai, eldest son of Pt. Baldeo Sahaiji. So, I had several opportunities to hear the story from Kantheji. Moreover, I myself made some research works over the tabla gharanas. Note that the oral history does not comply with actual history. The Tabla players, especially Muslim tabla players, conferred the credit of inventing tabla and sitar to Amir Khasru. But that has long been proved false. To put extra weightage to our predecessors is a common custom in Indian musicians.
kukkutharri : if you let me know your email ID then we can discuss the matter more in detail. Kishanji was my beloved Kishan chacha. He knew me from my very childhood. Puran bhai, Shubh, as well as Bidya Sahai, Shardaji Sahai etc knew me very well.
