Of arts, some are demonstrable, others indemonstrable; and demonstrable are those the construction of the subject whereof is in the power of the artist himself, who, in his demonstra-tion, does no more but deduce the consequences of his operation. [...]
Thomas Hobbes- The English Works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmsbury, ed. Sir William Molesworth (London, 1839-45), vii 183-4.
তোমার তুলনা আমি খুঁজি না কখনো
বহু ব্যাবহার করা কোন উপমায়…Kabir Suman
I never looked for your analogies
in depleted metaphors…
It’s a very difficult task for me to write, and share my views-thoughts, and experiences of listening to Pandit Bhimshen Joshi who is completing his centenary this year. Here, I would rather try to share my experiences of listening to Bhimshen Joshi’s recordings and performances, my thoughts on his performances and recordings, his stagecraft and the way he presented his Gharana the Kirana Gharana through his impeccable performances and recordings. It is known to us that North Indian (or Hindustani) music tradition, which we often refer to as 'classical,' is an entity of art music that formed in a courtly milieu under elite endorsement, therefore it is not unfamiliar to us as well. Prior to the turn of the twentieth century, it was mostly performed for an elite audience of aficionados and connoisseurs by a selected group of traditionally hereditary performers. After the courts were overturned, Hindustani classical music perceived its route into the domain of an expanding middle class in India, many still consider it an engaging enhancement to top-notch schooling and from whom an important majority of patrons and spectators emerge. Thus, this binary of the elite and the middle class came to an end.
Nowadays, this tradition is carried out in a variety of settings, ranging from large Western-style public concert halls with an audience of thousands of people to considerably smaller (both public and private) venues in which musicians and audiences sit on the floor in close proximity to each other, a model that is thought to resemble the old court setting, as well as online concerts that developed during pandemic times. This concept of an online concert has eliminated the long-standing hierarchy between a performer and the audience, in which the performer always sits on an elevated platform and the public is beneath the performer. It has also created a new dynamic between a performer and an audience. This model of bringing performers and audience members together in an intimate setting has grown in popularity in recent years (as I am from Kolkata, I have observed that the tradition of Baithaki concerts has resumed), and it offers a more authentic and profound musical encounter. Additionally, the proximity of musicians and audience members encourages more interaction between them, creating a more communal atmosphere.
Before delving into Pandit Bhimshen Joshi's performances, renditions, and recordings, we need to first comprehend the time when Joshi ji commenced singing—when his performances began. The state of the art of Indian classical music during that time deserves a critical and unapologetic investigation because, before 1947, Indian classical music and raag music were perceived differently than what was deemed post-1947.1 The social and political upheavals and the production of disorder at the time led Indians and Europeans to believe that the Hindustani voice was profoundly profane and jarring. These two elements of the Hindustani voice as something profane entail how it was perceived and regarded before 1947, as well as how the entire narrative of the Hindustani voice evolved after 1947. These fractured histories of the Hindustani voice and its dissemination in India require diligent research to comprehend and look at how and why Bhimshen Joshi ji achieved his enormous fame, how he situated his gharana, reconciled with other gharana, as well as developed his distinct voice. This reconciliation with other gharanas, embracing their essential traits is what marks his performances, or him, as a performer who has used his understanding of moral autonomy. One must reconcile with the moral economy that has always been and currently exists in some form. The moral economy that existed from the beginning and continues to exist in some form is that one must conform to his or her Gharana and is not unencumbered by including musical elements from other Gharanas.
This moral obligation, which was very much in practise at the time, Bhimshen Joshi ji established a model throughout time that you can establish your own identity not only by remaining devoted to your gharana but also by simply confluences of certain elements from other gharanas. This politics of reconciling tradition and modernity, moral coercion and moral agency made him an acclaimed performer and musician. It could be argued that one can construct one's own identity not only by adhering to a set of rules or stylistics in this case but also by engaging with the outside world, the act of absorbing elements from other gharanas, which were very much evident in Bhimshen Joshi ji's performances and recordings. It's tragic that relatively few ethnomusicology researchers presently discuss or write about listening procedures, listening histories, and the moral economy that goes with them. There has been enough written on listening as a performance, but not much about listening as what I term 'auditory labour' at the moment. Listening methodologies can alter our knowledge and understanding and our perspective on deciphering a performer's performance must be evaluated. Thus, it may be said that Gharana is not only an embodiment of ideas, principles, stylisations, and surrender to the Guru and his ideas but rather the way they live their life with the world: Gharana is experienced effectively. It has always been the case that the Gharana has been propagated through the Shaghrids who built the institutions during their time, as well as the apparatus that they created on their own. By combining both tradition and modernity through institutions and apparatus, Bhimshen Joshi ji has been able to achieve a confluence of tradition and modernity, and he has done so in a highly effective and successful manner.
Until 1947, musical observers, including Indian and European, defined the Hindustani voice as profane and harsh, citing analogies to the European voice and ideas about voice culture. (But now, Indian classical music has been embraced worldwide for its distinctive and captivating sound.) However, as the musicians' voices now resonated through an embodied framework, they were both revered and proclaimed as disembodied, as that voice that emerged as if from the phonograph and radio, as if the singing Ustad was an existential phonograph. That is narratives, evaluations, and disagreements occasionally centred around the artist's body and voice as two separate objects, indicating that it was only when the performer appeared in its entirety that his music became interpreted as disembodied, as being disengaged from his persona. Due to this unsettling relationship that existed between the public and the performer, in which a soaring and alienated voice became linked to and disassociated from a singing body, the presence of celebrities became ubiquitous, and they proliferated in every part of society. 2
It was during this time that Pandit Bhimshen Joshi began his musical career, started performing and recorded his first record in Raag Puriya Kalyan and Miyan ki Malhar from HMV ( His Master’s Voice) in 1960.3 In this context it has to be remembered that Bade Ghulam Ali Khan was alive at that moment, received his Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1962 and Ustad Amir Khan Sahib was absolutely in his prime form. So, this was a tough time because establishing his own identity amid these doyens was not at all an easy task and Joshi ji did that with ease. The calculative field of rationality that was evident in his renditions, reconciliation with other gharanas, and the use of certain movements made him a popular performer. It may be said that after Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Saheb and Ustad Amir Khan Sahab, he was that person who may be considered a figure of intimacy, as a figure always seen on the beaches of Bombay, streets of Pune or the Baithaki concerts in Calcutta at that time. After these two doyens, he was the most popular artist that the audience, connoisseurs of Calcutta always wanted to listen to.
Kirana Gharana and Pt. Bhimshen Joshi: Re-interpreting carceral of a tradition!
When incorporating elements of other gharana in a performance/rendition of a raag was considered a curse, Joshi ji made that well-needed and bold move to incorporate the elements of other gharana in his performance or rendition. The music of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan has left a deep imprint on him, as he has written in an essay about Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, that his singing style, his open aakar, his way of treating ragas, and also his notes have had a profound influence on him.4 Before I get started on that discussion, I would first like to share with you a few thoughts I have about how Joshi Ji changed our understanding of Kirana Gharana's singing style from what we saw/heard performed in the concert. Additionally, he also made some changes to the taan patterns by incorporating the Uljhati taan pattern, which was never conceived or considered as part of the Kirana Gharana by its performers. He altered the entire approach and grammar of Kirana Gayaki and sounded quite different from Ustad Wahid Hussain Khan, Ustad Abdul Karim Khan, Firoze Dastur, and Vidushi Gangubai Hangal if we study their recordings diligently. But if we listen intently, we are going to notice how much Ustad Abdul Karim Khan Saheb affected him. The incorporation of the higher octave, the flinging of the voice, and the swara movement are all extremely similar to Ustad Abdul Karim Khan Saheb's performance. His performances also bear the limited yet subtle influence of Sawai Gandharva ji, his mentor, from whom he studied only four ragas. 5
It is important to note in this context that he is largely self-made: Sawai ji was the only musician with whom he studied for four years, however, he never received a rigorous profound talim from any guru for a prolonged period. He travelled to numerous locations and engaged with numerous musicians to develop his rag music knowledge. In light of this, he explored and comprehended rag music in a much broader way than other musicians of the day. He turned out to be a performer unlike any other of his time because of his act of anagnorisis in his concerts. As a singer of the Kirana Gharana, his voice possesses a flavour, grandeur, and boldness that make it distinct from others of the same period who were also singing within that tradition. His bold approach to voice-throwing in khayal changed the entire concept of how khayal is practised.
Choosing the laya was the first change he made. In his performances, he always increased the Vilambit laya at the beginning, which we do not find in the recordings of Firoze Dastur or Wahid Hussain Khan, or even in the recordings of Gangubai Hangal, in which the tempo of Vilambit Ektaal is lower in comparison to the laya with which Joshi ji always performed, not as slow as Ustad Amir Khan Saheb. Despite that, Bhimsen Joshi ji has never performed on that laya. Secondly, regarding the exposition and interpretation of the raag, he always preferred a sort of hurried approach while entering the uncharted domains of the raag. Rather, he depended much on his taans, bol banawat, rather than a thorough, slow, elaborative exposition of the raag. Later on, he started singing sargams in his performances, which was a surprise to many of us.
Secondly- He also incorporated certain elements of the Jaipur Gharana, deviating from the Kirana Gharana oeuvre as a whole. In other cases, we can see how much the gayaki and taans of Jaipur Gharana impacted him. Agra Gharana had an enormous influence on how bol taans and bol banawat were treated. He is said to have been greatly influenced by the gayaki of Ustad Vilayat Hussain Khan Saheb. As a result, he is said to have incorporated some of the gayaki patterns from Agra Gharana into his performances, which were well-received by audiences and connoisseurs. As all of these elements came together throughout his performance, he emerged as a far more admired artist of Kirana Gharana, among his contemporaries. The ability to pry oneself untainted by tradition's carceral by retaining it anchored is what distinguishes a performance of a lifetime. That is what distinguishes a performer from other performers.
Thirdly- Furthermore, Joshi Ji substantially changed the taan pattern. He can extend a tan beyond the limit of his breath, just like Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur, producing a tethered effect. His tans were unique because it was an integration of taiyari, riyaaz, boldness, creativity, and aesthetics; this, in turn, greatly intrigued the audience. A further noteworthy inclusion in Indian raag music was the use of the uljhati taan, an ensemble of three or four notes. These days, renowned performers always use this uljhati taan during their performances, and the crowd responds favourably to it. Recognition should also be given to the variety with which he delivered the taans, considering the rag's tone, thematic continuity, and bandish.
But if we listen to Abdul Wahid Khan and Abdul Karim Khan’s recordings, we will see a much less delivery of taans. Whenever we take a look at Abdul Wahid Khan's performance, we see that his alaap, taan, and vistaar (elaboration of the raag through the lyrics of the bandish and its theka in a slower tempo) are not as precise as Joshi's, which appeared in the manner in which Joshi performed it. He would sing taans at the very end of the performance, and those are not as powerful as Joshi’s taans are. In the case of Abdul Karim Khan, we see a lesser use of taans as well; the reason is still unknown to us. But Joshi Ji departed in this context. Another remarkable feature of his taans is the use of certain melodic phrases while delivering them which makes a huge impact on the audience. Upon listening to his long recordings of raga, we will notice that before the end of the performance/recording, he would deliver a series of taans and then come to the same with unfathomable precision rather than reaching the mukhra of the composition before the end.
Finally- The Unveiling of Lalit Bhatiyar and Kalashree to Indian Raga Music. These two ragas are thought to have been composed by Bhimshen Joshi ji. Everyone has heard the well-known recording he made of these two ragas. Few musicians, primarily instrumentalists, were composing new ragas during the period, but Joshi Ji was arguably the only vocalist to do so, producing two ragas that went on to become hugely popular. Kalashree was recorded by Pandit Nikhil Banerjee, and it was later played by Ustad Amjad Ali Khan as well. However, except for Joshi, there are currently no recordings of Lalit Bhatiyar. As a result, he has added a unique dimension to Indian raga music by creating two new ragas.
Bhimshen Joshi adhered to the notion of mutual recognition which is recognising other gharanas and imparting some of their elements in his rendition. This engagement with other gharanas resulted in reciprocal recognition which in turn generated a sense of self-worth and dignity through their recognition by others. Through his performances and the confluence of other gharana, he imparted to us the notion that he held the belief that the cultural industry is that which is open to engaging in a discourse of mutual recognition and views performance as an upward trajectory towards greater autonomy within the confines of tradition, culminating in a situation in which the artists, and their Shaghrids, can consider obtaining complete recognition and freedom. This departing from the carceral inside of its boundaries is made possible by interaction, recognition, and desire. It was he who introduced us to the idea of considering the impossibility of things; i.e. looking for possibilities of the impossible.
Using murki and khatka sparingly in his performances—a substantially distinct approach from other Kirana Gharana artists at the time—was another remarkable alteration that Joshi ji made in his performances.
Another crucial contribution he made to Indian Raag music was the use of straight notes. It was unbelievably hard to hit the notes without any meer, and if we think about it very carefully, it's still difficult. Another significant contribution to Kirana Gharana and Indian raag music is the usage of three octaves in taans. This is since, at the time, he was arguably the only person—aside from Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan—who could demonstrate and perform his uncanny capacity to deliver taans in three octaves, which is a testament to the remarkable amount of riyaaz he did.
Deviating from tradition: Playback vocals and collaboration with Dr. M. Balmuralikrishna
The first of the earliest vocalists who dismissed the proposition that playback recordings are unacceptable for "classical" singers was Bhimshen Joshi Ji. He broke the notion of refraining from playback in Hindi films with the utmost finesse, changing the entire concept. He sang playback in numerous films, including Basant Bahar a duet with Manna Dey (music by Shankar Jai Kishan), Swayamvar Zaale Seetche (music by Vasant Desai) in 1960, and Anakhee (music by Jaidev) in 1984, where he sang numerous bhajans.
He nonetheless proceeded on an alternative trajectory by composing several bhajans and abhangs and later working with Lata Mangeshkar. Many of his bhajans are now very well-known, and they are sung by numerous modern performers. Records exist of Joshi Ji and Lata Mangeshkar performing a duet on a bhajan. Together and on their own, they recorded a great deal of Bhajans, many of which Joshi Ji composed. As one of the few classical singers who has worked with a performer from the popular Hindi song genre, that collaboration is now a milestone in the domain of semi-classical music. These days, some of his abhangs are popular and it wouldn't be feasible to mount an argument against their popularity for any reason. No one has succeeded in such cooperative endeavours as he has after him.
His collaboration with Dr. M. Balmuralikrishna ji is another significant shift that should be acknowledged. It had never occurred to anyone before him to work with a Carnatic classical vocalist. He was the first person who altered our perception of Hindustani classical and raga music, but there have been instrumental collaborations. It would have been preposterous to believe that Carnatic and classical music could be effortlessly incorporated. Their latter collaboration helped us recognise just how essential it is to listen to Carnatic classical music. Their collaboration has also led us to acknowledge that Hindustani Raag music could potentially benefit from the inclusion of some Carnatic traditional methods or procedures. It became imperative to explore the unexplored domain of Hindustani classical music incorporating Carnatic influences. After him, Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarti worked extensively with Balmuralikrishna ji, popularising many of his intricate and nuanced works featuring intricate rhythmic fractions. Thus, without realising it, Bhimshen Joshi ji established himself as a performer who acknowledged modernity while retaining facets of parochialism outside the limits of Gharana's carceral traditions.
Under the guise of tradition, parochialism, and hindered anachronism, he emerged as one of India's first 'modern' classical artists, embracing modernism in his staging, compositions, and performances. A critical examination of the multiplicity of time that he portrays in his renditions over time is crucial. Another thing that has always intrigued me is how his bhajan compositions, abhang compositions, and renditions shaped his classical performances. The semi-classical elements that he implemented later on in his performances deserve special recognition. Through his semi-classical renditions, he was able to bring together traditional and modern approaches to music. Although his compositions for bhajan and abhang had their roots in traditional Indian classical music, he was not afraid to experiment and add the necessary elements to make those pieces popular, calming, and spiritually appealing to listeners—all while maintaining a connection to Hindustani raag music. He was able to create a synthesis of the two styles and this allowed him to have a lasting impact on the Indian classical music scene.
This is a huge contribution because if we look at the trajectory of classical singers doing playback for cinema the trend became popular after Joshi ji started singing. There are recordings where Ustad Amir Khan Saheb and D.V.Palushkar ji sang for Baiju Bawra, and Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Saheb sang for Mughle Azam but not as consistently as Joshi ji. Because they all considered it a profane act to sing for cinemas, their moral obligation prevented them from singing for cinemas where Joshi ji overcame this moral obligation and looked for his moral autonomy which made him sing and compose bhajans for cinemas, as well as doing playback with the artistes of that time. The moral economy of Indian raag music has many boundaries and limitations and Joshi ji’s foremost aim was to break this notion that we need to get out of this moral economy because times have changed and we must live and explore our music with due respect to the time we are living in. The performer's task is to delineate the time during the performance. A performer must have an understanding and perception of the space in which they are operational as a vague sense of place will impede their ability to perceive time. Joshi ji had a perfect sense of where he was and when he was. As a result, the proximity between place and a sense of time is an essential element of performance. His performances and renditions reflected his awareness of the place he was living and the time he was in. Over time, he has altered his performance in a way we had never envisioned that he could do so. It was this very task of challenging the impossible, which had previously been considered impossible, that made him a performer, a musician, and a pedagogue, all of which deserve particular attention and critical appraisal. The overabundance of hailed reviews, pointless papers, and predisposed interviews cannot be the only way to evaluate a musician such as he is. It requires a detailed, critical, and unfettered comprehension of his performances, interpretations, and style development.
Bhimshen Joshi and his failing Legacy:- Possibly the most crucial thing to keep in mind about Bhimshen Joshi ji is his inability to leave a lasting legacy through his Shaghrids, or students. That a musician of this calibre has not been able to build his legacy is disheartening. A failure of this kind could have an array of reasons but let's refrain from delving into that. For instance, his son Srinivas Joshi, though he performs at various places, has failed to make an impact in the sphere of raag music for some of his students as well. However, there are remnants of Joshi Ji's singing style, his taan technique, and his treatment of the raag with straight notes that hit the notes directly provided by Jayteertha Mevundi and Pandit Venkatesh Kumar. However, when considering his legacy from a broader trajectory, he has also failed, much like many other musicians.
Bhimshen Joshi and his Immeasurable Relevance:-
If we listen closely, we can hear remnants of Joshi's relevancy and his impeccable legacy in the performances of contemporary performers. His profound impact on today's generation is evident in the manner that contemporary performers interpret his bhajan compositions, such as Baaje re Muraliya Baaje, Jo Bhaje Haari Ko Sada, and Ram Ka Gun Gaan Kariye. The mood and core of the composition are preserved by their interpretations, methods, and phrasing of the lyrics, which are strikingly similar to what Joshi Ji did in his recordings and live performances. These pieces have grown in popularity over time to the point where musicians nowadays are asked to perform them by the audience following a full-length khayal recital. His usage of uljhati taan, his pukar technique, and his use of long breaths while delivering taan have been so widely accepted and acclaimed in the area of khayal renditions that we find singers of all ages incorporating these traits in various performances today. One of his most significant contributions to Hindustani Raag music is his incorporation of these elements. Due to its enormous popularity, performers today find it impossible to envision a performance without the uljhati taan. He developed his own identity, singing style, and taan patterns alongside Ustad Amir Khan Saheb, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Saheb, and Pandit D.V. Palushkar. These things had an enormous impact at the time and will continue to have an eternal impact.
His life has consistently offered the best evidence of what is frequently viewed as an enchanting narrative: the tale of a man of untapped intellect, born ahead of time, compelled to endure destitution and harsh circumstances, and coveted during his existence but forgotten after his passing. After ages, on this centenary, he is finally dug up once more and honoured as one of the country's finest performers. Despite his youth, he has always performed with intriguing originality and a distinct style. It is necessary to look at his assertions of individuality from all perspectives. As everyone is aware, performers have consistently employed gestures and symbols to embody their emotions, perspectives, and ideas. The unaltered methods of individualism are these gestures. The purpose of their act is not to deceive or engage the audience but rather to reveal their recognition of the raga, its notes, the bandish's moods, and the laya's musicality. More significantly, if we are perceptive enough to engage with them, they are indisputable evidence of the thoughts and interpretations of which they are the agency. It's only that, gestures being one with words or images, we not only write or communicate in gestures, nevertheless, we also reflect and are limited to believing in the gestures.6
Conclusion:- Thus, in his centenary year, it would be rather reasonable to look into his trajectories of performances over the years, which haven’t been done yet, with critical insight. He has always been in the shadow of some of the doyens of Hindustani classical vocal music. Whenever we are discussing or looking for references to how a raga has been performed in the vocal, we sometimes forget to mention or look for references to his performances. The time has come when we consider Joshi Ji as an example in the face of redundant prosopographic proselytism in these times. Since it has never been discussed previously, the osmosis of the gharanas that Joshi ji portrayed in his performances needs to be kept in mind and treated assertively. In honour of his centenary, I hope that his contributions to Indian Raag music as well as his accomplishments in bhajan and abhang compositions will be duly recognised. Rather than limiting ourselves to the periphery of Indian Raag music, we should also not be neglecting the Bhajans and Abhangs that he composed and arranged in addition to the Raag music. Thus, Bhimshen Joshi ji resides amid the desolate realms of worn-out metaphors, seeking refuge where the whispers of inspiration plant a sapling green—there, we may find him, budding with renewed ideas and concepts. In the fallow expanses of depleted metaphors, he and many others have always guided me to the oasis where an analogy, lush and vibrant, awaits discovery.
Reference:-
Finding a Home in the Nation in A House of Music: The Hindustani Musician and the Crafting of Traditions by Dard Abraham Neuman Columbia University 2004
Finding a Home in the Nation in A House of Music: The Hindustani Musician and the Crafting of Traditions by Dard Abraham Neuman Columbia University 2004
Ustad Bade Ghulam Khan Sahib by Pandit Bhimshen Joshi in Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan: A Tribute published by Kanishka (Nandita Raja) 2005, Kolkata.
Bhimsen Joshi and the Kirana gharana by Chetan Kamani in Sangeet Natak Akademi New Delhi,1997.
The Philosophical Ideas of Giambattista Vico by Isaih Berlin in Three Critiques of the Enlightenment Vico, Hamann, Herder Pimlico 2013.
Bibliography:-
1. Text and Tradition in Early Modern North India-Edited by Tyler Williams, Anshu Malhotra John Stratton Hawley, Oxford University Press.
2. Musicophilia in Mumbai: Performing Subjects and the Metropolitan Unconscious by Tejaswini Niranjana, Duke University Press,2020.
3. North Indian Classical Music in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction: Music and Modernity Edited by Amlan Dasgupta, Thema Books 2009.
4. Tellings and Texts: Music, Literature and Performance in North India Edited by Katherine Butler Schofield and Francesca Orsini Open Book Publishers,2015
5. Three Critiques of the Enlightenment Vico, Hamann, Herder by Isaih Berlin Pimlico 2013.
6. Hegel's Ethics of Recognition by Robert C.s Williams University of California Press, 2000