You should not feel your father is the best; others fathers are good too!I sent my daughter Kaushiki to learn from others — including Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan, who is gharanedaar (from a tradition). I genuinely believe, from the core of my heart, that without humility you cannot receive blessings, and without support, you cannot reach a certain level of artistry. I was only around 27-28 then. He was a teacher. He taught me everything — literature, philosophy, not just music.I feel lucky that I have been able to share my knowledge of music and laya (rhythm) with so many artists — I can’t say I “taught” them, but I certainly shared my music with Purbayan Chatterjee, Kushal Das, Tejendra Narayan Mazumdar, Tanmoy Bose, Bickram Ghosh, Samar Saha, all top artists today. Anyone who says to the contrary is wrong, I feel.I remember once at Dover Lane Music Conference, the premier music festival at the time, I was asked to give a donation and only then would I be allowed to sing. You get a sense of peace with it. I have two children Kaushiki who sings, and my son Ananjay, who is a professional sound engineer and music director. I am what I am today due to the blessings of my parents and gurus.I have learnt Sanskrit, and Sanskrit “Uchaaran” from great pandits like Dhyanesh Narayan Chakravorty and Nrisingha Prasad Bahaduri. I politely refused and said I would like to sing only if I was considered good enough to command my own fees. I believe that correct enunciation is important for a vocalist.” I cherish that memory even today.The gharana system is good but also constraining if you confine yourself. Total samarpan (surrender) to the gurus is necessary to absorb, and then transmit. I believe all these are very important. He sent me to Ustad Munawar Ali Khan (son of the great Bade Ghulam Ali wheel unit bearings Factory Khan); he felt my voice would be suited to Patiala gayeki.
Ginde, Nivritibuwa Sarnaik, Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan, Dr Balmurali Krishna; in fact, I regarded Balmuraliji as my father, as I had known him since I was 29. I once travelled standing all the way from Delhi to Chandigarh, with my harmonium on my head as there was no place to put it on the floor.My wife is also a singer though she does not sing professionally. He was partially paralysed, and in a wheelchair.In a freewheeling talk, he spoke about his past, his achievements and a host of other subjects. Indeed, there was nobody like him. After his death, I was invited by his wife Sukanyaji to perform in Panditji’s memory in San Diego and Cleveland. (His perspective was different) Jaise log, vaise unka sangeet, vaise unka khaana. Music connects you to your soul. My father left Bangladesh to come to Calcutta to learn music. There was a concert organised by Khosla sahib which I had committed to sing at.He died when I was a child, so I never really knew him personally.I have learnt from so many people — Hirabai Barodekar, G. When I saw him I dived to touch his feet with my head to seek his blessings. Five aspects make music — correct inhaling and exhaling of air (breath), lyrics, notes, time cycle and attitude to music (humanity). Unka soch bilkul alag tha. He loved his food, and used to eat biryani every afternoon, and feed 10-12 people who were with him, always. Tagore once said that you never sing alone — when you sing, the listeners sing along too, from within.Music has the ability to transport you to another world. In those days, his concert fees were Rs 2,000! He was who he was because of all these aspects of his personality. I have my institution Shrutinandan which has been running for 20 years now; I teach over 1,000 students there. Pt Ravi Shankar once praised my efforts and told me to keep the purity of raga alive and kickling.The most effective way of understanding and absorbing how to be a musician was when I travelled in acute discomfort during my young days.It was Bade Ghulam Ali Khan’s birth anniversary recently, please share some memories of him. (Every set of people have their own music, their own eating habits). My guru insisted that I go to him, with his wife Lalita.My parents used to sing, but not professionally. I have travelled innumerable times sleeping on the floor in the corridor of a train. You get a sense of peace with it. In fact, I tied my ganda on the Ustad on the same day that Guruma (Lalita Ghosh) tied the ganda. He blessed me, and enquired about my singing, and finally signed off the meeting by saying, “Allah tumhe acha rakhe. Physical hardship too teaches you what it really means to be a musician.Panditji, it seems many things have shaped you as a musician. Of course my guide, philosopher, mentor, guru was Pt Gnan Prakash Ghosh.What is so special about music?Music has the ability to transport you to another world. Music connects you to your soul.It was difficult to end the interesting chat, but Panditji had to leave for an appointment!.He died in Hyderabad though he lived his life in Calcutta. It is not only riyaaz (practice) and taalim (training).Panditji, tell us a little about your personal life. Three years after this incident, I was again called, but this time I was paid to sing!I remember Ustad Ghulam Ali Khan from Pakistan was in the audience, and I sang Raga Malkaus.Once I heard he gave a sari worth Rs 500 to a beggar outside New Market; he sent his friend Nishi babu to give the beggar the sari, not wanting to give it himself. I have a brother Sanjay, no sisters. Some excerpts:Panditji, would you say you are a self-made man?No. Tall, with an impressive bearing and a rich baritone to match, the Patiala gharana doyen has managed successfully to transcend the barriers of “gharana” gayeki (constraints imposed on the singing style) and today sings incorporating many elements from the Carnatic style as well.D. Pandit Ajoy Chakravorty.Pandit Ajoy Chakravorty is today amongst the seniormost, as well as most popular Hindustani vocalists.I personally had only one interaction with him — I was a boy when I met him at the Radio Station in Calcutta.
