Hindustani Vocal By Pandit Jasraj

On the occasion of the 35th Pandit Motiram Pandit Maniram Sangeet Samaroha 2007, The Department of Culture, together with Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj, is organising a 4-day grand music festival, from 29th November to 2nd December, at the Nizam College grounds.

Young and upcoming artistes will share the dias with some senior ones during the festival, such as flautists Rakesh Chaurasia and Shashank, vocalists Pandit Jasraj, Pritam Bhattacharya and Sanjeev Abhyankar, Hariharan, vainika Jayanthi Kumaresh, sitarist Ustad Shahid Parvez, Sufi Kathak dancer Manjari Chaturvedi, and tabla player Vijay Ghate.

Today, the second day, legendary Hindustani vocalist Pandit Jasraj will present the second recital for the evening. Pandit Jasraj was born in 1930, and though his father Pandit Motiram was a renowned Hindustani vocalist, Pandit Jasraj, after a brief initiation into vocal music by his father, opted for the tabla, under the training of Pandit Pratapnarayan. This was merely a decision taken to create an additional means of livelihood in order to lighten the burden of family responsibilities, that were thrust upon by the sudden demise of Panditji's father.

However, at the age of 14, he rebelled against the humiliating treatment given to accompanying artists, and vowed to never to be an accompanist. So he decided to learn singing. Under the tutelage of his older brother Sangeet Mahamahopadhyaya Pandit Maniram and with the spiritual influence of Maharaja Jaywant Singhji Waghela, Pandit Jasraj began his vocal and spiritual journey.

The Maharaja, himself a gifted and scholarly musician of the Mewati Gharana, gently ushered Jasraj into the realm of devotion, preparing him for the sublime music.

Thereafter, there was no looking back, as Panditji went on to become one of the greatest musicians. He has not only performed at various cities of India, but also all parts of the world. He has received several titles and award such as Padma Bhushan, Sangeet Martand, Sangeet Kala Ratna, Sangeet Natak Academy Award, Doctorate in Music by Vishwa Unnayan Sansad (West Bengal), Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskar and Dinanath Mangeshkar Award, to name a few.

Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj has been organising music festivals every year at the Nizam College grounds, in memory of his late father and brother Pandit Motiram and Pandit Maniram respectively, since the last 35 years. His father and brother were both music professors at the Nizam College. The entry to the concert is free.

Please contact the Department of Culture at 2324-2482 for further details.