With the sudden spike in streaming services, more people, millennials and members of Gen Z in particular, have started listening to classical music these days than they did about a decade ago, suggests an international study.
Back home, the scene is no different. Youngsters now prefer to listen to legendary classical singers like Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna and Pandit Bhimsen Joshi than the commercial songs, adds yet another report. So, one can safely conclude that a change is taking place in the listening habits of the new generation. In the case of Odisha, more singers with classical voice training have made it to the final round of singing reality shows as they are more frequently heard. Be it Barnali Hota, Ananya Sritam Nanda or Sohini Mishra, all have undergone rigorous training in classical music before hogging the limelight.
Odisha, apart from these shining stars, also boasts of a pool of young classical singers who have carved their own space on the national music scene. A few of them shared with Sunday POST their success story and how the classical voice training played a decisive role in their career.
‘Did 40 days of silent music
practice in the Himalayas’
Dhrupad is the oldest tradition of Hindustani music of the Indian sub-continent. Born and brought up at Karanjasol, a nondescript village of Bhograi block in Balasore district, Mukund Dev is known as Odisha’s only nationally known Dhrupad singer. He has also set up Dhrupad Music Foundation in Bhubaneswar to promote the style.
Talking about his journey in the world of classical music and its significance in his career, Mukund says, “In my journey of nearly 20 years in Indian classical music, I have had the opportunity to associate with many artistes and music lovers from across the country and abroad. To reach the root of Indian music, I studied at Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalay and Mumbai University and learnt the subtle nuances of music from gurus like Padma Shri Gundecha brothers(Bhopal), Sangeet Acharya Pandit Arun Kashalkar(Mumbai) and Shri Vijayanand Naik. To know the inherent powers of Indian classical music, I did 40 days of silent music practice in the Himalayas. Along with these 40 days, I completed 200 days of silent music meditation of my life and experienced many tangible facts of Indian classical music.”
He continues: “Music is not just a medium of entertainment; music is an invisible force that illuminates life with full energy. Indian classical music has a unique amalgamation of acoustics, Mathematics, Chemistry and Physiology as well as Indian culture and Indian philosophy. If one studies Indian classical music with reverence and finds the right Guru, then it becomes easy for him/her to understand all the genres of music. Personally, Indian classical music has helped me grow intellectually.”
He further adds: “The practice of Indian classical music is essential for recognising various notes in music which has helped me establish my identity in the music world.”
‘Classical music is
soul of our culture’
One of the most versatile classical singers of this generation, Mahaprasad Kar doesn’t need any introduction. His voice is heard ever and anon when one switches on the radio or the television set. He has also performed widely on the stage since the age of nine. Being the son of legendary singer Prafulla Kar he was destined to become a classical singer.
About his tryst with classical music, Mahaprasad says, “I hail from a family of renowned musicians. My grandfather Khetramohan Kar was a tabla maestro and my father Prafulla Kar, is a music director, singer and lyricist of national repute. My forefathers belonged to the zamindar family. In those days, we used to hold cultural programmes inviting classical singers like Hirabai Barodekar, Omkarnath Thakur among other eminent personalities to our place. My father grew up watching such events which left a lasting impact on him.
He got influenced by classical music and wanted to make a career in music. Similarly I too got inclined towards classical singing from my childhood. When I was nine, I loved watching my father singing for long hours without getting exhausted. Seeing my growing interest in classical music, he requested his Guru Pandit JVS Rao to teach me Hindustani classical. So I got trained in Hindustani music under the tutelage of Pandit Rao.
When I was young I got inspired by the singing style of Anup Jalota who took bhajan singing to a different level. I started performing such songs on stage and getting appreciated.”
How does he incorporate the style of classical singing in modern songs? He says, “My father never wanted to sing commercial tracks. But the demand for classical music was few and far between. So he started singing film songs while making sure to give them a classical touch. I also follow my father’s footprints. My songs have the element of raga which makes me different from others. Blending raga to songs is my forte. I have sung songs like Biswa Jagannath Brahma Jagannath, Mote Bhari Laja lage apart from Odissi, Chhanda, Champu. My style fetched appreciations from eminent singers.”
“Singers now-a-days are deprived of a good teacher. I am lucky to have a Guru like JVS Rao and a guide like my father who shaped my career. Without a classical singing base, I could not have made a mark in the music world. Classical music is the foundation. This is the route to to get success in any genre. I must say that classical music is the soul of our culture. Years of rigorous practice, hard work and dedication has made me what I am today. Music without classical touch is just like a body without soul,” he signs off.
‘Difficult to grow without
learning classical music’
Without the classical voice training he wouldn’t have reached this far, says Abhijeet Mishra, one of the most successful singers of this generation.
Abhijeet has also excelled in composing, recording and music programming. That’s not all; he has made a name for himself in Mumbai by releasing his solo Hindi albums.
Abhjijeet says he was fascinated by Hindustani classical music from a very early age. Recounting those days, the singer says, “Once my dad, after returning from a concert in the US, gifted me a Walkman. I was studying in Class V then. I also got three cassette tapes – Gulfam by Hariharan, Insight by Jagjit Singh and a Raga album by Pandit Jasraj. The third one fueled my interest in learning classical singing. Besides, ours had a good collection of cassettes of renowned classical singers of India. I was so inclined towards classical music that I used to take part in the annual cultural extravaganza organised by Srjan, a premier dance school of Bhubaneswar, which is participated by many national level classical singers. However, I started learning Hindustani classical from Guru Debendra Narayan Satpathy after I appeared Class X board examination. All I can say is that classical music is like ABCD in the world of music and no singer can grow without learning it.”
Abhijeet is known for his recital of Jayadeva’s Gita Govinda following the style of Guru Raghunath Panigrahi. He admits that classical singing separates him from other singers. “It’s true that my classical base has made me a strong competitor among top singers of the industry,” quips Abhijeet.
‘Quit cushy job, stable life
to make career in music’
Aurosis Pani, who is credited with many hit songs like Kene Gheni Jauchha, Bhala Pae Boli, also acknowledges that his classical base helped him create a different identity for himself.
How did you get attracted towards classical singing? To this query, Aurosis responds: “I have grown up seeing my father Dr Chitaranjan Pani practising classical music. Right from childhood, I got trained under him. So, music came to me naturally. At the beginning, I didn’t know the difference between classical singing and other styles. But my father’s rendition was soothing to my ears. Later, I came to know that raga plays a vital role in classical singing and every human being is attached to raga. In classical singing, there is raga for all emotions, be it anger, happiness or sadness.”
Speaking more about classical style of singing, he says “It is a meditation. Three things play a very important role in classical singing – dedication, time and patience. It takes years of practice to perfect the skill.”
Aurosis was a software engineer before embarking on a career in music. In 2016, he quit a cushy job and stable life to follow his passion.
About his life-altering decision, Aurosis says, “I have no regret for it. After quitting my job, I again appeared for graduation and post-graduation examinations in music. Now I am pursuing a Ph.D in classical music. Now I am devoting all my time to singing though I know that making a mark in the field is quite challenging. But I believe in myself. Overall, it has been a beautiful journey.”
Rashmi Rekha Das, OP