‘His music had an incomparable density’ - Pandit Jasraj

His music had an incomparable density’ -Pandit Jasraj



The first time I heard him in 1942, I was electrified. He was singing Miyan ki Malhar, one of his favourites. His artistry was wondrous, like nothing I had encountered before. I found over the years that like really evolved musicians he stuck to a repertoire of only about a dozen ragas. But what he sang was deep, dense and stunning. His breath control, the strength of his singing-no other musician I know has that quality.

It was another 16 years before I heard him again-this was in Kolkata, where I lived then, in 1958. He sang Todi and left the audience gaspingthereafter, he was invited to practically every music conferences in Kolkata. Entire concert schedules were changed to get him into the programme.
I am always astonished at the ease and joy with which he sang abhangs (Marathi devotional songs). After all, he was a highly respected classical musician, a colossus. Yet he sang abhangs and even film songs with the same passion, force and love. Ketaki gulab juhi from Baiju Bawra which he sang with Manna Dey was such a brilliant song. He was what I call a chaumukha gayak—no facet of music was too light or unimportant for him to ignore.

He was an extremely affectionate man, simple and very good-natured. He was particularly encouraging of younger musicians. I remember a train journey from Kolkata to Mumbai in 1966. We were traveling together and out of the blue he turned around and told me: “When I look back at those who are following in my footsteps, I see only you.” For a young musician it was an overwhelming pat on the back.

I met him the last time in December last year. I had sung at the Sawai Gandharva Festival he hosts in Pune and went to meet him the next morning to pay my regards. “You did well last night,” he said. I asked for and got his blessings. Then he said: “I am tired, I want to sleep.”
I believe that he was the only classical musician to have recognition across the country. When he turned 60, I was asked to pay him a tribute. I remember what I said: Tansen had Akbar to back him, but Pandit Bhimsen Joshi has crores of Indians behind him. Listen to him sing Mile sur mera tumhara and you get the sense that the south, the east, the west and the north are all bound by one reverberant voice.




Pt Bhimsen Joshi & Jasraj - Malkauns




Pandit Bhimsen joshi - Jai Durge