Page 51 - Seniors Today - Oct 2019
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spotless kurta, and carry the swarmandal. The to play an imaginary tabla on the dining table.
first concert I attended was in a hall in Thane. In the second, he watched the ongoing India-
At that age, I knew nothing about raags though I Australia cricket match and commented after
had heard their names from my mother and her almost every ball.
guru. When Jasraj announced he would sing The conversations revolved around a variety
Malkauns, I got up and started dancing, little of subjects, like how he would stop by at a
knowing what it meant. restaurant at Hyderabad to hear Begum Akhtar
Jasraj was quite well-established at that time, sing ‘Deewana Banana Hai Toh’ on the radio, his
though the world of male vocalists was led early training under his eldest brother Pandit
by Ustad Amir Khan. Pandit Bhimsen Joshi Maniram, how he played classical melodies on
and Mallikarjun Mansur were senior. Among the guitar, and his tabla guidance from his other
women, Hirabai Badodekar, Gangubai Hangal brother Pandit Pratap Narayan.
and Kishori Amonkar made waves, and the
young Parveen Sultana had just arrived. A galaxy of pupils
Besides Maniram, Jasraj learnt from Jaywant
Music in the air Singh Waghela and Swami Vallabhdas Damulji.
After we shifted to New Delhi, visits to “For me, they are like Brahma, Vishnu and
Rajkamal stopped. But I would accompany Mahesh. Besides honing my skills, they helped
my parents to his concerts in the capital. me carry forward the legacy of our gharana,” he
One memorable show was a dance ballet said.
interpretation of Jayadeva’s Geet Govind, in Though the vocalist initially taught Maniram’s
which Jasraj composed the music. Cassettes students in Kolkata, his first disciple was
of his recordings formed a large part of the Chandrashekhar Swami in Mumbai. Soon,
collection at home, and Raags Bhairav, Bihag, Girish Wazalwar and Paresh Naik joined him.
Maru Bihag, Jog and Hansadhwani were played Today, he is the guru of numerous musicians
often, besides the Meera bhajan ‘Mai Saawari including vocalists Sanjeev Abhayankar, Tripti
Rang Raachi’. Mukherjee, Ankita Joshi and his nephew Rattan
Like most teenagers, I listened to western and Mohan Sharma, besides violinist Kala Ramnath
Hindi film music too, but classical was always and flautist Shashank Subramanyam. He also
around. I still didn’t really understand the actively teaches at his institute in New Jersey,
nuances, but there was something magnetic New York and Pennsylvania.
about those melodies. Often, ‘Lai Ja Re Bhadra’ “I don’t go about looking for disciples. But if I
in Hansadhwani or ‘Ja Ja Re Apni Mandirwa’ in find someone genuinely interested, I happily
Bhimpalasi would stick on as earworms. accept them. By teaching I am practising too. If
I never imagined I would meet Jasraj at close you don’t use a car for a long time, it won’t work
quarters, but the opportunity came in the properly. The same is the case with your voice or
mid-1990s after I became a music journalist. musical instrument,” the doyen said.
Though I met him briefly at many events or Jasraj loves to compare his concerts with a
after concerts, it was during the course of three hockey match. He elaborated, “I am usually
interviews that I could talk to him at length. accompanied by my disciples. It’s like I am
Before the first one, in 1998, I was obviously passing the ball to them and they send it back
nervous. It’s always difficult to ask questions to before I score the goal.”
someone one has known and admired, but Jasraj At 89, Jasraj not only takes care of his voice, but
quickly put me at ease. makes sure he leads a disciplined lifestyle. He
The other interviews were followed by a family speaks very clearly and displays a sharp sense
meal at his Andheri residence. In the first one, of humour. The magic is evident both on stage
he finished his dinner, and just began singing and off it. Those who’ve known him over the
a few lines of Raag Darbari, using his fingers years will agree.
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