Page 50 - Seniors Today - Oct 2019
P. 50
Spotlight
A planet for a Pandit
While Pandit Jasraj is a major star of the Indian classical music firmament, it’s still
thrilling that a planet has been named after him, writes Narendra Kusnur
On Monday, September 30, the Arts And In March this year, the Mewati gharana
Artistes office of television personality and maestro’s 89th birthday had been belatedly
event promoter Durga Jasraj was buzzing. Just celebrated at a concert at Mumbai’s
two days before, the International Astronomical Shanmukhananda Hall, where he sang
Union (IAU) had announced that it had named Raag Jog, his famous ‘Mata Kalika’ in Raag
a minor planet after her father, the legendary Adana and the bhajan ‘Om Namo Bhagavate
vocalist Pandit Jasraj. Vasudevaya’. Despite his age, he didn’t look
The title is conferred on luminaries across tired or let his voice waver even once.
fields, and musicians to earlier receive the Having attended that concert, and interviewing
honour include western classical composers him a few days prior to that, a river of memories
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig flowed through my mind. I first met Jasraj
Van Beethoven, and operatic tenor singer in 1971, when I was barely eight. My mother
Luciano Pavarotti. Interestingly, a week after learnt vocal music from his senior disciple
the announcement was made, sitar player Chandrashekhar Swami, and visits to the Jasraj
Anoushka Shankar claimed that a minor planet residence at Rajkamal building in Mumbai’s
had been named after her in 2017. Shivaji Park were regular. His students and
Jasraj was in the US when the news got out, their disciples would practice, and I would play
and sent a statement for the media. “Blessed... with Durga and her elder brother Shaarang.
in this honour, one can only experience God’s
grace,” he said. The minor planet, discovered in A smile and a half-jacket
November 2006, has been named ‘Panditjasraj In his early 40s then, Jasraj had thick curly
(300128)’, the six digits referring to his date of hair, a ready smile and a friendly demeanour. At
birth. The maestro will turn 90 on January 28. concerts, he would wear a half-jacket over his
50
