The final journey of a legend
Joshi has been one of the most celebrated exponents of the Kirana gharana of Hindustan Khayal music.
PUNE:
The notes of “Mile Sur Mera Tumhara”, the opening lines of a famous national-integration song that made Pandit Bhimsen Joshi an endearing figure in India, reverberated in the air as the epoch-defining Hindustani musician’s last journey began from residence in Navi Peth to the crematorium area on Monday.
Joshi has been one of the most celebrated exponents of the Kirana gharana of Hindustan Khayal music and with his powerful voice, amazing breath control and sharp sensibility —his concerts, albums and film singles brought audible joy to the public.
Born on February 4, 1922 in Karnataka, Pandit Joshi was a prominent disciple of Pandit Sawai Gandharva and finally launched his music career in Pune.
The singer also displayed tremendous flair for singing Sant Vani recitals modelled along the lines of Marathi Bhakti Sangeet.The singer then made an entry into film music as a Dhrupad singer for a Bengali film based on the life of classical composer Tansen and went on to record as a playback singer for Marathi film Gulacha Ganapati. The veteran musician has was also been awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2008 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards in 1976. Josh was also honoured with the Padmi Shri, Padma Bhushan and Madhya Pradesh Government’s Tansen Samman.
Joshi was also one of the pioneering singers to launch the Sawai Gandharva Music Festival at Pune decades ago as homage to Pandit Sawai Gandharva. EXPRESSBUZZ
Published in The Express Tribune, January 26th, 2011.
The notes of “Mile Sur Mera Tumhara”, the opening lines of a famous national-integration song that made Pandit Bhimsen Joshi an endearing figure in India, reverberated in the air as the epoch-defining Hindustani musician’s last journey began from residence in Navi Peth to the crematorium area on Monday.
Joshi has been one of the most celebrated exponents of the Kirana gharana of Hindustan Khayal music and with his powerful voice, amazing breath control and sharp sensibility —his concerts, albums and film singles brought audible joy to the public.
Born on February 4, 1922 in Karnataka, Pandit Joshi was a prominent disciple of Pandit Sawai Gandharva and finally launched his music career in Pune.
The singer also displayed tremendous flair for singing Sant Vani recitals modelled along the lines of Marathi Bhakti Sangeet.The singer then made an entry into film music as a Dhrupad singer for a Bengali film based on the life of classical composer Tansen and went on to record as a playback singer for Marathi film Gulacha Ganapati. The veteran musician has was also been awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2008 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards in 1976. Josh was also honoured with the Padmi Shri, Padma Bhushan and Madhya Pradesh Government’s Tansen Samman.
Joshi was also one of the pioneering singers to launch the Sawai Gandharva Music Festival at Pune decades ago as homage to Pandit Sawai Gandharva. EXPRESSBUZZ
Published in The Express Tribune, January 26th, 2011.