BheemSenJoshi
0 views
Skip to first unread message
Vedprakash
Feb 6, 2014, 6:21:29 AM2/6/14
to wethemu...@googlegroups.com
Born To Be Remembered
Pandit Bhimsen Joshi
Kirana gharana maestro Pandit Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi was born on
February 4, 1922 in Gadag, Karnataka.
Panditji was a good student, but he loved music. It ultimately
prompted him to run away from home when he was 11 and his quest for a
good teacher took him to Bijapur, Gwalior, Kolkata, Delhi and
Jalandhar before he came back home to become a disciple of Sawai
Gandharva, the disciple of Ustad Abdul Karim Khan whom Panditji
admired.
Bhimsen began to live at his guru's house and was taught nothing for
the first 18 months, primarily because his student's voice was
breaking and to test his sincerity. Bhimsen stayed with his teacher
till 1940 and learnt raga Todi, Multani and Pooriya.
Rise to fame
His meeting with vocalist Begum Akhtar fetched him a job as a staff
artiste at Lucknow radio station where he became friends with shehnai
player Ustad Bismillah Khan. In 1943, he moved to Mumbai, but his real
break came in 1946 at a concert to mark the 60th birthday of Sawai
Gandharva. His guru and the audience appreciated the performance.
Bhimsen started as a recording artiste in 1944 with HMV when the
company released two Hindi and two devotional songs in Kannada. He
recorded prolifically for the company and in 1984 became the first
Hindustani vocalist to win a platinum disc.
Three docus
There are three documentaries on him. The first was in 1965 by M
Louis, a Dutch film producer who was deeply intrigued by Panditji
after hearing him. He came to India and made a film that was shown all
over in the West. The second documentary, called Raga Miyan Malhar',
was made by Canadian businessman James Beveridge. It portrays the
maestro singing just raga Miyan Malhar.
The third is a conventional 45-minute documentary shot in 1993 by
noted poet Gulzar which bagged the national award.
Panditji has sung on occasions of national importance. He, along with
Lata Mangeshkar, performed at Parliament house on the 50th anniversary
of India's independence.
Awards for the legend
There have been many awards the nation's highest civilian award Bharat
Ratna was conferred on him in 2008, Padma Shri in 1972, Padma Bhushan
in 1985 and Padma Vibhushan in 1999. The Maharashtra government
honoured him with the Maharashtra Bhushan in 2002. In between, he also
received the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1975 and was made a fellow
in 1998. The Madhya Pradesh government awarded him the Tansen Sanman
award in 1992. The Karnataka Rathna presented to him in September
2005. His voice opened the short film on national integration Mile Sur
Mera Tumhara' and the second film on Des raga also became equally
popular.
Pandit Bhimsen Joshi
Kirana gharana maestro Pandit Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi was born on
February 4, 1922 in Gadag, Karnataka.
Panditji was a good student, but he loved music. It ultimately
prompted him to run away from home when he was 11 and his quest for a
good teacher took him to Bijapur, Gwalior, Kolkata, Delhi and
Jalandhar before he came back home to become a disciple of Sawai
Gandharva, the disciple of Ustad Abdul Karim Khan whom Panditji
admired.
Bhimsen began to live at his guru's house and was taught nothing for
the first 18 months, primarily because his student's voice was
breaking and to test his sincerity. Bhimsen stayed with his teacher
till 1940 and learnt raga Todi, Multani and Pooriya.
Rise to fame
His meeting with vocalist Begum Akhtar fetched him a job as a staff
artiste at Lucknow radio station where he became friends with shehnai
player Ustad Bismillah Khan. In 1943, he moved to Mumbai, but his real
break came in 1946 at a concert to mark the 60th birthday of Sawai
Gandharva. His guru and the audience appreciated the performance.
Bhimsen started as a recording artiste in 1944 with HMV when the
company released two Hindi and two devotional songs in Kannada. He
recorded prolifically for the company and in 1984 became the first
Hindustani vocalist to win a platinum disc.
Three docus
There are three documentaries on him. The first was in 1965 by M
Louis, a Dutch film producer who was deeply intrigued by Panditji
after hearing him. He came to India and made a film that was shown all
over in the West. The second documentary, called Raga Miyan Malhar',
was made by Canadian businessman James Beveridge. It portrays the
maestro singing just raga Miyan Malhar.
The third is a conventional 45-minute documentary shot in 1993 by
noted poet Gulzar which bagged the national award.
Panditji has sung on occasions of national importance. He, along with
Lata Mangeshkar, performed at Parliament house on the 50th anniversary
of India's independence.
Awards for the legend
There have been many awards the nation's highest civilian award Bharat
Ratna was conferred on him in 2008, Padma Shri in 1972, Padma Bhushan
in 1985 and Padma Vibhushan in 1999. The Maharashtra government
honoured him with the Maharashtra Bhushan in 2002. In between, he also
received the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1975 and was made a fellow
in 1998. The Madhya Pradesh government awarded him the Tansen Sanman
award in 1992. The Karnataka Rathna presented to him in September
2005. His voice opened the short film on national integration Mile Sur
Mera Tumhara' and the second film on Des raga also became equally
popular.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages