Kishori Amonkar cremated: ‘To get another Amonkar is impossible’

Kishori Amonkar’s mortal remains being taken out of Ravindra Natya Mandir in Dadar for funeral at Shivaji Park on Tuesday. Nirmal Harindran

Tributes poured in for renowned classical vocalist Kishori Amonkar, 84, as she was cremated in Mumbai Tuesday. Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, who was among the attendees at the funeral, called her God’s gift to music lovers. “In her, spirituality and music were combined. She lived on her own terms and never compromised her beliefs. To get another Amonkar is impossible.” Amonkar’s disciple, Pandit Raghunandan Panshikar, called her irreplaceable. “Up until her last performance in Delhi, we could see that no one could sing the way she could. She was a unique creation. The technicalities of her voice were so advanced that they can never be replicated.”

Writer Achyut Godbole recalled his over 50-year association with Amonkar. “Whether you were religious or not, there was a heavenly tone in her voice. Her hold over every single raga and the wide range of her music… I do not think we will ever see a singer like her again.’’ Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde spoke about Amonkar’s dedication: “The way she dedicated herself to music, practising for long hours and only then presenting herself, is just a testament to how much she meant to music for so long.’’ He said: “Even now in the IT industry, I see youth listening to Kishori tai’s music. Western music might have its influence but her music remains the most calming.” Others who attended the funeral included Dhrupad exponents Umakant and Ramakant Gundecha, vocalists Suresh Bapat, Manjiri Asnare-Kelkar and Pandit Satyasheel Deshpande, actor Vaibahv Mangale and writer Daji Panshikar.