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The reign of Raja and Maharaj
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Kuchipudi exponent Raja Reddy and tabla maestro Kishan Maharaj strike a chord
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Meeting Royale: Raja Reddy and Kishan Maharaj in New Delhi Photo: Sandeep Saxena
The wizardry is intact, as is the purabiya charisma. The language of musical metaphors flies in mercurial, mellifluous precision as the maestro keeps the tala. Snowy hair flowing to the shoulders, thick gold bracelet peeping out from within the folds of the green khadi kurta, the wrist flicks to tell a thousand tales as the fingers weave their magic - he casts a spell with his enchanting imagery. The last of the Banaras baaz tabaliya stalwarts, Pandit Kishan Maharaj, is known for his plain-speak - and the devil may take the hindermost! An outstanding soloist, he has also accompanied practically all the leading Kathak dancers, vocalists and instrumentalists of Hindustani music.
Equally forthright and charming is dancer Raja Reddy, the doyen of Kuchipudi, to whom must go the credit of putting, what is essentially a dance-drama form, into the classical format. When the Raja and the Maharaj come together on the same sama, it is bound to be a memorable moment, recounts Alka Raghuvanshi.
Maharaj: When I first started playing with dancers, my peers started saying haath khul jayega and my playing would suffer! But I was confident that playing with dancers would only enhance my chaumukha or versatile playing!
Raja: But the specialty of tabla is that it is a chaumukha instrument. It can be played with Dhrupad, Khayal, Tarana and Thumri.
Maharaj: Exactly! But who can play the chaumukha as it should be played? That I can is a great boon of the Goddess Saraswati. In fact, Pandit Samta Prasad and I were the only ones who were willing to play with dancers.
Raja: With your innate sense of rhythm, why didn't you learn how to dance, a darky (sic) like me is dancing, can you imagine if a good-looker like you were on stage?
Maharaj: You are a case of saanvali surat mohini murat! (dark skin attracting more, like Krishna) Never mind if I didn't learn to dance, but have seen many a dancer and made them dance to my tunes! Bahut dancers ki chhutti kar di hai! But just as well, for there are no takers for an aging dancer. They all have to run a school in old age.
Raja: What is the secret of your youth?
Maharaj: I used be an avid wrestler when I was young. Once in an akhada, a popular wrestler was visiting. When he learnt that I play tabla, he asked me to play for him for an hour promising to reveal the secret of youth in return. After I finished playing, he fell at my feet saying, what I was going to ask you to do for 10 minutes, you already do for hours - vajrasan! You'll be surprised to know that my consumption of sugar is a quintal per annum.
Raja: But where does it all go? You are so fit!
Maharaj: In the stomach of the tabla! This tabla is a tough master. Whether or not I get a programme, I do my riyaz for three-four hours with complete devotion, well into the night. You have to have total control on all your five indriyan (senses). After all, tabla has been in my family for 200 years. You know the moment a child is born in our family, before even the mother of the child sees him or her, the eldest person of the family whispers a tukda in one ear of the child and in the other, sings a song. The idea is, swar and laya (melody and rhythm) should be the first experience of the infant.
Raja: What a pity that today's generation does not have the same inclination towards riyaz.
Maharaj: It shows when you come on stage. And these days none can get the better of you! But seriously, I have teamed up with so many Carnatic musicians and you will be surprised to know that 95 per cent artistes in the South are in tala, while up North, the opposite is true.
Raja: It is said that your father and guru was a tough master!
Maharaj: He surely was! When I built my house adjacent to his in Kabir Chaura in Banaras, he came to see it after it was completed and said rather disparagingly: It is still not as tall as mine! Beta wahi jo neev par neev rakhe (the son's status should be taller than that of his father)
Raja: Your name Kishan Maharaj - you are the undoubted `maharaj' of the tabla, but why Kishan? Did you play a lot of rasa with the gopis?
Maharaj: Of course, khub rasa khela - played lots of rasa (eyes twinkling) and would still like to play rasa!
Raja: You have played with so many great performers. It will be such an honour if you play with me.
Maharaj: Of course, Only a `maharaja' can play with a `raja'!
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