THE MESMERISER

Pandit Jasraj was a favourite with audiences at concerts and music festivals but his most enduring contribution may have been to pull khyal away from the markers associated with gharana

Pandit Jasraj’s most enduring contribution was to pull khyal away from the markers associated with gharana

Hindustani ragas usually span one and a half octaves; Jasraj traversed three, holding notes in the difficult lower octave, stunning the audience with his breath control

Attending a concert by Jasraj was always an experience to savour. Convention dictated that the doyen of Hindustani vocalists command the prime slot, which was usually late in the evening after other musicians had concluded. As the buzz grew, the audience profile changed with a rush of younger people filling the auditorium. Jasraj appeared on stage in flamboyant silks— lately in bright and orange hues. Hugging a swarmandal, he always began with a trademark prayer, Mangalam Bhagwan Vishnu, invoking a devotional hush among the audience before transiting effortlessly to exploring a raga. One never stopped marvelling at Jasraj’s melodic range and the mesmeric quality of his voice—which became more resonant as he grew older. Hindustani ragas usually span one and a half octaves; Jasraj traversed three, holding notes in the difficult lower octave with ease, stunning the audience with his breath control. Over the years, critics grew wary but the audience loved it and revelled in his vocal prowess. Jasraj always ended with a bhajan, avoiding genres like thumri and dadra. The request from the adoring crowd was usually Om Namo Bhagwate or Mata Kalika, rendered with his characteristic gusto. In later years, his students joined in a chorus providing support and harmony. His real contribution, however, was in mainstream khyal. Jasraj helped to make khyal generic, pulling it away from the markers associated with gharana. The attributes of this form of raga music was a new kind of voice—mellifluous, soothing and attractive. It was suited to modern auditoriums, sound systems, stereo and recording. This music embraced a sonic range and knowledge of raga grammar was no longer requisite as first-time listeners immersed themselves in an aural experience, enthusiastically expanding a growing public for classical music. Jasraj adapted to new trends as did others, notably Kishori Amonkar, Parveen Sultana and Rajan and Sajan Mishra. Rashid Khan followed in their footsteps. In the 1970s, Jasraj had to contend with distinctive contemporaries like Bhimsen Joshi and Kumar Gandharva and it was not unusual for all three to sing in the same music festivals. Jasraj’s training had been mostly in-house from his two elder brothers, Mani Ram and Pratap Narayan. Their father, a vocalist, had learnt the style of the little-known Mewati gharana, which owed its origins to vocalist Ghagge Nazir Khan, a court musician in Jodhpur and Bhopal. Young Jasraj first trained in tabla, but he chafed at the contempt that instrumental accompanists faced at the hands of soloists. Determined to succeed as a vocalist, he began his career singing duets with his eldest brother Mani Ram. In a Doordarshan interview (now available on YouTube) that Vinaychandra Maudgalya did with Mani Ram and Jasraj, it becomes clear that the Mewati style prided itself on its traditionalism and rejected the modern systematisation of ragas invented by Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande in the early twentieth century. Jasraj settled in Bombay and by the early 1970s had emerged as a concert favourite, together with peers like Amjad Ali Khan, Hariprasad Chaurasia, Shivkumar Sharma and Zakir Hussain. This was a generation that came after Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar and Vilayat Khan. In vocal music it was difficult to avoid the influence of elders like Amir Khan, and Jasraj, like many contemporaries, was profoundly influenced by his contemplative style. This is evident in recordings of ragas like Bilaskhani Todi and Darbari. At the same time, he persisted in showcasing complex ragas from his earlier training, such as Shuddha Nat, Barari, Hussaini Kanada and Khamaj Bahar. In his later years, he delighted audiences with his soulful renderings of Dev Gandhar, Jaijaiwanti and perennial favourites like Bihag. His recordings of ragas Nat Narayani and Asa, which are mentioned in the Granth Sahib, were much appreciated. A remarkable early album was Surdas padas rendered in the haveli style. Jasraj married legendary filmmaker V. Shantaram’s daughter Madhura. His children Sharangdev and Durga are composers and television personalities. Senior disciples include scholar Mukund Lath, Som Tewari, Girish Wazalwar and Chandrasekhar Swami. Sanjeev Abhyankar, Shweta Jhaveri and Kala Ramnath the violinist are among his accomplished younger students who represent his musical values and sparkling legacy best. ■