From EDITOR’s Desk
INDIA NEWS – It is said music is the language of God. In this worldly life it sounds no metaphysics when we hear something that literally transforms our spirit, albeit for a moment, takes us to another world, which is absolutely non material. A legendary figure in the music world, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi whose magical voice spellbound people at large, left the company of ordinary mortals and created a void that perhaps impossible to fill.
Pandit Bhimsen Joshi renowned as a Hindustani classical music maestro, even who didn’t understand the raag, also mesmerized by his awesome voice that made him a legendary figure amidst music aficionados. The legendary figure was known in the whole world for his khyal gayaki whose absence certainly fall upon an uncomfortable silence among devotees of classical music.
He had been sick for long time, suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding and bilateral pneumonia and put on ventilator support. A series convulsions of dialysis put on for many days. Though he recovered for a short time but condition worsen thereafter. He passed away at Pune hospital on 24th January 2011 (0800 Hrs IST), 11 days before his 89th birthday.
The loss shocked classical music lovers worldwide, while musicians moved by him unable to reconcile to the reality of the loss. The renowned classical vocalist Prabha Atre laments, saying she was also from the same ‘Kirana gharana’ to which Panditji belonged and his death orphaned them. Unable to reach India for cremation, Sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar said in a message from California that he was the most famous as well as beloved vocalist among classical music lovers.
Since his childhood he had an incredible desire to learn music as it seemed music created sort of magnetic attraction. In childhood ‘bhajan singing’ procession or just ‘azaan’ from a nearby mosque had created an irresistible pull so that it drew him out of his house. In 1933, the 11-year-old boy left his home for Bijapur to find a perfect Guru to learn music. He borrowed money for his co-passengers in the train and reached Dharwar.
After 3 long years, Rambhau Kungolkar, better known as Sawai Gandharva who was the chief disciple of Abdul Karim Khan founder of the Kirana Gharana school of Hindustani music. He agreed to take 14-year-old Bhimsen as a disciple and taught him in the traditional guru-shishya (teacher-student) tradition.
In the later years Pandit Bhimsen Joshi’s voice epitomized his gharana and appreciated by both the critics and the masses. He was spontaneous, accurate in his notes, dizzyingly-paced voice modulations and masterly over rhythm instantly captured many attention in the music world. The Hindu (Indian famous newspaper), in an article written after he was awarded the Bharat Ratna, said: "Bhimsen Joshi was ever the wanderer, engendering brilliant phrases and tans more intuitively than through deliberation."
He was also well known for his devotional music and gained much accolades for his Kannada, Hindi and Marathi Bhajans.
In his personal life Pandit Bhimsen Joshi was famous among close ones for is passion for cars. He was also an expert swimmer and learnt yoga besides, had a keen interest in football. He was a bit infamous for his love for alcohol but left it in 1979 after it adversely affected his musical career.
Awards & Recognition
• 1972 - Padma Shree
• 1976 - Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
• 1985 - Padma Bhushan
• 1985 - National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer
• 1986 - "First platinum disc"
• 1999 - Padma Vibhushan
• 2000 - "Aditya Vikram Birla Kalashikhar Puraskar"
• 2001 - "Nadoja Award" from Kannada University
• 2002 - Maharashtra Bhushan
• 2003 - "Swathi Sangeetha Puraskaram" by Government of Kerala
• 2005 - Karnataka Ratna
• 2008 - Bharat Ratna
• 2008 - "Swami Haridas Award"
• 2009 - "Lifetime achievement award" by Delhi government
• 2010 - "S V Narayanaswamy Rao National Award" by Rama Seva Mandali, Bangalore
 |
| Pandit Bhimsen Joshi (February 4, 1922 - January 24, 2011) |
Pandit Bhimsen Joshi renowned as a Hindustani classical music maestro, even who didn’t understand the raag, also mesmerized by his awesome voice that made him a legendary figure amidst music aficionados. The legendary figure was known in the whole world for his khyal gayaki whose absence certainly fall upon an uncomfortable silence among devotees of classical music.
He had been sick for long time, suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding and bilateral pneumonia and put on ventilator support. A series convulsions of dialysis put on for many days. Though he recovered for a short time but condition worsen thereafter. He passed away at Pune hospital on 24th January 2011 (0800 Hrs IST), 11 days before his 89th birthday.
The loss shocked classical music lovers worldwide, while musicians moved by him unable to reconcile to the reality of the loss. The renowned classical vocalist Prabha Atre laments, saying she was also from the same ‘Kirana gharana’ to which Panditji belonged and his death orphaned them. Unable to reach India for cremation, Sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar said in a message from California that he was the most famous as well as beloved vocalist among classical music lovers.
Since his childhood he had an incredible desire to learn music as it seemed music created sort of magnetic attraction. In childhood ‘bhajan singing’ procession or just ‘azaan’ from a nearby mosque had created an irresistible pull so that it drew him out of his house. In 1933, the 11-year-old boy left his home for Bijapur to find a perfect Guru to learn music. He borrowed money for his co-passengers in the train and reached Dharwar.
After 3 long years, Rambhau Kungolkar, better known as Sawai Gandharva who was the chief disciple of Abdul Karim Khan founder of the Kirana Gharana school of Hindustani music. He agreed to take 14-year-old Bhimsen as a disciple and taught him in the traditional guru-shishya (teacher-student) tradition.
In the later years Pandit Bhimsen Joshi’s voice epitomized his gharana and appreciated by both the critics and the masses. He was spontaneous, accurate in his notes, dizzyingly-paced voice modulations and masterly over rhythm instantly captured many attention in the music world. The Hindu (Indian famous newspaper), in an article written after he was awarded the Bharat Ratna, said: "Bhimsen Joshi was ever the wanderer, engendering brilliant phrases and tans more intuitively than through deliberation."
He was also well known for his devotional music and gained much accolades for his Kannada, Hindi and Marathi Bhajans.
In his personal life Pandit Bhimsen Joshi was famous among close ones for is passion for cars. He was also an expert swimmer and learnt yoga besides, had a keen interest in football. He was a bit infamous for his love for alcohol but left it in 1979 after it adversely affected his musical career.
Awards & Recognition
• 1972 - Padma Shree
• 1976 - Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
• 1985 - Padma Bhushan
• 1985 - National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer
• 1986 - "First platinum disc"
• 1999 - Padma Vibhushan
• 2000 - "Aditya Vikram Birla Kalashikhar Puraskar"
• 2001 - "Nadoja Award" from Kannada University
• 2002 - Maharashtra Bhushan
• 2003 - "Swathi Sangeetha Puraskaram" by Government of Kerala
• 2005 - Karnataka Ratna
• 2008 - Bharat Ratna
• 2008 - "Swami Haridas Award"
• 2009 - "Lifetime achievement award" by Delhi government
• 2010 - "S V Narayanaswamy Rao National Award" by Rama Seva Mandali, Bangalore
No comments:
Post a Comment