The stalwart, present continuous
GAUTAM CHATTERJEE
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A torchbearer of the Banaras baja, Pandit Kishan Maharaj talks about his forthcoming concerts and a lot else.
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Pandit Kishan Maharaj.
He is now 83 and busy casting a fresh spell on his admirers. The lovers of Padma Vibhushan Pandit Kishan Maharaj celebrated his 83rd birthday in Varanasi recently and enjoyed the lively presence of his Banaras baja and all the four disciplines (patas) of tabla playing. But Maharaj is continuously booked for a series of concerts all over India from this November till February next year.
Seeing your surprise at his will, even at this ripe age, to embark on a fresh tour of the country for the love of his art, the stalwart says helpfully, "I never feel old for I usually play with my grandson Omu whenever I am at home. Also, I constantly play with the present, with the new, that is to come. Similarly, I never feel exhausted. I regularly do my riyaz if I am at home. My diet is simple and I eat lightly," he explains.
Still creating
He continues, "I still try to create something new, create upaj and enjoy. I enjoy accompanying youngsters. There are so many families whom I accompanied for four generations. Take for example, the family of Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Saheb, Karamatullah Khan, Rajan-Sajan Mishra, Gaurav Mazumdar, Bhajan Sopori and Ronu Mazumdar, etc."
For the next four months, Maharaj has a whole list of forthcoming programmes, both as a soloist and as an accompanist. Maharaj says he constantly misses his hometown, Varanasi and the musicians there. "It is a big loss for musicians like us to lose Ustad Bismillah Khan," he says, adding, "he was a good musical saathi of mine."
Maharaj's legacy
The legacy of tabla playing is continuing in Maharaj's family through his only son Pandit Pooran Maharaj and grandson (his daughter's child) Shubh Maharaj. His son-in-law Pandit Narendra Nath Mishra is a well-known sitar player.
Every month, his son organises a classical recital in Maharaj's Ganesh Kaksha where "there was a time," Maharaj recalls, "when stalwarts like Bismillah, Ravi ji (Pandit Ravi Shankar), Parveen Sultana performed their best."
He remembers, "I gifted a lot to them. Usi waqt maine kaha tha, is ghar se koi bhi khali hath nahi jaaega sivay mere (at that time, I declared that nobody will leave my home with empty hands except me)."
Maharaj says he is not worried about the future of tabla of Banaras baja.
"When artistes like me are no more, the talents of the next generation will be on the scene."
But he is worried about the old heritage of Banaras music.
A major contribution
"For instance, nobody takes care of Pandit Rama Sahay who contributed more to music than that of Bharatendu Harishchandra, Premchandra and Jaishankar Prasad to literature, but people and the Government are doing a lot in their name and taking no notice of Ram Sahay ji who gave his all to six generations in India. There exists not even a single statue of Rama Sahay ji in Varanasi who was the pioneer of the Banaras tabla gharana."
After Independence, when many female light classical vocalists had to leave the city, it was Pandit Kishan Maharaj who sheltered them and we remember Rasoolan Bai, Siddheshwari Devi and Girija Devi, etc. today. "Till the time I am alive, and if all musicians cooperate with me, I would like to establish an organisation to preserve the heritage of Banaras. I can still initiate it," he states.
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