In Conversation with Kavita Chhibber
Kavita’s note: Its December 11th, 2013. I have been trying to sit before my computer and write but without success.
I’m finding every excuse under the sun not to write this tribute to Pandit Ravi Shankar on his first death anniversary. He was so much more than just his physical body and I always feel his presence around me when I think of him or even when I don’t think of him..
And so I choose the easier road instead – starting to talk to others about Pandit ji and what they thought of him, what he and his music meant to them. It has been a wonderful journey so far, because I end up hearing warm memories of Pandit ji’s genius, his warmth, his kindness and thoughtfulness. And then they mention this brilliant performance, that magical raga coming out of his fingers and I run to pull out the very raga from my collection or look for it online. He re-enters my home and my heart through the beauty of his work. And his work carries his essence.
I begin this tribute with an interview with Pandit Jasraj but not before sharing one of my favorite lines by Peggy Taylor Milin:
“I was on a train on a rainy day…I became intent on watching the raindrops on the window. Two separate Drops, pushed by the wind, merged in to one for a moment and then divided again-each carrying with it a part of the other. Simply by that momentary touching, neither was what it had been before. And as each one went on to touch other raindrops, it shared not only itself but what it had gleaned from the other…I realized then that we never touch people so lightly that we do not leave a trace…”
Ravi Ji was one of those who left his mark across this planet and in our hearts. I’m grateful to have been a small part of his journey, which continues through Sukanya Shankar’s love and sharing of this great man to a world audience. It also continues through Anoushka’s music, and the music played by Ravi ji’s many students across generations, continents and cultures.
He is a legend himself, and yet Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj, a formidable talent in both tabla and classical vocal music, says he would never discuss music with Pandit Ravi Shankar.
“I will tell you a story. A poet once began to recite beautiful poetry before me. I was mesmerized but his companion interrupted him and said “You recite so beautifully in tarannum (recitation of poetry as a song). Why don’t you sing?” The poet looked at me and then at his friend and said “If I am standing in front of the Himalaya, why would I open a small ice cream parlor in front of it.” The man was referring to Pandit Jasraj as the Himalaya of vocal music and felt it was not his place to sing before him.
“I felt the same way about Pandit Ji. He was 12-13 years older than me and I never felt it was my place to discuss music with him. That honor was meant for my Guru and my older brother not me.”
The great sitar maestro may have left his physical body last December, but there is no corner in the world that has remained untouched by his music, his persona and his legacy.
“Pandit Ravi Shankar unlocked every single door across the world for musicians from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and anyone else who was into Indian classical music,” says Pandit Jasraj. “He also gave tabla players the respectability they command today. As you know I left playing the tabla because I was told to sit below the vocalist. Ravi ji raised Ustad Allah Rakha Khan’s stature to that of an equal and to great heights with his support. Because of Pandit ji, Ustad Allah Rakha’s son Zakir Hussain also made a big name for himself. And not just them but many other tabla players across the spectrum can thank him for the respect they command today as musicians.”
Pandit Jasraj says his most precious early memories were playing tabla with Pandit Ravi Shankar in 1946 and pulling in an all-nighter, but the incident that stands out in his memory as vividly as if it was yesterday happened at the Mian Tansen Sangeet Sammelan in Calcutta in 1955.
“During the festival there were these two days when on the first day Ustad Amir Khan, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Pt. Ravi Shankar were scheduled to play on day 1, which was to end with the final performance by Ustad Vilayat Khan. The next day the order was reversed where Ustad Amir Khan would be followed by Ustad Vilayat Khan then Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and Pt Ravi Shankar was to close. The auditorium was to be returned to the organizers at 7am.”
“Now, it was not just the packed auditorium that heard the artists; the organizers would also place loud speakers inside and about 10-12 thousand music lovers would be outside listening to the performances. I grew up doing that. I would have some loose change and would grab a cup of tea from a small tea stall that was an integral part of every little town near the music and listen all night long. Whenever I could afford it, I would go inside but most of the time we would be outside listening.”
So on day two the first two artists took a long time and by the time Bade Ghulam Ali Khan sahib’s turn came it was almost 4.30 am. He sang for 90 minutes and Ravi ji was left with just a one hour slot. I was in the green room with him and he was concerned and said to me “Now what can I play for just this remaining one hour?” I told him “Pandit ji, don’t be so concerned, just play something short and I think it will be alright.” Well he played an amazing alaap in Raga Bilaskhani Todi for 45 minutes. I cannot even begin to tell you how magical it was and then he played a short 20 minute drut bandish with Ustad Salamat Ali Khan and ended the recital.
The organizers were very fearful that the crowd will be very angry at such a short time given to Ravi ji and there would be mayhem. They asked him not to go into the audience.
In the meantime I went outside and the thousands standing there asked me to summon Pandit ji outside, so they could offer their respects.
So I went running inside and told Pandit ji that people wanted to see him.
“What do they want?” Pandit ji asked me. I said, “They just want to offer their respects. In any case they love their artists and would never wish us ill.”
“So Ravi ji came out with me. I asked another artist Motilal Ranga who was tall to lift Ravi ji up and I have never ever seen the love he received that day ever shown to any other artist to this day. Often people will rip your clothes to keep as mementos. Many artists who keep comparing themselves to Ravi ji will brag about how much they are respected but I will say this again– never have I in my life seen anyone command the kind of love and devotion Ravi ji commanded that day and continues to command to this day even after he has left. He was a special soul.”
Another aspect of their relationship that Pandit Jasraj cherishes was not just the camaraderie, the light hearted conversations and jokes they shared but the generosity Pandit Ravi Shankar showed in appreciating another man’s craft and his constant generosity and thoughtfulness.
“He was a very generous man. In the back of his mind he was always trying to find ways to help others and he would do it quietly. I With the exception of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, so many great artists came here either with Ravi ji as part of his large troupe or because he had opened the doors for them.”
“I cannot begin to tell you the number of people who latched on to his coattails not just to find work abroad but also so that they would benefit through their association with him. Chinnamma (Sukanya Shankar) is also an equally warm person. Please give her my respect. She honored me by asking me to light the diya at an event a little while ago.”
Pandit Jasraj also talked about Pandit Ravi Shankar’s generosity as an artist. “He always tried to find ways to help me and he was so genuine in his appreciation. I remember it was 20th Oct 1960, and Ravi ji heard me sing raga Lalit and sent me a telegram which said “Jasraj, you rendered raga Lalit so beautifully that if Raga Lalit has to ever be sung it should be sung the way you have sung it.”
“Three years later I was singing Bageshree in Bombay on the radio and suddenly there was frenzy in the studio because Pandit Ravi Shankar phoned in. In those days there was just one phone on a small counter where we checked in and then received our payment. The two minutes it took me to get up and go to the phone, four people had already charged in saying “Pandit ji hurry up, Pandit Ravi Shankar ji is on the phone.” That is the awe he inspired and again he was so appreciative of my performance.
“Ravi ji also had an institute RIMPA in Banaras and he honored me by inviting me to perform there. I sang Raga Bihag and Pandit ji as usual was very appreciative. Many days passed and I called him from Bombay while he was in Delhi and his opening lines were “I still have not been able to forget the way you sang Bihag.” Pandit ji was a very great and generous man from within. It is a sign of how secure you are within yourself when you appreciate other artists with such sincerity and generosity. This is something everyone can learn from him. At the end all that remains is how someone treated you, if they showed you love or understanding or genuine appreciation. Everything else is forgotten.”
Pandit Jasraj says one of the greatest influences Pandit Ji had on him was the elegance with which he conducted himself on stage. “I tried to learn that from him. No other Ustad who was out there, ever presented himself with the elegance, and perfection with which Pandit ji presented himself and his concerts.”
Anything anyone did then or does today in terms of presentation is an imitation or trying to do it the way Pandit ji did it. He had such a mesmerizing persona that anyone who came near him would end up copying the way he stood, sat, conducted himself. He was able to charm anyone and everyone”.
People often talk about how he didn’t belong to any gharana but was able to give to the world an eternal legacy of ethereal music.
“Kisi gharane mein paida bhi ho jayen toh yeh zaroori nahin hai ki woh ustad ban jayenge” (Even if they were born in a musical dynasty, it isn’t a done deal that they would become great musicians). If you see Ravi ji’s destiny it was just so uniquely created for greatness. His brother Uday Shankar ji was a far sighted genius ahead of his times and he gave Ravi ji such a global upbringing. Because of him Ravi ji came into contact with Baba Allauddin Khan, another legendary genius who was not only a stellar musician, he was also musically enlightened and truly learned. Ravi ji could not have asked for anyone greater to be his guru”.
“Every moment shared with Pandit Ravi Shankar has become a treasure of precious memories. No matter what other musicians may think of themselves, none of them could be Pandit Ravi Shankar. Anyone who crossed paths with Pandit Ravi Shankar was singularly fortunate.”
Many thanks to Simmi Chopra Bhatia and Tripti Mukherjee for facilitating this interview.
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