He is over 70 and yet his voice soars to heights vocalists half his age struggle to attain. He has been honored with the Padma Vibhushan, the title of Sangeet Martand, and innumerable other accolades, yet Pundit Jasraj takes it all in his stride. In an exclusive interview with Kavita Chhibber, he reminisces on his life and the influences that shaped his journey. He is playful, laughing, bursting into song. When his star protege violinist Kala Ramnath screams at the sight of a cockroach, this strict vegetarian laughs, “We are Bombay wallahs … that becomes part of our meals and we don’t realize it. So relax!”
Not many people know that you started as a tabla player?
I started playing the tabla at about six then and my brother Pundit Pratapnarayan saw my interest and he taught me. By seven I was performing on stage. I performed on tabla till I was 14. Then a couple of incidents happened one after the other that changed my life. Pundit Kumar Gandharva came to Lahore and he was well known to our family and said I have a radio program in the evening, so can I take Jasraj with me? I accompanied him on tabla. While discussing the technicalities of how Kumar Gandharva sang, Pundit Amarnath, who went on to become a wonderfully accomplished vocalist, made a comment which I didn’t agree with. When I stated my objection I was told to stick to tabla and that tabla players didn’t know anything about classical music. That stung. Two days later for a janmashtami program my older brother was performing at his student’s music college. I decided to go and see the arrangements. When I went on stage I asked, where would the harmonium, tamboura and tabla accompanists sit, and was told by a young man overseeing arrangements, “In that ditch below the stage.”
I said why would the accompanists sit there? He said, “Can a tabla player dare to sit with the honored vocalist.” I was so aghast that a tabla player was considered so inferior. That was it. I cried heart brokenly and told my brother I would not play the tabla ever again. I did not even accompany him in that concert. They had to get someone from the school. We went home and then he woke me up at 4 am and said okay come on, I will now teach you vocal music and explained that they teach tabla for a short time to every vocalist so that he knows how to keep track of the beat while singing. In my case they kept delaying the vocal education, because I became such an exceptional tabla player.
So began your journey as a classical vocalist, and you being the youngest were willful I hear!
Riyaz was tough, I don’t think I sang too well and I would get agitated. After two years of training we ended up at a house concert and I said tonight I will sing. My brother said, but I have not taught you any night raga what will you sing? I said I will sing Yaman. He said but I haven’t taught you Yaman, so how will you sing? I said don’t worry I will sing. He really prohibited me, but I insisted and finally I said you don’t want me to sing, you just teach me superficially. He said I will make you sing to your heart’s content, but right now you are not ready, so don’t be so stubborn. Yes I was willful and spoilt and persisted and he gave in. I did sing and now I recall how badly I sang. I raised my voice and couldn’t bring it down. It was as if I was standing on the top of the highest mountain and there is a deep ravine below and I can’t find the path to come down. So I stopped and then cried again in another room of the house. My brother came in and said to me I did say to you, you are not ready yet. Two years of practice is just the beginning.
You have also mentioned several spiritual experiences that occurred and changed your way of thinking and how you sing. Your nephew Ratan Sharma who is a wonderful classical singer says you have a totally spiritual way of teaching music.
Maharaja Jaywant Singhji Waghela of Saanand state became my spiritual guru. Because of him I realized at a very young age there is indeed a God. My older brother Maniramji lost his voice in 1944 and could not even croak leave alone sing. I was given a letter and told to approach the Maharaja who evidently was very kind and my brother was told even though he cannot sing the Maharaja would support him financially. The Maharaja called physicians to check my brother’s throat, and 15 days later he said to my brother today you will get your voice back. There is a temple of Devi, go in with faith that Devi Ma will give you your voice back. Sing something in God’s name and comeback in 10 minutes. I was 14, and didn’t understand a lot, but I saw this miracle with my own eyes. A man who could not even croak went in at 11.50 p.m. and then sang till 6 am in a crystal clear voice, which till the last day of his life, remained crystal clear. Spirituality and music are interconnected. I believe that when God likes you a bit he gives you an ear for music, but when he really loves you he makes you a musician. Narada asked Vishnu where do you reside and Vishnu said. I don’t live in heaven or in the hearts of spiritual gurus. I reside where my bhaktas sing in my praise. Once I was singing the bhajan “Allah Meherban” and while singing I felt I was saying Allah and Om from the same place. That feeling comes back each time I sing that bhajan.
What do you think of fusion music?
I’m not in favor of fusion music. There is only one kind of musician who can do justice to this so called fusion music and that is the person who has mastered both the western and Indian classical forms of music. Our music is scientifically so advanced that we have to stoop down to such a low level to mingle with other artists in fusion.
How has teaching music and the audience changed over the years?
When we started learning, it took seven years just to learn bhairav. Our guru would sit for an hour and teach us and we would get only 2 percent of it. Today’s students record the lesson and hear it a2004gain and again till they get it right. That one-hour lesson can be repeated 24 hours and they get it so much faster than we did. As far as the audience is concerned there used to be a handful of people and now there are a huge numbers. In 1972, I sang before an audience of one lakh people.
Your children Sharang Dev and daughter Durga are involved in films and television serials. You have never given music for films or sung, though your nephews Jatin-Lalit have made waves as film music directors.
Well I’m also film maker V Shantaram’s son-in-law, so if his genes are stronger than mine I can’t do a thing about it!
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