A Familiar tune
This years edition of Swarbhaskar Mahotsav,the classical arts festival,belongs to second-generation musicians.
Gayatri Joshi’s path to becoming a classical vocalist was marked at the very beginning of her life. Born to the well-known singer Shankar Shreeshailya Vairagkar,Gayatri grew up with the sound of music in her ears. “There was music in the house all through the day. My father had his own riyaaz,students would come to learn from him and practise at home,and my brother,sister and I began to sing as well. If music wasn’t already imprinted in my genes,it was certainly imprinted onto my ears,” says Gayatri,who is among seven artistes performing in the city at the classical arts festival,Swarbhaskar Mahotsav.
While Gayatri completed her advanced music training under vocalist Arati Ankalikar-Tikekar (from the Agra Jaipur gharana),those who are familiar with her father’s style (Kirana Patiala gharana) often recognise his influence on her. “I went to learn from Arati tai when I was 22. While she has had considerable influence on me,my father has probably had even more,since I began learning with him and he taught me all the way from my childhood till I was 22,” she says.
Music seems to be in the blood for many of the artistes performing at Swarbhaskar Mahotsav,which is being held from November 22 to 24. Vocalist Shrinivas Joshi,son of the renowned Pandit Bhimsen Joshi,says that it wasn’t until he passed out of IIT-Delhi that he became convinced that music was his life. And so he began learning from his father and his mother,Vatsalabai Joshi. “Having him (Pandit Bhimsen Joshi) for a father,learning from him,living with him and accompanying him during performances — all of it gave me a different,closer understanding of his music,his personality and style,” says Shrinivas. His own son is now 10 years old,and is beginning to show promise and interest in music,but Shrinivas intends to leave the decision of a career in music to him.
In case of Rakesh Chaurasia,the tradition of music has passed not from father to son,but from uncle to nephew. A flautist just like his uncle,Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia,Rakesh is often confused for the flute maestro’s son,and he says,in a way,music has brought them together in a similar bond. “I have learned from him and lived with him since I was a child,so I call him babuji,” he says. Rakesh was four-and-a-half when he began his education in music from the flute maestro quite accidentally. “There was a big family party going on,and my uncle suddenly asked whether anyone wanted to learn music. I didn’t even know what his
instrument was called,but I put my hand up. Out of nowhere,he brought out a small flute and handed it to me. Perhaps,the sound of him playing the flute had stuck in my mind,” he says.
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