Jasraj

Pandit Jasraj

Background information
Born (1930-01-28) 28 January 1930
Origin Hisar, Punjab Province, Currently in Haryana, India
Genres Hindustani classical music
Occupation(s) singer
Years active 1945–present
Website Official site

Pandit Jasraj (Hindi: पण्डित जसराज; born 28 January 1930) is an Indian classical vocalist. He belongs to the Mewati gharana of Hindustani classical music.[1]

Early life

Jasraj was born in Village Pili Mandori in erstwhile Hisar district of Haryana (now Fatehabad district) in a middle-class family to Motiram, a classical singer, on 28 January 1930. His family performed the Mewati gharana style. Motiram died in 1934 when Jasraj was four, on the day he was to be appointed as the state musician in the court of Osman Ali Khan.[2][3]

Jasraj was initiated into vocal music by his father. He received training from his elder brother, Maniram, and later from Maharaja Jaywant Singh Waghela and Ustad Gulam Kadar Khan of Mewat Gharana. In addition, he trained under Swami Vallabhdas of the Agra Gharana. In 1960, when Jasraj went to visit Bade Ghulam Ali Khan in hospital, Khan asked him to become his disciple, but Jasraj declined saying that he could not accept Khan's tutelage since he was already Maniram's disciple.

As a means of livelihood, Maniram took Jasraj as an accompanying tabla player. However, at the time, like sarangi players, tabla players were considered minor artists. At the age of 14, unhappy with his treatment as an accompanying artist, Jasraj left and vowed not to cut his hair until he learned to sing. He finally cut his hair after garnering his first AIR Radio performance, where he sang Raga Kaunsi Kanada (a combination of Malkauns and Darbari Kanada).

Performing career

Jasraj at the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya Poonam-35, Bhopal, in 2015
Jasraj at the Pandit Motiram Pandit Maniram Sangeet Samaroh, Hyderabad, in 2007

Jasraj's vocal range extends three-and-a-half octaves and uses precise diction, a trademark of the Mewati gharana's style of khayal. He has also done extensive research in Haveli Sangeet under Baba Shyam Manohar Goswami Maharaj to create numerous innovative bandish (composition).[2]

Jasraj created a novel form of jugalbandi called Jasrangi that is styled on the ancient system of moorchhana, between a male and a female vocalist, who each sing different ragas at the same time.[2] He is also known for presenting a wide variety of rare raags including Gyankali, Abiri Todi, Dhanashree, Patdeepki, Purba, Bhavsakh, Devsakh, Gunji Kanada and Charju Ki Malhar.

Jasraj has many students, including Rattan Mohan Sharma, Sanjeev Abhyankar, and Kala Ramnath.

In memory of his father, Jasraj organises a musical festival every year called the Pandit Motiram Pandit Maniram Sangeet Samaroh in Hyderabad, India.[2][3] It ran for 36 years as of 2008. Jasraj participated at the Sawai Gandharva Music Festival.

Personal life

Pandit Jasraj with his wife Madhura

In 1962, Jasraj married Madhura, the daughter of film director V. Shantaram, who he had first met in 1955 during the filming of Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje. After their marriage the couple lived in Kolkata for some time.[4] They have a son, Shaarangdev Pandit, and a daughter, Durga Jasraj, a television anchor and presenter. Madhura has directed documentaries and children's plays, and directed and produced ballets, Geeta-Govinda, Kaan Kahaani and Surdas, and the TV series, Faster Phene. Madhura made a film, Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj in 2009[5] and directed her first Marathi film, Aai Tuzha Aashirwad, in 2010, in which her husband and Lata Mangeshkar sang in Marathi.[6]

Music composers Jatin-Lalit are Jasraj's nephews, and Sulakshana Pandit and Vijeta Pandit, both of whom played leading roles as heroines in many Hindi films in 1970s and 1980s, are his nieces.

Awards

Discography

Filmography

References

  1. ↑ http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/pandit-jasraj-casts-magic-spell/398561/
  2. 1 2 3 4 A custom of culture The Hindu, 1 December 2004.
  3. 1 2 Jaisi, sadiq; Luther, Narendra (2004). The Nocturnal Court: The Life of a Prince of Hyderabad. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195666052. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  4. ↑ Jai ho! Jasraj The Hindu, 8 October 2007.
  5. ↑ Madhura Jasraj recounts life with the Maestro Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, 26 November 2009.
  6. ↑ "Age no bar". Indian Express. 10 September 2010.
  7. 1 2 "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Declaration of Sangeet Natak Akademi fellowships (Akademi Ratna) and Akademi Awards (Akademi Puraskar) for the year 2009" (Press release). Ministry of Culture. 16 February 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
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