“If you had a chance to spend a weekend with a man – any man in history or now – who would it be?” asked A. We were partying and all of us had seen better, more lucid moments. The moment the question came up, it was like being attacked by a bunch of teens –“haan, haan … bol na” “sharma mat”, ‘yahan hum sab dost hi to hai” kind of teeny bopper comments. Given that most of us remember Indira Gandhi as PM, and grew up watching chitrahaar – it was a kind of regression of behavior . … but…

Which man – stranger- would I spend the weekend with… The answer is quite simple – Bharat Ratna Bhimsen Joshi in his prime, all the way from the 1960’s to the late 1980’s. What would I do that weekend, ? well, when you had a weekend with someone of his talent – you won’t waste it on anything else – i would have heard him sing through the 48 hours…

I met him, almost 20 years ago – I was a college student and he had come to perform at the Kufa Art Gallery in London – and i trudged all the way to hear him sing. that was the best 4 hours I had spent of my life. IT was morning, some 9 am types – a cold day and he had us enthralled – all of us sitting in a baithak with the most incredible performances of Raga Deshkar and Hindol. He took requests and the crowd asked him for Bhairavi … he began by singing Jamuna ke Teer …. but somehow he got so immersed in the raga he moved on from Jamuna ke Teer to sing Jo Bhaje Hari ko Sadha. I have most of his recordings as part of my collection, and this piece never was released. He sang it for almost half an hour…. There was nary a dry eye in the house.

In his prime, his power and mastery and intensity in exploring the raga were unmatched. This is a recording from 1957, Raga Multani

I believe that no one could hold a candle to him till age caught up … even today I don’t think there is anyone with that talent. Mukul Shivputra comes close … but, for me, its not quite the same.

The story of his life is the kind that the west would make into Oscar winning box office hits. Legend has it that he ran away from home – in Gadag, Karnataka – searching for a Guru who would teach him to sing. He was 11. He wandered India searching for a Guru – in courts, in sammelans – learning from whoever he could. But, his thirst for musical gyaan was not quenched nor did he find the right guru. When he returned home – or when his family brought him home (legend has both versions) – he found his ideal guru Savai Gandharva in neighbouring Dharwad. Following the age old Guru Shishya parampara he stayed with his Guru absorbing every nuance of music. His guru bandhu’s (fellow students sounds very weak) included Gangubai Hangal and Basavraj Rajguru – both incredible vocalists. They formed the spinal cord of the Kirana Gharana. Unlike the more courtly Patiala Gharana – which I enjoy – this had a greater degree of bhakti ras

Bhimsen Joshi probably gave the greatest guru dakshina to Savai Gandharva. 1n 1953 he began organising the Savai Gandharva Music festival in Pune – that is still going strong. Bhimsen Joshi would himself start or end the festival with a concert until ill health -he had a paralytic attack – would not let him perform anymore. His best performances are actually from this

Bhimsen Joshi at the Savai Gandharva, 1963 – Raga Todi

When he sang, mein to tumhare das, janam janam se (raga Komal Rishab Asavari) in Savai Gandharva – it is difficult to tell whether he was singing about God or about music – maybe to him they were the same…

Hear this, to know what I mean…when he sings mata vitthal, pita vitthtal … they aren’t just words, it is longing ….

nidhaan vithaal, nirantara vithal… teerth vitthal dev vitthal……

And, finally, one of my favorite ragas – Puriya Dhanashree – a very different rendition. A home concert. Listen to the Tarana at the end …. magnificent. Enough to transport you to another era of baithaks and sabhas.

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I wish there is someway of keeping traditions like this alive. I see them slowly dying, with the next generation neither sampling nor having a similar overriding passion for classical music. I see the tradition being nurtured in the South. But somehow Hindustani Classical Music doesn’t seem to be attracting gen next. There is a commendable initiative by ITC – to keep the HCM tradition alive. But, despite corporate and Government support there don’t seem to be youngsters taking up classical music. i wonder whether it is the siddhi needed for this kind of life …

Why this post now – there has been so much ugliness in my life of late, that i have been hearing a lot of Panditji more as therapy than music…somehow that beauty, the purity, the bhakti, cleanses … And, I have wanted to write one for a long time, for the sheer joy and peace that his music has given me ever since I began hearing him over 25 years ago….

And, before I wind up this one, hear this – the full power of a young Bhimsen Joshi compelling the skies to open up and the rain to pour – Mian ki Malhar…

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My youtube playlist of Bhimsen Joshi is