SANGEET NATAK journal of the Sangeet Natak Akademi is published quarterly by the Sangeet Natak Akademi (National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama for India). Printed at The United India Press, Link House, New Delhi.

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LllJrar, IAIIEET NATAK AKADEDr 'N DeJJd·llOOOJ

A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION ON MUSIC, DANCE AND DRAMA SANGEET NATAK AKADEMI, RABINDRA BHAVAN, NEW DELHI JULY-SEPTEMBER 1973 The views expressed in Sangeet Natak are the writers' own and do not necessarily conform to the opinion of the publishers. Permission to reproduce, in whole or in part, any material pub. Iished in this Journal must be obtained from the Secretary, Sangeet Natak Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi-I.

Uma Anand: Editor Contents

5 SENIA GHARANA OF RAMPUR Birendra Kishore Roychoudhury

9 USTAD ALLAUDDIN KHAN Rajendra Shankar

17 MY FATHER: MY GURU Ustad talks to L.K. Malhotra

35 THE END OF AN ERA Prof. E. Nilakanta Singh

40 OJHA AMUBI: MY GURU Dr.

47 GURU KUNJU KURUP M.K.K. Nayar

53 THE DIVINE ACTOR T.M.B. Nedungadi

LlbrtU7 IIIIm' NATAK AKADEIII .", De/Jd-ll()()()] THE SENIA GHARANA OF RAMPUR

Birendra Kishore Roychoudhury

Gharanas of music have been formed in the past like sampradayas, evolved through a particular line of musical development, created by the followers of the same theories and style, from Guru to disciples. During the reign of Emperor Akbar there were several gharanas in existence deriving from Swami Haridas of Brindaban. Then there were other gharanas, such as Telmandiwallas of Punjab, the Kathak Singers of Nepal, the line of Baiju Bawara, Kathak of Varanasi, and old gharanas in the court of Raja Man of Gwalior. But the peak of musical genius-and because of the patronage of Raja Ram of Rewa-was attained by Mian Tansen who stood first amongst all musicians and musicologists. He was regarded by Swami Haridas as his greatest disciple. After Emperor Akbar became both his patron and disciple, he founded the Dhrupad gharana following the teachings of Haridasji and also showed great talent as a creater of new and styles. His descendants formed three sent gharanas at Delhi between the 16th and the lSth centuries. Among them the Dhrupadias of the line of Tansen's youngest son, Bilas Khan, was the pioneer of "Goudharbani Dhrupad", The descendants of Tomtaranga, another son of Tansen, settled at Jaipur and propagated "Dagarbani Dhnlpad". The third seni line started from Naubat Khan, son-in-law of Tansen. The musicians were predominantly players and singers of "Khandarbani" styles. Those of the line of Bilas Khan and Naubat Khan were constantly in touch with each other and after the fall of the Delhi Darbar, settled at Lucknow or Varanasi. They were called the eastern senias while the others, of Jaipur, were called the western senias. After the Rebellion cf 1857, Wajid Ali Shah, Nawab of Lucknow, settled in Calcutta with some eastern senios. But some of their group were invited SANGEET NATAK 6 by Nawab Kalve Ali Khan of Rampur, who formed a fine darbar of musicians under the leadership of Bahadur Hussain Khan (sur sringar player) and his nearest relative by marriage, Amir Khan (a charming dhrupad singer and a veenkar). These two outstanding musicians representingthe senia gharana of Bilas Khan and Naubat Khan, formed the root sources of the formation of the Rampur gharana or the Senia gharana branchof Rampur.

Nawab Kalve Ali Khan the then Nawab of Rarnpur being advised by his younger brother Haider Ali Khan, wished to establish at Rampur, a musical darbar equal to that of Lucknow, which was dissolved after the Rebellion. Both these brothers had been initiated into music by Bahadur Hussain Khan 2-nd by their example other outstanding musicians also accepted Bahadur Hussain as their gum and were influenced by him in their music in various ways. Not only Dhrupadias but Bakar Ali Khan, son ofthe celebrated khyali Bade Mohammad Khan, Enayet Hussain Khan the son-in -law of Haddu Khan, used to sing taranas composed by Bahadur Hussain. Mohammed Hussain, brother of Enayet Hussain was a veenkar of a high order and learnt vema from both Bahadur Hussain and Amir Khan Qutabuddaula a former minister of the Lucknow court who wasa sitaria ofeminence and so became the disciple ofboth Bahadur Hussainand Amir Khan. Boniyat Hussain, a fine sarangi player left Gwalior for the Rampur court. There were also tappa singers, thumri singers and sarodias of a high order, all of whom accepted the senia teaching of Bahadur Hussain and Amir Khan. Haider Ali Khan the Nawab's brother was counted as the greatest of all musicians amongst those who were direct dis­ ciples of Bahadur Hussain and Amir Khan. The special feature of their music was the extreme melodiousness in the presentation of ragaand swara. Kalve Ali asked Bahadur Hussain and Amir Khan to display in sursringar, veena and dhrupad with thesame charm as was achieved by the best female vocalistsof India. Haider Ali Khan married a sister ofthe celebrated darbari singer of Gwalior darbar, Chandrabhanga and wished to have the same enchanting notes emulated in instrumental classical music. Bahadur Hussain achieved this in his sursringar display and Amir Khan in his dhamarsongs.

Nawab Kalve Ali's rule lasted for twenty years and there wasa gap of another twenty years, during which the state was under the rule of the government. Even in those days Haider Ali maintained Amir Kh:m, Bahadur Hussain and some of their disciples in his own Zaminda!i (Bilsi). After that period, Nawab Hamid Ali Khan was enthroned at Rampur and Haider Ali Khan, his uncle, installed a new Darbar composed of the musi­ cians who were direct descendants of the previous musicians.

At that time both Bahadur Hussain and Amir Khan left as their successor. Wazir Khan was a veenkar, being the son of Amir Khan and he also played the sursringar being the grand-nephew of 7 GHARANA OF RAMPUR

Bahadur Hussain. He was also a nephew of Kasim Ali Khan of the rababi line. He had special coaching from Haider Ali Khan at Bilsi, but lived in Bengal for ten years. Here he propagated the Rampur Gharana at Calcutta by teaching Pramathanath Banerjee (mara veena or a variety of sursringary and surbahar to Jadabendra Mahapatra (a famous musician and zamindar of Midnapore). He was called back to Rampur in the year 1900 by Haider Ali Khan to become the chief court musician there and as the guru of Nawab Hamid Ali Khan. The Ustads around him there were 1. Fida Hussain (sarodi). 2. Hafiz Khan ( representative of Jaipur gl:arana), 3. Ustad Mustaque Hussain Khan (an allround vocalist being the son-in-law and discipleofEnayet Hussain Khan), 4. Boniyat Hussain was still living for a few years till he was succeded by his son Mehdi Hussain Khan. 5. There was also Haider Khan a re­ puted khayli and father of Nisar Hussain Khan, 6. Nazir Khan the Dhrupalli and disciple of Ala Bonde Khan was also there. Thus Wazir Khan bad a group of first class musicians with whom he organised the Rampur Darbar as advised by the veteran Nawab Haidar Ali Khan. Nawab Chhamman Saheb a great genius and still in his prime did not be­ come the disciple of Wazir Khan as he learnt everything from his father Haider Ali Khan. Nawab Chhamman was a vocalist of dhrupad with a charming voice and an instrumentalist of sursringar of a very high order and also a veenkar, As a cousin of NawabHamid Ali, he was the Home Secretaryof the state and in music had almost the same position as Wazir Khan. He was initiated by the rababi Mohammad Ali Khan, the second son of Bisit Khan, and had his own circle of disciples at Rampur. Gradually Allauddin Khan from Bengal and from Gwalior became the disciples of Wazir Khan. While Pandit Batkhande, although receiving his initiation from Wazir Khan, had also lessons from Chhamman Sahab specially in theory. Nawab Hamid Ali himselfwas a very talented vocalist while Nazir Khan the eldest son of Wazir Khan showed talent in vocal music. But nobody succeeded in learning the veena properly from Wazir Khan. While Chhamman Saheb had disciples like Raja Nawab Ali of Lucknow and also gave some training on veena to Salamat Hussain Khan. All these musicians formed the Rampur gharana in the first part of the century and could propagate music of the seni style throughout Northern India. Chhamman Saheb died at the early age of 45 in 1924. Wazir Khan lost his eldest son in the same year and finally Wazir Khan breathed his last in 1926. Md. Ali Khan left Rampur and re-established himself in the Gidhore Estate, Bihar and Gouripur state now in . He also died in 1928. Wazir Khan proclaimed Allauddin and Batkhande to be two of his most advanced pupils while Chhamman Saheb had two of his best pupils in Raja Nawab Ali of the secretary Batkhande College of Music and Girija Shankar Chakrabarty of Bengal. Thus under the leadership of Batkhande, Al1auddin, .~aja Nawab Ali and Girija babu, we had a very talented company of mUSICIans of Rampur SANGEET NATAK 8 gharana while Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan, Mustaque Hussain Khan and Mehdi Hussain Khan were the shining lights of this gharana. Now-a-days music has aroused wide interest throughout the world. , the son-in-law of Ustad Allauddin and his son, have risen into eminence to represent Rampur gharana. While Amjad Ali Khan remains from the line of Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan. All the others have passed away with the single exception of the veteran, Salamat Hussain Khan.

SHRI B.K. RO YCHOUDHURY belongs to a family distinguished for its patronage ofClassicalmusic. The family has rare manuscripts specially those pertaining to '" Rampur Gharanaspecifically with reference to Ustad Wazir Khan. Shri Roy Choudhury IS a connoisseur of music and an authority on the history ofthe Senia GharanaofRampur. He is a Fellow ofthe Sangeet Natak Akademi, USTAD ALLAUDDIN KHAN

Rajendar Shankar

Ustad Allauddin Khan was born in a middle-class peasant family in the village of Shivpur, near Brahmanbaria, now in Bangladesh. He was lovingly called Alam. His father, Sadhu Khan, played the sitar, while his elder brother, Aftauddin, had a natural gift for music,playing the , pakhawaj, do-tara and the flute.

Alam was born with music in and around him, and evinced a craze for it right from his childhood. To save him from becoming a waster later on he was packed off to the village school at a tender age. But haunted by music Alam would stop at the Shankar temple on the way and spend the time listening to kirtans and sitar with great joy. Caught in his truancy he got a good hiding. Instead of reforming him this pro­ pelled him into the unknown world, for Alam ran away from home to Dacca. Thus started the exciting quest of a music-crazed lad on a pro­ tracted pilgrimage.

In Dacca he learnt shenai from Munne Khan and the Bengal dhol from another expert. It was hard work but he loved it. Stories of great musicians in Calcutta began to haunt his imagination. Joining a party he finally reached the city. The mighty atom, lost in the great metro­ polis, slaked his thirst from a public tap and lay down to sleep on the pave­ ment to dream of becoming a great musician. When he woke in the morning the small packet which served as the pillow and contained all his worldly possessions was gone! Shocked and stunned, but undaunted, he st"rted walking, in search of food for the body and music for the soul.

Eating one meal at a charitable kitchen and going through a hard time which would have made any other child run back home crying, he SANGEET NATAK 10 finally heard of the great teacher, Gopal Chandra Bhattacharjee, popularly known as Nulo GopaI. AIIauddin took up the Hindu name of Prasanna Biswas and approached the great teacher.

Nulo Gopal maintained the traditional way of teaching which involved rigorous swara sadhana, the practice of notes in special groupings like sargam, palta, alankar, murchhana etc., for 12 years, before taking up a in its full and expansive form. Allauddin accepted the terms and started intensive and prolonged practice. His insatiable zeal for instruments led him to learn the violin from Mr. Lobo. Being ambidextrous, he used to bow with the left, while he played the tabla with the right hand. Thus passed seven years. In the meantime he took up service in the Star Theatre orchestra at a salary of Rs 12, which ended his days of semi-starvation.

His brother Aftauddin came to him in Calcutta and with the permi­ ssion ofthe guru persuaded him to come home fora short while. Unknown to him they had planned to get him married so that he would stay home. But on the very night after his wedding he ran away once more from home to his only love, music.

On reaching Calcutta he learnt that his guru had suddenly died. Stunned and heart-broken he gave up vocal music. But the training proved invaluable because he could now take down in simple notation any music he heard or composed.

The extreme ease with which young Allauddin could master vocal and instrumental musicgave him a lot ofconfidence and no little sense of pride. He went to the court of Raja Jagat Kishore of Muktagachha, in Bengal, to prove his mettle among other musicians who had gathered there. Here he heard the famous player, Ustad Ahmed Ali, whose music over­ powered AIIauddin. He shed his pride and fell at the feet of the ustad and begged to be accepted as a pupil. This meeting proved a turning point in his life in as much as it convinced him that sarod was the instrument meant for him.

Allauddin considered his new teacher as one of the most handsome persons and the best sarod player. He served him with love, devotion and loyalty.

Having heard of his new pupil'S spontaneous knack to master any­ thing taught, the Ustad was calculatedly chary in his teaching. But the pupil accompanied him all OVer India and soon began to make nota­ tions of whatever he heard, sitting behind the teacher, during public recitals, and practised them later on. '

l!stad Ahmed Ali was a spendthrift, specially when under the influence of drink, So, Allauddin put away and saved whatever he could. And 11 ALLAUDDlN KHAN

when after four years they reached Rampur, the home of the ustad, he presented the teacher with the substantial amount he had saved. The ustadwas very happy; but this was short lived. When he found out that Allauddin had learnt all the music specialities of the family on the sly, he was furious and rudely turned him out.

Rampur was an acclaimed seat of music under the Nawab and now Allauddin openly declared himself a Muslim. But as a Bengali Muslim he was rather looked down upon by his co-religionists in Western India. The shock and depression at being summarily dropped by his teacher were, however, soon replaced by the coveted dream of learning from Wazir Khan, the greatest living veena player, and the ustad of Nawab Hamid Ali Khan of Rampur.

Full of hope and confidence he went forth to meet the great maestro who lived like a prince in a palace with sentries at the gate. They scowled suspiciously at the ill clad, short, unimpressive man, unable even to talk properly in Urdu, and barred his entrance. But Allauddin, right from his childhood had been adamant in followinghis dynamic impulses when in pursuit of music. As a young man now he made up his mind that he would either learn from the great Wazir Khan or give up his lifein the attempt. Baffled in his attempts to meet the maestro he decided on the tragic alternative. He went and bought two tolas of opium for the purpose. Fate having decreed otherwise, he met his savior in the pelson of a Mulla who was greatly stirred by his story and suggesteda way out. He wrote an application on behalf of Allauddin and advised him to present it personally to the Nawab. This proved a greater problem than meeting Wazir KhaIl!

All attempts to meet the Nawab proving abortive, he began to toy with the idea of ending his life when he heard that the Nawab was to attend a musical play by Wazir Khan. Allauddin quickly decided on the strategy to catch the Nawab on the way. He positioned himselfat a suit­ able place hours before the Nawab was due. Trembling with excitement he at last espied the Nawab's car approaching. The music-mad youngster recklessly threw himself before the car. With screeching brakes the car stopped. The guards swooped on him and dragged him mercilessly out of the way, while he was mumbling incoherently, waving the application. The Nawab read the application and found out how this lad had come all the way from Bengal to learn from the great ustad. At the last para of the application he smiled and ordered him to be searched. The lethal lump of opium was found on his person! The unorthodox but risky way of seeking royal audience, however, succeeded. Allauddin was permitted to give a command performance SANGEET NATAK 12 on the sarod. The Nawab was pleased and asked if he could handle any other instruments. Allauddin meekly submitted that he could handle any instrument available in the place. The Nawab was amused and decided to have a little fun at the cost of this meek looking rustic braggart from Bengal, and ordered all the instruments in the palace to be brought out. Allauddin was now in his element, and with a great amount ofzeal gave demonstrations on the violin, flute, dilruba, trumpet, darionet, harmonium, drums and other instruments. The Nawab, himself a musi­ cian and a connoisseur, was amazed. In fun he asked if he could do anything else. Pat came the reply that he could make notations of any­ thing sung or played. The Nawab then sang a piece. Allauddin wrote it down and sang it back. The Nawab found it too much-and sang a 'gamok taan', Allauddin suddenly realised that the Nawab was getting piqued and irritated and so curbed his enthusiasm and apologetically submitted that such a difficult taan would be impossible to write down! The Nawab gave a winning smile at having at last stumped this amazing young as­ pirant. In his benign mood he recommended Allauddin to be accepted as a disciple by the great veena maestro.

For two-and-a-half years be remained a disciple in name only, though he spent his days waiting on the maestro and looking after him like a servant. Living alone in the city, near the music club where all the state musicians gathered at evenings, Allauddin availed of all possible opportu­ nities to hear them. Thus he heard the great Inayat Hussain Khan, Guru and father-in-law of the late Mustaq Hussain Khan, and his brother, a veenkar, Mohammad Hussain Khan, and the two brothers, Kallu and Hafeez, famous sitar players of the Senia Gharana. Allauddin also joined the group of musicians for the orchestra.

Wazir Khan one day summoned Allauddin and asked him if he were married and had relatives. As before he denied having anyone. Suddenly Wazir Khan held out a telegram sent by Allauddin's brother, mentioning that his wife had tried to commit suicide! Stunned and paralysed with fear he hung his head. But instead of getting angry, the maestro felt touched at the intense love and devotion for music that had driven the young man to renounce his home, wife and family and come all the way to learn from bi~. So, after the neglect ofyears, his training started and his devotion and patience Were rewarded.

Having the uncanny gift of mastering the most difficult musical com­ positions in the shortest time, he was nicknamed the 'Djin'. Thus he quickly made up for the lost time and learnt the rare compositions of the Gharana: dhrupad, dhamar, hori, tarana, tappa and other traditional styles. He was taught the form and style followed in playing vema,sur sringar and the rabab, but was never to play the veena, Thus passed two decades in intensive studies. 13 ALLAUDDIN KHAN

After leaving Rampur he first performed at a music club in Bhawani­ pur, Calcutta. His submissive and meek manners and unobtrusive per­ sonality hardly attracted attention. But the sparkling performance on the sarod for over four hours created a great stir among musians. And it was here that he attracted the attention of a rich music lover, Shamlal Khetri, who recommended him to the Maharaja of Maihar, then on the look out for two outstanding musicians, one to teach him and the other to look after the Maihar Band. .

Maharaj Brijnarain Singh of Maihar found Ustad Allauddin Khan capable of filling both the assignments. The Maharaja became his first disciple in 1918. He learnt dhrupad, hori, khyal chaturanga, thumri, tappa and other styles.

It was for the first time that the ustad settled down at one place, and it was in Maihar that he made his final home. Here his son, Ali Akbar, was born in 1922 and later his daughter, Annapurna,

The Maibar Band was composed of boys orphaned in tbe epidemic of influenza that raged after the First World War. It goes to show the teaching capacity and patience ofthe ustad to weld them into a first class band which soon made a name. Many of these boys have grown into old men and still play in the Band.

Unassuming, hospitable, jovial, frank and childlike, he became a different person when he began to teach. Called affectionately "Baba", he soon began to attract students and Maihar, in Madhya Pradesh, began to be well known. Timir Baran became his second disciple and inspired byhis guru he started his own orchestra in Calcutta.

Uday Shankar, returning after a decade from the West, wanted Indian dancers and musicians to take back to Europe, and his choice as a director of his new orchestra and a soloist fell on Timir Baran. To take the per­ mission and blessings ofhis guru, met Baba with Timir Baran. At the very first meeting he was so fascinated by the character, vitality and virtuosityofBaba that he wanted to take him abroad to give an adequate idea of the heigbt Indian music bad attained. His dreams were finally realised when Baba accompanied UdayShankar and his troupeas an o~t­ standing soloist in 1935. It was perhaps the first occasion when an In~l2n musician of such a calibre and accomplishment performed so extensIvely in Europe. Apart from his sarod solos, his demonstration on the drums amazedand thrilled western audiences.

This association created an undying respect and affection beh:een the sarod wizard and the creative pioneer of modern Indian ballet. It did more. It brought young Ravi Shankar under the dynamic .spell of t.he maestro. To quote Ravi Shankar: "My first impression was III startling contrast SANGEET NATAK 14 to all that I had heard about him. In him I found a sweet, humble, gentle person-a man with true Vaisnava spirit that one seldom meets. Only when involved in music does he become the hard task-master, the strict disciplinarian. As far as music is concerned he has no patience with mediocrity. To him music has been sacred and completely religious. . . .. In the spirit of the rishis he has neva allowed himself to waver from the goal of eternal music-perfection. And, of course, he has always felt that all musicians should have the same goal "

Ravi Shankar became his disciple in 1938 and remained at Maihar for seven years. And it was while practising together that he and Ali Akbar developed the sitar-sarod jugalbandi (duet) that has become so famous.

In the same year Uday Shankar started the Culture Centre at . With the permission of the Maharaja, Baba became the guest teacher during summer, in charge of music. It was a great sight to see Guru Shankaran Namboodri (Kathakali), Guru Amubi Singh (Manipllri), Guru Kandappan Pillai (Bharat Natyam) and Baba, together, chatting and discussing matters like intimate friends. Their respect for one another and a feeling of kinship based on the same fundamental approach through faith and devotion to their art, broke down all barriers of provincialism, language, caste and creed. This is amply proved by on~ of the many incidents at the Centre.

Guru Shankaran Namboodri, an exalted Brahmin from Malabar, was a great devotee of Nataraj. Morning and evening he worshipped the huge image installed in his front room. One morning he came up to Baba all excited, and said how in his dream Nataraja had wanted to hear music. So Baba must come and play before the diety that afternoon. Baba was equally excited. Great men, Maharajas and Zamindars had heard him, but never before had he been summoned to play before Shiva, the Lord of the Dance! Uday Shankar and several members of the Centre were already gathered in the room when Baba dressed in freshly washed clothes, climbed up the stairs to the verandah, bare foot, hugging his sarod. Instead ofentering the room he began to squat at the thres hold to the surprise ofeveryone. But Guru Shankaran Namboodri rushed out, caught hold of him and dragged him inside. When God Himself wanted to hear music how could the maker of the music be treated as an outcaste! The Guru made Baba sit right in front o.f the ~uge image in glistening black stone, specially decked for the occa­ sion, WIth oil lamps lit around. Baba seemed to be transformed. The barriers that segregate humans from humanity just disappeared. In a trance, he began to play; the a~ mosphere became surcharged with a strange mystic aura. No one ha 15 ALLAUDDIN KHAN

heard such music from Baba, It seemed to well out of the very depths of his being-out of the lush rice fields and the rivers in spate, forests and mountains, sunshine, and storms, hunger and travail, grim struggle and success, sorrow and joy, devotion and surrender, a veritable blend of stark grimness and enveloping sublimity. One could realise life in its totality, a fullness replete in itself.

How time passed no one knew. When the last note died away a throbbing stiIlness filled the room. The lights flickered and a kind of suppressed sob brought all back to reality. It was Guru Namboodri sobbing with joy. He picked Baba up and clasped him to his bosom, whispering in a voice choked with emotion: "How fortunate you are! Within an hour you have reached Nataraj, while with all my prayers these years, I am no nearer!" It was a heart-warming sight. It made one realise how the great masters have regarded their art as a means of self realisation, an instrument of faith, a potent votive offering.

Baba made no distinction between communities nor did he believe in untouchability. In his house hung pictures of deities and saints of all religions along with the picture of Mecca and Medina where he had gone on pilgrimage. A devout Muslim, who had done the 'Haj' and never missed his Namaz, he went for darshan of Sharda Mai on the hill, and composed hymns to Saraswati the Goddess of music and learning. Behind his rough and rustic exterior was a very tender and kind heart.

Baba's new house at Maihar, Madina Bhavan, became a talk of the town. One day while he was working in the garden, he saw an infirm old woman slowly open the gate and probe around with myopic eyes. He recognised the old sweeper woman and guessed that she was curious to see the new house. Baba caught her by the arm and led her into the house. As be showed her around, he noticed the mark of annoyance on the face of his wife and a feeling of shock and disgust clear on the face of his daughter. He said nothing but took the woman upstairs to his sanctum and made her sit and rest on the bed. Then he shouted to his daughter to bring sweets and tea for the guest. Baba forced the emba~­ rassed woman to eat everything and drink the tea, and then called hIS daughter to take away the plate and the glass and wash them he~self. After seeing the woman off, who was almost in tears at the extraordin~ry treatment, Baba returned, caught hold of his daughter and said: "Never look down on anybody. She too has a soul!"

After Independence the classical arts were given national recognition. Baba was honoured by the Sangeet Natak Akademi in 1952, was awarded the Padma Bhusan in 1958 and the Padma Vibhusan in 1971. He was the recipient of many medals, titles and honours, including the honourary doctorate from Visvabharati University, Shanti Niketan. - SANGEET NATAK 16 A man of regular and austere habits, Baba never gave himself-airs. He did his own marketing, carried his own instrument and was active and punctual in teaching students at home and attending th~ Maihar College of Music of which he was the Principal. In between he found time to look after the garden, supervise the cows and feed the family ofdogs that had freely bred in the compound of the garden. Despite two Severe para­ lytic strokes in 1961 and a risky operation in 1962, he pulled through by dint cf sheer will. Despite prosperity, honour and distinction, he main­ tained his humility and utter simplicity. Anyone visiting him at Maihar can never forget his joyous welcomeand warm hospitality.

In October 1962, Madhya Pradesh celebrated the birth centenary of Ustad Allauddin Khan. There is some controversy about the date of his birth. He passed away at Maihar on September 6, 1972.

In the final analysis it is not the exact age that matters, but the achieve­ ments. The ragas he created will live on, the important ones being: Hemant, Prabhokali, Hem-Bihag, Muhammad, Manj-Khamaj, Sobhavati, Madanmanjari, Madhasri, Hemanta-Bhairav, Sursati, Bhagvati, Madhavgiri.

B

Art may be immortal, but artistes, alas, are mortal. Nonetheless, they gain immortality through the valuable contributions that form a rich tributary to the main stream of culture. Though Ustad Allauddin Khan is no more, he has gained immortality and will always live through his disciples whose innate latent talents he brought out and lit through the magic of his own insatiable love, zeal, dedication and total surrender to music.

Baba never .accepted anything from his disciples. The music he taught was a gift of love and joy. Hence jf there is anything that all can learn from this humble, devout and kind man ofthe soil, it is to learn how to give. When we give, the world is enriched. When we take, we alone possess it.

RAJENDAR SHANKAR, brother of Uday and Ravi, is the wrtter-foumallst in the family. He is Director of "Sancharini"; Bombay, an Institute for the promotion of music and dance.. MY FATHER MY GURU

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan talks to LX Malhotra

Amjad Ali Khan, the youngest child ofUstad Hafiz Ali Khan, was born in Gwalior on the 9th October, 1945. He is not certain about his father's age at the time of his birth but he distinctly remembers that when he was about 10 years of age, his father was old enough to have been his grandfather. Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan died in 1972 when he was nearly 90 years old and if this were to be held as correct he was certainly 55 years old when Amjad was born.

I asked Amjad about his ancestors and the chronology of the history of music in the family, dating it as far back as he knew about it. "My forefathers came to India from Afghanistan and they were soldiers and horse-breeders. The first ancestor I recall was Ghulam Bandgi Khan Bangash. He left Afghanistan at the time of the great revolt and came to the court of Maharaja Vishwanath Singh of Rewa where he was appointed Risaldar in the State cavalry. Ghulam Bandgi Khan had brought with him a rabab on which he used to play during his leisure hours. He lived and worked in the court of the Maharaja of Rewa for several years and when his son Ghulam Ali Khan was about 10 years old, he started to train him in the art of playing the rabab. When the Maharaja learnt of their interest in music he sent for them because the Maharaja himself was well­ versed tn classical music., having learnt hori, dhrupad and dhammar and to play the been which later came to be known as the sarasva venia. TIle Maharaja asked Ghulam Bandgi Khan to entrust his son to him so that he could teach him how to play classical music on the rabab. By the time Ghulam Ali Khan was about 25 years of age his father had already died but by then he was well versed in the art. The Maharaja compli­ mented him by saying that now that he had taught him to play his rabab SANGEETNATAK 18

like a been he should embark upon a tour of the country to play to music­ loving audiences in all the big towns.

"When the mutiny of Lucknow took place, Ghulam Ali Khan moved northwestwards to yet another state, that of the Scindias of Gwalior and was soon appointed court musician to the Maharaja. The Maharaja of Gwalior gave Ghulam Ali Khan a house to live in one ofthe suburbs called Jivaji Ganj, which house we inherited over the years and still possess. It was Ghulam Ali Khan Sahib who really converted the rabab into the Sarod as we know it to-day. And it was in Gwalior where his son, my grand­ father, Ustad Nanhe Khan Sahib was born who, when he grew up, also became a court musician. My father used to narrate how my grandfather practised music for almost 22 years, night after night without a break."

Amjad Ali Khan went on to say that his father used to recollect that he could ne'er put in the same long hours to practise the art ofplayingthe sarodas his father Ustad Nanhe Khan used to do. "M} grand father hardly ever travelled much in the country but among the other celebrities who were our near relations were Ustad Murad Ali Khan who Iived for several years in Gaya and then in Calcutta and :trained many disciples. Among them wasthe famous Mohd. Amir Khan who taught RadhikaMohan Moitra. After my grandfather Ustad Nanhe Khan passed away, my father Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan moved to Mathura and came into contact with two brothers, Ganeshi and Chukkha Lal who belonged to the eleventh generation of descendants of Swami Haridas.From them father learnt dhrupad and dhammar and then went to Rampur where he met the celebrated Ustad Wazir Khan Beenkar. He was no other than the one from whom the famous Ustad Allauddin Khan also learnt, and who now agreed to take Abba as one of his disciples. There he learnt to play the sur singar and also to sing dhrupad. Thus there were two distinct influences ofdifferent schools where my father learnt music: there was the Senia School of which the chief exponent was Wazir Khan ofRampur and the Swami Haridas school of Mathura." The result was, explained Amjad, that his father placed great emphasis on the purity of the raga. "I remember father telling me that Ustad Wazir Khan was very particular about this aspect in the delineation of a melody and asserted that it was not necessary to delineate a raga for hours on end, as long as the main format had been covered. He considered that the beauty ofrendering was in encirclingthe entire range ofa melody and if this could be done within 20 minutes it was not necessary to continue beyond that. If, however, another raga required two hours in crder to cover its entire range one should not attem~t to cut corners". Amjad went on to say: "My father attached great sigm­ ficance to this approach. No doubt, there were some among his listeners who used to criticise him for short-circuiting a raga but it was quite appa­ rent that most of them did not know why he used to do so in the case of some ragas. One particular incident I remember, was when my father 19 MY FATHER: MYGURU

went to Calcutta to perform at a private musicconcert. After his perfor­ mance was over a tablaplayer by the name of Darshan Singhchallenged my father to continue to play with him. At first my father modestlysaid.as was characteristicof him, that he was tired but the tabla player continued to insist upon the challenge. My father picked up the sarod and started playing at the same tempo where he had stopped and after 30minutesor so, longbefore he showed any signs of stopping, the challenger fell flat on his face across the tabla and died of a heart attack. Abba was veryperturbed at such a disastrous end to the challenger's lifeand was most distressed, when his host the famous Raichand Boral of New Theatres fame, went up to him and said that that was but to be and he should not feeltoo dejected. But Abba said the shock to him was so great he could not eat fOI 3or 4 days."

Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan had a remarkable personality Though not too tall, he was very broad-shouldered. Fair of complexion, he sported a rich, heavy, drooping moustache and characteristic beard and dressed in a longbuttoned-up coat or sherwani and a crimson, velvet turki cap. He had a commanding presence and whenever he entered upon the scene of a concert or a studio he never failed to attract attention.

Amjad Ali Khan does not exactly remember when he received his first lesson in music but recalls that since music was in the air almost all day long his taleem started when he was very, very young.

"My taleem began so early that it is one of my first memories-of my father's strictness as a teacher, of his inflexible standards and rigid refusal to accept anything but the highest standard of execution. One small mistake of bol-a Da instead of Ra or Dir and he would scold me and insist on endless repititions ofthe phrase until I got it perfect. He was a rigorous taskmaster- unsparing in his desire to make me master what he taught.

"His own mastery was of such a high order that the goal of trying to emulate his ability both as a musician and as a sarodiya forced me to put in tremendous hard work. It was not only the lessons he gave me but the exampleofachievement he set before me to which lowe what I am today. With unsparing criticism he also gave encouragement at every step-at every hard won small success, at every effortfully conquered hurdle-he Would praise and that somehow put great heart into one."

Like all instrumentalists Amjad Ali too learnt to sing and play the tabla but in order that there should be some disciplineand regularity in his train­ ing his father engaged separate teachers for each instrument a~d sin~i~g. Once he had learnt the rudiments his father took over most of hIS trainmg schedule which was both rigorous and tiring and along a definitepath. SANGEET NATAK 20

"Certain facets of my 'taleem'I consider were of immeasurable value to me, and they also throw light on Abba as the great sarod maestro. As I have said, in the music world Abba was well-known for the purity ofhis ruga. He was meticulous in the exactitude of his raga deliniation and took endless pains to teach me the finest inaunces of difference between various ragas. In my immaturity if I ever allowed even a breath of another raga to touch myexpo sition just to add that little touch ofpiquancy hewould become seriouslyannoyed and impress on me that apart from it beinguntrue to the art to which he was dedicated, it was unbecoming in one of my lineage. When in childish impetuosity I thought that to play any fast sequence was good enough to be cal1ed a jor he took endless pains to en­ lighten me as to what the Jor-ang real1y was; the complex note-patterns were to be played keeping the correct bols and chikari work blended with the note-pattern; wherever this blending of the correct use of surchikari and bol faltered, thejor became an ordinary tana. His sparkling, virile jor-ang continues to be an inspiration to me even today.

"Then the difficult but beautiful jhalas-it was Abba's playing that made me aware, practically, that mere physical skill in very rapid jhala is not enough. He taught me such a great variety ofjhala bols that I donot think I have ever heard themal1 from anyone else. Along with this he taught me the difficult but beautiful technique of making a variety of diffierences within these boIs-the shifting of emphasis or focus fromone bol to another almost imperceptibly, but with a sparkling difference in effect producing a lau (a flow of sound) that is intoxicating in effect.

"If I grew proud of my childish achievements in very fast jhala, he taught me that fast jhala is not true taiJari-skill-but that one must achieve equal skill in the sphere of tana and gamak too. He encouraged me to overcome the difficulty of playing on the sarod a tana in which the conti­ nuity is not broken. I cannot repeat often enough that it was the magni­ ficent example of his playing of the sarod that has left me with a goal of excellence which guides and goads me even today."

Amjad Ali recalls that his father was Very keen that he should grow up to be an educated young man although Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan himselfcould only just about sign his name. To begin with, Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan W2S very keen that young Amjed should go to school and although accessto the famous Scindia Public School would have been there only for the askingthe Ustad felt that if he were to spend long hours in school it would be theend of music for Amjad. If Amjad were sent to school then accordingto the rules ofthe Public School he would have to live in as a boarder. Thiswas not acceptable to his father. So private tutors were engaged almost ~i11 the age of 13 when, upon Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan's joining the BharatIya Kala Kendra in New Delhi, the entire family shifted to Delhi. Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan did not lose interest in the matter of educating his young 21 MY FATHER: MY GURU

son and when some friends also in Delhi started to persuade the Ustad, Amjad was taken along to meet the Principal ofthe Modern Schooland was fcrmally admitted as a day-scholar. Schooling for Amjad Ali meant that he had to put in almost 8 hOUlS in school every day, finish his home work every evening and wake up at 4 the next morning to practice the sarod. This was a strain because his passion for the sarodhad already become the dominant factor in his life. Amjad had already started to play in public and his first major performance was in the annual Sadarang Festival in Calcutta in 1958 when he was only 13 years old. He accompanied his father to the conference and both gave separate performances. In 1959, he attended the Prayag Samiti conference in Allahabad. In his last year of school he finally left school to go abroad to the U.S.A. with a troupe of musicians.

Arnjad Ali is the youngest of four brothers and sisters from the second wife of his father. His eldest brother Mubarak Ali Khan attained great prominence as a sarod player by the time he was about 25 years of age. He has two sisters and another brother Rehmat Ali Khan who is also a sarod player 'and about 6 years older than Amjad.

"By the time I was 10 years old my Abba was almost 65 years of age and you can imagine what such difference or generation gap could mean to a young child. I always looked up to my father with great awe and reverence. Naturally, I was afraid of him although he doted on me because I was the youngest in the entire family. He had a fierce temper and would catch hold of the nearest thing he could lay his hands upon to throw it at a child who was recalcitrant, although he never did that to me.." I asked Amjad how he felt about this tremendous generation gap between himself and his father and whether his father, who was already a celebrated musician and was very busy, had any time to spare for him to take interest in his ambi­ tion or to play with him. With a great deal of understanding he replied; "It is, of course, very natural that the youngest child in the family, when the age difference is so great, cannot experience the thrill and intoxication of the reputation of a celebrated musician-father as much as the elders in the family can. But on the other hand, because I was the youngest, he literally doted on me and for that reason also I had certain other advan­ tages of being able to win his affection and his love as no one else could in the family. I remember him always as a venerable old man, old enough to be my grandfather, and I very often missed the excitement that other children experience with their parents who are comparatively much younger. My relationship with him was formal in the sense that I always prefixed evelything I said with Ji Sahib, full of exceptional respect, and there was never any question ofmy being able to argue or childishlypersuade him to accede to my little requests like going to the cinema as all other children do. He was never in favour ofchildren going to the cinema and I still remember having to seek the aid of my mother to persuade him to let me go. On SANGEET NATAK 22 those days I would practice longer and with greater attention in order to establish my bonafides and have a justification to be able to go to cinema. On his part, when he used to spend long hours training me he would induce me to perfect tana with the promise of a four-anna bit. In order to be able to go to the cinema I would really practise hard and sometimesearned. as much as two to three rupees for reproducing 10 taans which he had dili­ gently taught me. But, as I said earlier, he had a fiery temper and if I could not repeatedly produce a taan which he had spelt out he used to shout at me so loudly that the sarod would fall out of my hands and I would be left trembling with fear."

Amjad Ali Khan is 28 years of age now and recollects that a strange kind of responsibility fell upon his shoulders even when he wasin early teens. By the time he was in his teens his father was no longer striding the earth like a colossus. Of course Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan never made the young Amjad feel that he had any extraordinary duty to perform but most friends ofthe family would come up to him and say that he would have to carryon the tradition of the Gharana. "Because this was dinned into my ears morning, noon and night, it naturally had its effectupon me. The result was that the entire pattern of my life was carved out differently from that ofother children. I never felt at ease or relaxed in the com­ pany of children of my age. Strangely enough, even now, all my friends are in the age group of 30 to 50, much older than myself, and I feel as if I can talk to them more naturally than to those ofmy own age. In retrospect I think my entire approach to music changed in my very early years. I also realise that it must have been very tiresome for my father at his ageto spend so much time and effort in training me but he never spared himself or the time where our lessons were concerned. Both my brothers and I received unstinted taleem from him. Right to the end even from his sick bed he continued to give of his vast knowledge and mastery to us. By God's grace his intellect remained clear and unimpaired right through the many years of his illness. I took many questions about raga and technique to him even after it became very difficult for him to play and he would teach by singing the necessary piece. He was vitally interested in what we played at our public concerts-in each detail of how the performance went-and gave invaluable advice from his bed."

In 1960 or thereabouts the practise ofjug41 bandi or playing of duets on the sitar and sarodhad come to be accepted as a normal feature in con­ certs. Amjad Ali Khan remembers that when he would return from these performances he used to feel very disturbed that the sitar player wasalways streets ahead because he wasable to playfast taans which were not possible on the sarod because of the limitations of the instrument itself. "The sitarhas frets whereas on the sarod one has to play by approximation and it used:0 seem to me then that the sarodplayers would never have a chance. I dIS­ cussed this on severaloccasions with my father and I must say he encouraged 23 MY FATHER: MY GURU me a lot in the direction of evolving a technique whereby a sarod player couldalso play fast taans. My father, like his father Nanhe Khan, before him, placed great emphasis on reproducing the pattern of the dhrupad style of singing, perhaps because of the influence of Ustad Wazir Khan of Rampur and also Haddu and Hassu Khan, the famous singers from Gwalior. I could see that he felt that the production of taans belonged to the domain of the khayal singer and not a dhrupad singer, although grand­ father Nanhe Khan had made some experimentsalong this line. Yet father never stood in my way and would always say that it was entirely upto me to achieve this if I wanted to." Talking about the gayaki ang of playing on the sarod, Amjad Ali said: "After all, when one concedes that singingis the main form of music, whether it be a khayal or dhrupad, the nearest instrument to singing is the sarangi, Then came the sitar. On the sarod, whichderived its inspira­ tion from the been or on which sarod players could play the sursingar ang or the rabab ang, the natural limitations were obvious. Mcreover tech­ nique-wise and also because the sarod as an instrument is constructed so differently, these styles can be adapted much more easily. But the fast taans of the khyal are very difficult to play on the sarod. Yet if one can playa fast taan on the sarod by maintaining control and remaining in tune, something which is extremely difficult and needs very long practise, can be called a real achievement." I asked Amjad whether he has been influencedin his music by musicians other than his father and, if so, to what extent and in what way. He had no hesitation in replying: "For a good artiste it is imperative that he must listen to all the outstanding musicians and, personally, I have im­ ported into my music whatever I liked best about their style and technique, irrespective of which school or gharana they belonged to. Of course, and this is my personal view, it must be recognised that for an instrumen­ talist of my generation it has been much more of an up-hill task. In the 1940's and 1950's musicians of my father's generation were at the peak of their form, but thereafter there was a long gap and the field was virtually open. There was hardly any competition and those who now belong to the middle-age group had a field-day. The latter continue to be in ex­ cellent form and are widely listened to. For a younger person likeme to emerge, to be accepted by the audience when those before me had already cast a spell throughout the country, was a very difficult task. If I have SUcceeded in some measure to establish my own identity, it is entirely due to Allah's karam and my father's impeccable training." Unlike in the realm of vocal musicit would seemthat most sarodplayers in the country owe their training and style to the Senia Gharana of Ustad Wazir Khan of Rampur. Both Ustad Allauddin Khan and Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan sat at the feet of that great master. There have been, no doubt, variations of style after they began to appear on the stage in their own SANGEET NATAK 24 right. Just as Ali Akbar Khan did not stop with training from his father, Amjad Ali Khan also has gone far beyond what Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan taught him. Amjad Ali Khan is inclined to categorise his father's gharana as also that of the Senia school and said: "My great-grandfather received his early lessons on the rabab from Maharaja Viswanath Singhof Rewa who, I am told, had leamt from Pyar Khan Saheb and Jafar Khan Saheb who were descendants of Tansen Mian. So, the Senia School reallycame from two sources, Rewa and Rampur. Ustad Wazir Khan of Rampur was a descendant of the Tansen family from his mother's side whereas in Rewa the descendants were from the father's ride. Actually, whether it is Ustad AkbarAli KhM and Pandit Ravi Shankar or their disciplesor whether it is persons like me, our music education in the basic form of ragasand raginis is derived from the Senia school. It is quite a different matter that each one of us should have developed in somewhat different directions but the basis is the same. Then there was yet another gharana, that of Ustad Karamtullah Khan of Calcutta from whom Istiaq Ahmad,llyas Khan and Umrao Khan of Lucknow learnt."

It was naturally difficult for Amjad Ali Khan to make M objective assessment of his father as a human being. He was emphatic that Ustad 'Hafiz Ali Khan had certain qualities of humanism which have left a deep impression on his mind. Their family had innumerable poor relations, including widows, infirm old people and others. To them the late Ustad particularly when he was in Gwalior and in the days when he earned much more than in his later years, would give monthly assistance. Often, young Amjad heard his mother argue with the father about the sheer futility of providing financial assistance to such persons but invariably the reply would be: "Let me do it as long as Allah provides the means." He was fond ofbirds and so there was bajra for the sparrows andjuwar for the pigeons every day. "There are many musicians to-day wlio owe their career to Abba's helping hand at the early stages when they could not find a foothold in the competitive world of music. Whether they belonged to our gharona or not was beside the point if he saw talent and worth even in a completely unknown artist he would go out of his way to introduce him into the right circlesand to the right people. In Conferences he belonged to the old school of thought where the greatest ofMasters went to hear lesser musicians. Abba was punctilious in this little courtesy towards even embryo artistes-s-and generous in the praise with which he encouraged their falteing efforts. Ustad Maseet Khan the tabla maestro (father of Ustad Kararnatullah Khan) was quite unknown in Calcutta when Abba's friend and admirer Shri Rai Chand Boral asked him to suggesta good teacher to teach him (Shri BoraI) the tablo-Abba suggested Ustad Maseet Khan and Rai Babu immediately sent for him to Calcutta and it is to this that Calcutta audiences owe the presence in their city ofUstad Maseet Kh!'~ and Ustad Karamatullah Khan. In the same way Abba had Pandit Dahp Chand Vedi called to join the Bharatiya Kala Kendra." 25 MY FATHER: MY GURU

Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan belonged to a gracious age of courtesy and placed a great deal of emphasis on personal behaviour and talizeeb, He would never appear without a head-dress on a formal occasion. It was either a rich, huge turban with gold and silverlining or a velvetturkish cap. When he took Amjad Ali along to Rashtrapati Bhavan in 1960, the year when he was awarded the Padma Bhusan, he insisted that the son should wear a cap. Amjad did not like the idea, being so young, just 15 years old then, but had to fall in line. But by the time he met Jawaharlal Nehru on the lawns for the evening party he had managed to stay a few steps behind his father and carried his topi in his hand.

Amjad recalled several instances about the Ustad's complete involvement in .music and nanated one which was particularly good. At a function when he had the opportunity to walk upto Dr. Rajendra Prasad, President of India, totally oblivious of whether the President knew anythingabout music, the Ustad respectfully complained that ragas and raginis werebeing neglected and musicians were not aware how Darbarishould be developed and that the President should issue a specialjirma/l because he had the authority to do so, to save . This he did because of his utter simplicity and belief that everyone should be able to understand the predicament. Similarly another contemporary of his walked up to the President to receive the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in Vigyan Bhavan but before doing so exclaimed almost within everyone's hearing: "Janab, huzoor, in days gone by the rajas and maharajas used to listen to us to judge our talent and then offer recognition. You, YOUl excellency, have not even heard me play once and I should be honoured if you giveme an opportunity /lOW before you give me the award!"

"Was your father a deeply religious man and, if so, in practising the faith what influence did he have upon you?" "Abba was very religious and said his prayers five times a day. He respected the faith of others, no doubt, but for a person ofhis age and times the involvement was, under­ standably, complete, finding its manifestation in devotion to all its ritual. But along with that Inoticed that his religion was part of his daily life-God wasnot a distant and impersonal Spirit only but a dose and paternal Diety whose mercy he had a right to call upon. Through the long days of his illnesshe never ranted aaainst Fate for burdening him with no much pin and ill-health but alway; accepted it as God's wiII and simplyprayed for mercy. Deeply religious as he was, he yet had the quality of tolerance in great measure and had respect for the Faith of any man so long as it was sincere. Instances of this I saw time and time again in his daily lifeand it had tremendous impact on me. Another aspect of his religiousness was that he had the deep desire to offer some service to his Maker. This he did with his music. He taught me that music was not just to please the ear and to be enjoyed, but a ferm of'prayer and glorificationof one's Maker. It was for this reason that he felt so strongly that pure music must never be SANGEET NATAK 26 defiled, because to him it was like sullyinga prayer. He said that one must try to create magnificent music because anything less than one's best was not good enough to offer at the feet of one's Lord. He very firmly believedthat one's music can get taseer only if one creates it as an offering to God-ifit is to please oneself or other people or merely to earn money­ one might become a very competent performer but one would neverachieve taseer-that indescribeable quality which has impact on the listener's very soul." Of his own attitude to religion Amjad said, "I consider principles and basic values of life to be of first importance. I am God-fearing, of course, and believe that human efforts need such blessings but then one should leave religionto be a matter of personal belief and practice."

The last time Ustad HafizAli Khan heard Amjad play with outstanding success was at the Raag Rang Festival in 1965 when the Ustad was also scheduled toplay but could not, due to illness. Amjad played Jhinjhoti and the Ustad together with Vilayat Khan, who Was also there, showered him with their blessings. Amjad has inherited this exceptionallycreditable quality from his father, who stayed on to listen to Vilayat Khan that night, that he is perhaps the late one among musicians who attends performances by as many other musicians as possible. Quite obviously the father who was also his guru has left a deep imprint on the mind and person of this gifted son and disciple.

L. K. MALHOTRA, writer journalist and music and theatre critic is an lA.S. Officer at present in the Defence Ministry, New Delhi. THE END OF AN ERA

The Life of Guru Amubi Singh

Prof. E. Nilakanta Singh

Wherein lies the distinctive beauty of Classical Manipuri Dance? How to enrich the existing tradition, provide a corrective to current practices and set standards for generations to follow? These are perhaps, ques­ tions which every great artist, guru or critic has to answer a number of times and the answers ale to be evaluated again and again in the changing context of various dance traditions of the East and the West and in the case of Manipuri, of South-East Asia as well.

It was left to Guru Amubi to come to grips with these questions and provide answers in his own way. And he was great in the sense that he couldcombine in himself all the qualities ofa great teacher and had the rare distinction ofbeing the ablest exponent and foremost cultural ambassadorof Manipuri Dance in India. Greatness was simply thrust upon him in this land where there is a splendour ofartistic greatness in the field of Classi­ cal Manipuri Dance and traditional Sankirtana music.

Ojha Maisnam Arnubi Singh (in Manipur, a guru in music and dance is called Ojha) was born in the Uripok area of Imphal, the Capital of Mani­ pur, in the year 1881. His father Samu Singh, younger brother of Maha­ rani Kumudini Devi, was a senior army officer, in the regime of Maharaja Chandrakirti Singh (1834.1844). He rose to the position of Luwang Ning­ thou during the brief reign of King Surchandra Singh. In the year 1891. ~anipur staged its last freedom struggle against the British; whichresulted In defeat and which sent Vir Tikendrajit and General Thangal to the gallows. Sarou Singh, along with a fewothers was sparedthe death s~nten~e but exiled for life to the Andaman Islands for the only crime of loving hIS fatherland. His son, Aroubi Singh, inherited something of the courage of his father and besides being a sportsman, he displayedit in his life-long SANGEET NATAK 36 struggle to carve an image of beauty for Manipuri dance. But it was his mother who initiated him into the world of music and dance.

"I learnt my first lessons in Manipuri dance at the feet of my mother" said Guru Amubi one day, And she was no ordinary mother. She was the great-grand-daughter of Rajarshi Bhagyachandra, the principal archi­ tect of classical Manipuri Ras Leela (1764-1798 A.D.). In Manipur, there is the tradition ofthe queens, the princesses and ladies ofroyal blood parti­ cipating in the various Ras Leelas held at the Royal Palace as a 'must', quite unlike the devadasi and other traditions of India. Here dance is a dedication and prayer and to be able to offer it to Lord Krishna and Radha at the palace is an honour and a matter of pride. Guru Amubi's mother was also one ofthe principal dancers at the royal palace and it was natural that the son also would follow in the footsteps of his mother. One can imagine the height ofartistic heritage to which the young Amubi must have been exposed at the Palace.

The child Amubi played the role of Krishna at the age of 7 in Vasanta Ras Leela where the Rasdhari (the teacher of the Ras) was Ojha Chura Singh. Guru Amubi also mentioned other great names with profound grati­ tude and with unshed tears: Phurailatpam Ojha Chaonu, Ningthoukhong­ jam Ojha Chaomacha, Maibam Ojha Keipha, Laishram Ojha Mangoljao and Sankhya (Rajkumar) Chandrahas and the list includes the Sankirtana gurus also, as Ras Leela happens to be an extension and illumination of Sankirtana tradition of music and dance. They were really great artists and gurus in their specialised fields and Guru Amubi felt humble while remem­ bering them. It is also a fact that Manipuri Dance and music attained supreme heights and almost a renaissance during the reign of Maharaja Shandrakriti Singh. It was a golden age of Manipuri culture in the real sense of the term.

But the turning point in the career of Guru Amubi Singh was to accept the invitation of Smt, Tagore at Ahmedabad at the aye of 30. He went there to teach and enjoyed the outer world opening before him. But the heat was too much for young Amubi and he had to come back home, after a few months. The late Haren Ghosh, the distinguished impressario of Calcutta, extended an invitation to Guru Amubiin connection with a dance tour and he joined the group for some time. It was rather an uneventful period and did not leave much ofan impact on Guru Amubi, even though he had the proud privilege of introducing Manipuri Dances to other parts ofIndia. But what appeared to be more important was the fact that GUIll Amubi had been introduced to the world outside Manipur.

. The meeting of great minds took place when Uday Shankar met Amubi and requested him to be a member ofhis troupe. Guru Amubi accepted the offer and joined the troup in its extensive tours all over India. When Ustad A!lauddin Khan with Ravi Shankar (left) and Ali Akbar At home in Maihar, 1933

With Guru Shankaran Namboodri and Gum Kandappa Pillai in A/mora, 1942 (Photos: the author) Ustad Hafiz Ali Khall Ustad Hafiz Ali performing with the young Amjad on right

Receiving the Akademi Award from the President 1.953 Guru Amubi Singh Demonstrating a step.

Guru Amubi with the author, his 1;f;r' 7"n ft> (PJ,nfns· fho n"tT.m.\ Guru Kunju Kurup in performance Above: Teaching at Kalamandalam. Below: Doing his own make-up. 37 END OF AN ERA

Uday Shankar opened his Cultural Centre at Almora, more particularly for his Summer Courses, Guru Amubi was there teaching Manipuri Dance for about 6 years. This was just before the Second World War. Here a new world of creative compositions spread before Guru Amubi, which really opened his eyes in the field ofabhinaya.

This is not the proper place for assessing the talents of Ud3Y Shankar. He is also a great artist in his own way and it might possibly take some time for India to understand properly his contribution to Indian dancing. Guru Amubi often expressed his sense of gratitude to Uday Shankar for the way Shankar attempted to create a new beauty, a rediscovery of the classical dance traditions-not a mechanical repitition of past forms but a tradition enriched and reborn. Guru Amubi was very struck by this approach and he almost decided to enrich the classical forms of Manipuri dance by adding gestural expression within the framework of the tradition. Orthodox as he was to the core ofhis being, he found himself a captive, ifhe could not create a new awareness in his approach to dance. This he had to confess-as on many occasions he did -he learnt from Uday Shan­ kar. What a refreshing humility on the part ofa guru whom Uday Shankar acknowledged as great. The post-independence Manipur marked a serious quest for identity and rediscovery of the classical tradition in the field of Manipuri music and dance. This trend was also initiated by the searching questions put by many scholars and artists from outside Manipur who took a deep interest in it. Special mention may be made of Guru Bipin Singh, recipient of the Sengest Natak Akademi Award (1965) who questioned the complacency ~f the Manipuri gurus and artists in the field of research. Guru Amubi's resi­ dence at Uripok became almost a centre of pilgrimage, 1'J1 area of confron­ tation for scholars and artists who eventually made remzrkeble contribu­ tious in enriching and propagating this art. Mention may be made .of Guru Bipin Singh, Amala Shankar, Jhaveti Sisters and Dr. (Smt.) Kll·Pll~ Vatsyayan. On the home front, Guru Mahavir, Smt. Thambal De~l, Rajkumar Singhjit, the talented Director ofTriveni Ballet Unit (New D~lhi), Kumari Suryamukhi Devi, Smt. Tondon Devi, Thingbaijam Babu Smgh and Rajkumar Danisana deserve mention. It was a wnfluence of th~ various streams of outlook and culture, of the currents of resell.rch an disciplines. Guru Amubi was in his seventies by this time and became the most.outstanding guru and an authority on Manipuri Dance.

With the establishment of Manipm Dance College(now renamed Jawa­ harlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy) in the year 1954 by Sang~t Natak Akademi, Guru Arnubi as the founder-teacher, made it almost h~s ~ab~ra- ' fl . f this institu­ tory and gave his whole-hearted devotion to the owenng 0 ., tiIOn. E'very new item of'piesentation. forthe stage an d ev'en the decision ., about., the controversial talas and matras carriedthe imprint ofGUIU Arnubr S vrsion SANGEET NATAK 38 and scholarship. As a matter offact, Guru Amubi dominated not only the Nehru Academybut also the entire cultural field of Manipur for nearlytwo decades He had to face bravely the problem of transplanting the temple tradition to the stage and to evolve a technique of short pieces, takingthe strength and weakness of this new idiom into consideration. A series of new compositions of Vasanta Ras and Maha Ras, the dances based on the lines Jhanta and Kalo Kalindi Kula Kanone deserve special mention. An­ other composition on the lines of Geet Govinda-i-Srita Kamala Kucha, praising the glories ofthe Lord entitled Sri Krishna Vandana became such a piece of beauty that it was greeted by a gathering of artists and scholars at Jaffna (Ceylon) with continuous applause. The artist (of the Indian Cultu­ ral Delegation 1965) was Smt. Tondon Devi who carried this presentation almost to perfection.

Besides the traditional dance compositions, GUIll Arnubi gave serious thought to the creation of what is called ballet in Manipuri. Sri Krishna Valya Leela, a one-and-a-half-hour ballet, presenting the childhood story of Shri Krishna upto the stage of Ras Leela, was shown before apprecia­ tive audiences in India. This ccmposition has rich music and almost dis­ pensed with vocal music.

After his retirment from Nehru Academy, Guru Amubi was still associa­ ted whith it as visiting guru upto his last days and through another perfor­ ming artists' group named Manipuri Jagoi Marup, established in Sep­ tember 1968, he directed another one-and a-half hour dance-drama (not a ballet this time) on Geet Govinda where lines from poet Jayadeva were rendered in distinctive Manipuri Kirtana style. It might be that Guru Amubi found the vocal music too precious to be dispensed with in his com­ positions and preferred to stick to the traditional style of dance-drama. It is a pity that Guru did not live to see the first presentation of his 'Geet Govinda' in September, 1972. Needless to say this dance-drama has won high praise from the critics in Manipur and outside and it has been consi­ dered as the most beautiful composition of the guru.

, In recognition of his outstanding contributions in the field of Mani­ puri Dance, Manipuri Sahitya Parishad conferred on him the title of Nritya Guru (1954). This was followed by the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.in 1956. The Government of India decided also to honour the guru. with the award-Padma Shri in the year 1968. But it is not the awards so much that really matter but the image of Manipuri Dance that Guru Amubi pro­ jected with particular reference to its future and also the impact left on the minds and hearts of many of his admirers and disciples.

And what did the Guru find in Manipuri Dance? Not much of the shastric abhinaya as some tend to emphasise nor an accent on tempo or vigour, in tune with the other dance traditions of India. But 'subdued 39 END OF AN ERA eloquence' as the guru stated in an interview. The tradition of restraint and dignity in common with such eastern countries like Japan and Indo­ nesia and which poet Tagore found in Balinese and Javanese dance to a remarkable degree. Not expression so much but a dramatic reticence, spirit of restraint and dignity and of nobility: this is, perhaps, what Guru Amubi discovered in Manipuri Dance tradition. And this beauty, to para­ phrase Beryl de Zeote, is to be born out of long meditation and experience. Perhaps Guru Amubi would accept the dictum of Ananda Coomaraswamy: 'The Vitality ofa tradition, persists as long as it is fed by intensity of imagi­ nation.'

I am tempted to conclude this article with 3 personalnote. In a contro­ versy about a book (Govinda Sangeet Leela Vilas) which almost rocked the cultural world ofManipur, I found myselfin the opposite camp and had the rashness to call the guru illiterate through a cclumn in an English daily. It hurt the feelings ofthe guru but a compromise came ultimately with my reaffirming my respect for the guru and what a sigh of relief Guru Amubi heaved and we become good friends thereafter and I believe, he forgave me also.

Senility characteristic of old age, never came upon Guru Amubi. He kept his mind awake and sensitive, even when his last moments were apioach­ ing. This is a remarkable feat on the part ofa guru who breathed his last at the ripe old age of 92, (June 29, 1972). His passing marked the end of an era in Manipuri Dance.

Prof. E. NILAKANTA SINGH-an authority on the arts of Manipur, is Vice­ Chairman of tlze Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, Implzal and Secretary of the Manipur State Kala Parishad, OJHA AMUBI: MY GURU

A personal tribute

Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan

The name of Guru Amubi Singh, the grand old man of Manipuri, brings a number of images to one's mind. These images are connected with the cultural history of India during the last 70 years; his life and work provide the milestones covered by Indian arts, particularly dance in this century.

Ojha Amubi, as he was endearingly called in Manipur and ouside, undoubtedly belonged to that verdurous land which has been the envy of not only human beings but also of the gods. Legend has it that it was in this beautiful valley that Shiva and Parvati lived until Krishna felt that this was the place for him to hold his moonlit night rasa dances. , Nature has silently and unobtrusively shaped the character of the in­ habitants of this valley; and so has it given a unique character t.o the dance style of its people. The sinuous, waving trees have left their mark on the undulating, unilinear movemens of the dance. On the hills, there is o stronger and fiercer nature with storms wild anima Isand sudden violence. Nagas inhabiting the hills"match the virility ofnature with their. dance. Dual Traditions The two traditions, that of the Nagas and the inhabitants ofthe Mani­ pur valley, of the Maibas and Maibees and the Vaishnavites, have flourished in harmony, coexisting and supplementing each other. For the younger traditions have not been uprooted or replaced the earlier ones.

It is often believed in the context of Manipur that Chaitanya trans­ formed the valley into a Vaishnavite "temple" leaving little or no traces of OJHA AMUBI

the earlier traditions. This is not quite correct because these traditions continued, and still continue, even if they had a Vaishnavite Veneer en them.

Ojha Amubi was a true representative of this process of Indian culture where, while one form grew out of another, the original has not been lost or obliterated. It was perhaps this solid foundation of Meitei culture that enabled the guru to be modern and, at the same time, a ruthless and un­ compromising traditionalist, believing in the sanctity of the ritual, an un­ questioned Vaishnavite bhakta (devotee), and a modern experimentalist who did not fear to break fresh ground in life or artistic activity. He was a pioneer in spreading the message of the Indian tradition in all its vitality, sanctity, capacity for assimilation and continued reformu­ lation.

Court Dancer The guru began his life young and, so far as one knows, as a member of a family which had long served the Manipuri army. Dance was un­ doubtedly ingrained in him but his vocation was not that of a traditional dancer in the temple. His mother had, however, danced in the temples and had taken part in the varied repertoire of Manipuri dance form. She was inheritor of the Rasa traditions of Bhagya Chandra Maharaj being none other than his great-grand-daughter.

With the spread of the British rule to Manipur the father of the young Amubi was exiled. This exile proved to be a blessing in disguise as he was obliged to spend many years in Brindavan, more particularly in the Vaish­ navite temple of Radhakund. It was here that the seeds ofthe Vaishnavite faith sprouted and flowered beautifully in the form of song and dance in the young Amubi.

From braj Moami the leelas and rasa dances of Krishna had travelled to the secluded valley of Manipur. Now, once again, Amubi, amongst a few others, was instrumental in carrying the vibrant atmosphere of bra] Moami with a new flavour back to Manipur. He returned to the valley a transformed man; while the life of action he did not forsake, in spirit he was a bhakta, dedicated totally and completely. Back in Manipur, his performance and extraordinary talent both in sankirtan (devotional songs) and the rasa tradition caught the eye ofthe Maharaja, and he was appointed court dancer and gum for many years.

Perhaps in recognition of the restlessness of the e(1.fli~r years .or per­ haps destiny had ordained it so, the guru had to leave Manipur again. For he was apparently born to be a transmitter of the traditions :rom ~ne part of India to the other. This time he was sent out of Manipur with the command that he should propagate the art of Meitei dancing to other parts of India. SANGEET NATAK 12 This was a propitious time, for this was also the time for the revival and rediscovery of the Indian tradition. The Bengal School was at its height; Tagore was looking for fragments of Indian classical traditionsin music and dance so that be could recreate a genre distinct from the preva­ lent nautch. The poet had been inspired by his visit to Japan and to Indonesia; he knew that his country too had the same traditions but it was not until he found genuine gurus of the Kathakali and Manipuri dance forms that he was personally confronted with them.

The impressions produced by the Kathakali and Manipuri dance forms on the poet gave rise to the dance style which came to be known as the Santiniketan school of dance. Guru Nabha Kumar's and Guru Amubi's contributions were not minimal in this movement. They bad sparked off an interest in a tradition with which the educated Indian was not acquainted. Soon there followed another movement on the return to India of Uday Shankar from Europe.

The message from Uday Shankar to the guru inviting him to Almora again reminded him of his ordained duty. Without a moment of hesita­ tion he decided to accept the invitation. With him, he took a young dancer named Mahabir Singh who had received training from Guru Amubi and had also been trained in the art of pung playing by other traditional maestros.

At the Almora centre there were doyens of dance from various parts of India. These included Guru Kandappa Pillai and Guru Namboodripad, among the pupils were Shanti Bardhan, Simkie, Amala Nandi, Narendra Sharma and others. The guru had known how to use the elements of Manipuri for dance dramas. Here he learnt to use the rich and intricate repertoire of Manipur dance for short, presentable numbers in a modern concert programme. For a traditional master this could have proved fatal. He could have been uprooted from his tradition, swept away by the glamour ofthe stage. He could have diluted the tradition and polluted it by a series of compromises.

But the guru .was much too deeply rooted both in Brindavan and Manipur to allow this. He taught, he composed, he insisted on the purity of the movement; the chastity ofits execution was a must, no matter what external form in composition it took. This then was the secret of his power.

The guru could be ruthless if the characteristic movements ofMani· puri dancing, ofthe fingers and the wrist were not rendered properly. He could shout and weep if the foot contact was stronger or weaker than it needed to be and yet, when it came to compressing a four-hour vasant rasa to a 10-or 15-minute piece he could do so with ease. The guru also 43 OlHA AMUBI trained the eye to see the dance, and the ear to hear correctly. This was the second phase of the guru's life. On to Gujarat and Delhi After the Almora centre was closed and Guru Namboodripad and Guru Kandappa PiIIaipassed away, it was once again left to GuruAmubi to take the message of the tradition to different parts ofIndia.

Amongst those who remember him in Gujarat are Mrinalini Sarabhai, the Jhaveri sisters and others. The wheel had come full circle: from broj bhoomi the rasa went to Manipur and from Manipur it was brought back to the Saurashtra region of Gujarat.

To Delhi the guru sent Mahabir, a true disciple, strict, uncompromi­ sing, imaginative and adaptable. But Mahabir Singh's career was cut short as he died in Delhi under tragic circumstances. Such a loss of a pupil so dearly held would have broken another guru's back, but not so Guru Amubi's, He offered to corne to Delhi to continue the uncompleted task of his pupil.

For the first time in Delhi there was a realisation ofthe genuine, auth­ entic Manipuri style, as distinct from oriental dance. To Delhi he also brought another disciple, Babu Singh. Babu did not have the fire of a Mahabir but he had an unparalleled ability to imbibe subtleties of dance techniques from the guru.

The guru's pupils in Delhi wiII long remember him for the variety of ways in which he could teach movements exactly. He would make patterns on walls, draw lines on the floors, narrate anecdotes from the puranas, couldmimic and if need be catch hold of the ankles to ensure accurate footwork; often he would support elbows so that they would not limply fall down. He would gently move the head with his hands so that the feel of the movements could be recognised by the learner.

And if the pupil continued to be clumsy, heavy-footed, he or she would hear the roar of a lion. "Do not hurt mother earth", he would say. And gently the threats would turn into Saraswati's wrath who punished the dancer if he or she used an ashuddha svara (corrupt note) or rendered an ashuddha (wrong) movement, Dance was a part of his life, a vital instrument for cultivating the self, not a skill to be imparted; lack of vigilance was punishable in this life-and, in the life hereafter.

It was about this time that the Sangeet Natak Akademi decided to set up a training centre of Manipuri dance, known as the Jawaharlal Nehru Academy of Dance in Imphal. The guru was invited to ~nderta~e this assignment. He was initially of two minds; he felt that hIS task ill SANGEET NATAK

Delhi had not been completed. He had not been able to impart the right recipients with sufficient knowledge. The words that he used were:

If I found a satpatra (a good recipient), I have not been able to give him enough. But often I have not found the perfect satpatra. What­ ever I have is for the giving: it was given to me by Saraswati and Radha to be given away to others. When wiII I be able to give it all away so that I ean repay my debt?

This W:.'l.S another aspect of faith which continually inspired him to carry the message of dance. He was only the carrier of an art which was bigger, greater than he himself; it was his mission to transmit it. In this way alone could his life's mission be complete. However, it was under his guidance that a strong institutional frame­ work was established at Manipur ensuring the continuation of a classical tradition into modern times. While the guru was teaching in Manipur he sent Babu Singh to Bombay to enrich groups like the Little Ballet Troupe.

Main Dance Styles Such foresight and imagination combined with dedication are prac­ tically unknown in the modern artistic world. Like a master planner of strategy, he spread the style to all parts of India. The guru as wellas his pupils were traditionalist on one plane and bold experimentalists on the other. An austere teacher, a strict di sciplinarian aud a meticulous keeper of Institution's accounts, the guru was first and foremost a bhakta, a devotee for whom dance was only an instrument of transcending a narrow self to a godhood. This inner life of the guru determined his actions and also gave his dance just that quality which transforms the skill of the execu­ tion of movements to the creative art of ecstacy. Many glimpses of this bhakta pass througn one's mind. These can only be presented in the first person.

"I had arrived in Manipur after many years again to be with the guru at his feet. He was now different. The glamour of the cities had never touched him. Small intrigue had not harmed him. The improvisa­ tions on his own style had not hurt him. "And yet there was a mellowing and a ripening. He had not lost any bouyancy, earlier zest or his forthright visitation, but he knew that dance was dance only if it could transform the quality of life. Modern Mani­ puri caused him anxiety.

"The old bonds ofaffection for the shishya were too strong for him to be cool about this Visit. He was enthusiastic like a child. He had made all arrangements, even improvised bath rooms and was all set to test 45 OlBA BMUAI

my dancing abilities all over again. There was a practice of morning and evening ruthlessly strict as ever but before and after every minute, one was being soaked with paternal care and affection.

"Every day there happened to be a new experience. On one, it was the day when the story of Chaitanya is enacted alI over Manipur, a smalI child takes the part of Chaitanya. He had to take me to see it. The enacting was beautifulIy rendered with great feeling and then there was a dance of 80 men, nearly all in their sixties, and this was the unforgettable experience for me. Were they dancers? Yes and no. They were dancers because they danced beautifulIy and perfectly but they were not pro­ fessional dancers; in their dhotis and in their white pagan's in perfect synchronisation to the yearning and the pathos of the Bhakti lyrics, they wept as they danced and danced as they wept in ecstasy and in joy of their devotion. This W<1S the experience of karl/nil rasa at its purest and its most crystalised hightened moment. The Guru joined in the dance and I watched them as if in a dream, too real for words.

"But this was also the time of Thabal Chongbi when young girls and boys dance together in different localities. And so at night the Guru took me from locality to locality, joining in each dance, and like a child he joined in every gathering because it was auspicious to join in each gethering. And as I went round with him I remembered-a visit to Radha­ kund near Brindaban,

"In a temple at Radhakund, after the Guru had swum and bathed in the Krishnakund and in the Radhakund, he stood before an image of Krishna and Radha as jugal. He first sang and then he began to dance. I had accompanied him. I had known him for many years but I had not till that moment shared his moment of worship through his art. IntelIectualIy, I had known that there was the cult of the Bhakti, of the personal god and the deep influence of Vaishnava literature on Manipuri dancing, but these were all intelIectual concepts. However, in that one moment I knew where the world of intellect ended and where the world of ecstatic feeling began. It was hard to say whether the singing and danc­ ing had taken him to worship or whether the worship brought him to the song and the dance. In that one moment of ecstatic joy and in that one moment where he was no longer an individual but only a devotee dancing before the god, I knew the truth of the stories of the Vishnu­ dharmottara where it is said that Markande told the King Vajra that he must learn dancing before he could make an icon or before he could learn how to worship."

Other memories rise. Guru Amubi and Bala Saraswati dancing in a small hall one after the other. Reactions of the guru to Bala's dancing and Bala's response to his ahhinaya. SANGEET NATAK 46 An accident, a bad one. Guru hurt on his head, legs and arms bandaged. The reaction only of a devout bhakta: "Undoubtedly, this has happened because I decided to go and have a dip in the Ganga instead of the Yamuna. You know the Yamuna is a woman of anger. She is very jealous" And again when speech was failing and he was unable to speak-the reaction: "I am sure that Saraswati is punishing me because I must have used a wrong note."

A Tape Recording with the Message "You wanted me to compose the Geeta Govinda in full. Here is a tape for you of the music. I want you to see this composition because you have been insisting I compose one. I want you to see became although I could not teach you all that I wanted to, I have given you the eyes to See dance. May this vision be always yours."

The last message again through a tape recording. "You must do some thmg for the Manipur Dance College. Manipuri dancing is no longer what it was. We must not let it degenerate. It is your duty to do some­ thing about it:'

Dance As "Sadhana" Out of his 90 odd years perhaps 70 years were thus spent in dedicated work. When government assistance was offered to him during his last illness, he refused it unequivocally. He wanted nothing for himself. If money had to be given it must be for the propagation of Manipuri danc­ ing, for the recitation of the Srimad Bhagawat-or for the needy and the poor. For the guru death was no enemy nor a stranger; it was a milestone in a journey. If money could save man from dying why had kings and saints passed away ? "Like all men born I too must die. My time has come and although my work is incomplete I hope that my disciples will carryon the work of Manipuri dance," he said. Here then was an amalgam ofa yogi of both the karma marga and the .bhakti marga. He had played his part in life with vitality, with a sense of duty, ofjoy; but the guiding spirit of the activity was somewhere else. The still centre, which made him sing and dance the pada of Gita Govinda before the images of the yugla in Radhakund was the essence of this ease and abundance. The words sadhana and yajna have been used in the context of the Indian arts from time immemorial; they stand for this inescapable demand for impersonality. The guru "lived" and "danced" the concept through every act of life, through every movement, through the sound of dance and music. How many of us know this in out being outside the intellect! DR. KAPILA VATSYAYAN-eminent scholar and dance expert. She is Deputy Educational Advisor in the Department of Culture, Govt. of India (see "Sangeet Natak-2f). GURU KUNJU KURUP

M. K. K. Nayar

None of us has seen Garrick, the legendary Shakespearean actor in action. But his very name creates in us a ripple of inexplicable pleasure. I wonder how many ofus had opportunities ofseeingthe Dying Swanof Anna Pavlova. Yet the mention of Pavlova brings into mind that incomparable ballerina's exquisite delicacy and imaginative interpretation. We have heard of Sarah Bernhardt. Many of us have yearned to See her in action although she belonged to a previous generation. To the aging generation of today, mention Kathakali Theatre and Guru Kunju Kurup looms before you. For Kurup was everything great and noble, tender and beautiful in Kathakali.

In the history of Kathakali there have been hundreds of notable artis­ tes-actors, musicians and percussionists alike. Among them only a few names have stayed fresh in the memory of centuries. Vettathu Sankaran Nayar, Nalan Unni, Eachara PiIIaiVicharippukar, Kunchu Kartha, Kesava Kurup, Thottam Sankaran Namboodiri, Thakazhi Kochu Neelakanta Pillai, Kavingal Sankara Panikkar, Mathur Kunju PiIlai Panikkar and Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon among actors; Neelakantan Narnbissan, Nemmara Madhava Menon and Venkatakrishna Bhagavathar among musicians; Moothamana Namboodiri on the chenda and Venkichan Pattar with his maddalam constitute'this galaxy. Each one was great in his own way. Kunchu Kurup was not only a gem amongst them, his lustre was indeed far more glittering than most of these great ones.

We have no doubt an advantage relating to Kurup. We have seen

Delivered as a talk on the occasion of the Comemmorative meeting held on April 23, 1973 by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi. SANGEET NATAK 48

him, we have seen him many times though not enough. We have Seen only a few ofthe others and that too nearer the evening oftheir careers. It may be that we are a bit partial to the Kurup we have known than to the others of whom we have only heard. That is but natural.

Kurup was born in 1881 in Thakazhi in the erstwhile Travancore State of Kerala. Thakazhi was indeed the cradle of many an artiste and litera­ tteur of Kerala. Thakazhi had its own traditions of Kathakali, Guru Sankaran Namboodiri, Panchali Kaimal and Kochu Neelakanta PiIIai were some of the great sons of Thakazhi. Great teachers like Velu PiIIai and Bhiman Kesava Panicker had given a stature to the kalaries ofThakazhi to attract pupils from far and near. Thullal, the unique folk art form of Kerala was very popular at that time. Children were easily attracted to it. Young Kunju also took to it with glee. Bu he soon feIt that his future lay in something more rewarding., something greater. Kathakali capti­ vated him.

At that time there were two famous brothers, Kochappi Panicker and Rama Panicker who ran the most well-known kalari ofthe time at Kurichi. At the age of twelve, Kurup started his first lessons under their exacting direction. Two years later he returned to Thakazhi and continued his training under Champakkulam Sanku Pillai, an eminent teacher. At that time Mathur Kunju PiIIai Panicker who had really lifted Poet Va.Ilatholoff his feet and taken him into the inexplicable realms ofthe Kathakali Theatre was running his own Yogam-(the name given to a Kathakali troupe or company). At the age of seventeen, Kurup was admitted as a member ofthis troupe. Tradition held that a youngster usually took roles ofminor and female characters. Kurup's feminine roles were quite popular. He did not, however, take much time to graduate into major roles. He no doubt had the rare opportunity to work under the discerning eye of Kunju Pillai Panicker and draw inspiration from him.

When he was twentyone he had occasion to participate in performances in a number ofplaces in the Malabar region when a troupe led by a famous artiste, Thiruvalla Kunju Pillai toured that area. At that time Manthreda­ thu Namboodiripad spotted Kurup and S2.W in him the promise of the future. Very soon Kurup came back to Narnboodiripad. In those days, a Kathakali artiste needed a patron. The Maharajas of Travancore and Cochin usually extended such patronage. Some leading Namboodiri houses also did so. The real turning point in Kurup's life was when he came under the tutelage of Mandredath Namboodripad. That was in 1903. He had opportunities to get acquainted with the Kalluvazhi school of Kathakali­ The Namboodiripad was a scholar in Sanskrit and drama. His associa­ tion helped Kurup to enlarge his intellectual horizon and imagination. Kurup's amazing knowledge of the Puranas must have derived from this association. 49 KUNJU KURUP

From that time Kurup rose in stature and popularity every day. Very soon he was dominating the Kathakali Theatre particularly in the Malabar region. At that time the doyen of the Kathakali Theatre was Mathur Kunju Pillai Panicker who was the inspiration behind some of the famous roles of Kurup like Bahuka in Nalacharita, Dharmaputra in Kirmeera vadlia, Arjuna in both Kalakeya Vadha and Subhadraliarana, the Brahmana in Rukmini Swayamvara and King Rukmangada, After the death of Kunju Pillai Panicker in 1929, Kurup was the undisputed monarch of the Katha­ kali Theatre. He continued to hold sway till the early sixties after which he was too old to be active on the stage.

In Kathakali, heroic roles are either paella (heroic) or kathi (bearded) In both Kurup was inimitable. Physically he was ideally built for such roles. His face, particularly in paeha looked extraordinarily charming and effective. He was a very cultured man. Discretion was a strong point with him. Naturally, his performance reflected these qualities and elevated them to a state ofrare aesthetic nobility and brilliance. Even in love scenes where Kathakali literature often transcends the bounds of decency as for instance, where Ravana ravishes Rambha or Kichaka chases Draupadi, Kurup's performances have been unique for their dignity and aesthetic content. He was an example to others in observing the prescribed sthayi bhava without fail. He was indeed a true artiste who made the very stylisa­ tion ofKathakali smooth and elegant surpassing on occasion, the standards of stalwarts like Kunju Pillai Panicker.

When Kurup was on the stage all eyes were on his face. No one looked at his step. Even in the elaborate astakalasa, it was Kurup's face that captivated you. Indeed his face was a veritable stage. He could play any role with distinction. I have seen him in almost all costumes except Red Tali.

I have seen Kurup in action on countless occasions in different roles. Thosethat stand out in my memory are Kuchela (Sudama), Purooravas in Urvasi Sundara Brahmana, the messenger oflove in Rukmini Swa}omrara and Ravana when he hears of his son's resounding victory over Indra. It wasin the mid-thirties. Prof. Krishnan Tampi was visiting the Kalaman­ dalam, Poet Vallathol had arranged for a performance of Tampi's exqui­ siteplay Urvasi. Preparations for the play had begun under the Mahakavi's direction a few days earlier. Kalamandalam Krishnan Nayar who owes his skilland charm to Kurup was then in his teens playing feminine roles with rare excellence. He was slated for Urvasi's role. It was after lunch that We saw Kurup arriving at the Kalamandalam. The Mahakavi called him and told him that he was to take the role of Purooravas that evening and handed him a copy ofthe book. It was only then that we knew that Kurup himselfhad never read the play before! We were all intrigued as to how he could do justice to the role for which he had no prep aration at all. SANGEET NATAK 50 Dinner over, the crowd had assembled. News had gone round that Kurup had come and that he was going to play Purooravas in a new play. The place was packed. Namboodiri connoisseurs had monopolised the front rows. The preliminaries over, the play began.

On the stage we saw Kurup, the incomparable creative genius, as Purooravas, mad in his infatuation, chasing flowers and tendrils, shadows and birds, seeking Urvasi everywhere and in everything as though in a state of intoxication or hallucination. The scene, one ofhis best ever, has always raised nostalgic memories.

On another occasion, it was Ravana. News ofhis son Indrajit's victory over Indra has just come in. In his exultation he proceeds to his wife Mandodari's quarters to convey the great news. The proud father, the mischievous husband, the arrogant King, the gay abandon ofa child who gets the most sought after toy, the jubiliation of his army, the despon­ dency of the gods and ever so many things that crowded into Ravana's thoughts as displayed by Kurup inspired the Mahakavi to compose over­ night one of his very famous poems.

Kurup's Bahuka in Nala Charita is acclaimed as one of his best roles. According to him, he was following the pattern set for that role by Kunju PiIIai Panicker. But there were occasions when he made it delectably different by introducing his own innovations.

Give him the most insignificant role in a play, Kurup made it the most important one. His Kripacharya in Uttara Swayamvaram where the character has no more than five minutes in just one scene converted it over­ night into a role fit for veterans.

In North Kerala it was Kurup who introduced episodes from Nala­ charita not performed earlier and also Rukmangadacharita, They became so popular that whenever there was a performance one was sure to see Kurup as either Nala or Rukmangada,

Kurup had an ability rarely Seen in many others. He could effectively express an idea in much shorter time and with much greater charm than others could do. Once I asked him what the secret was. He said that when he was a boy he had devoted some time to learn the technique of Thullal which was faster in gestures and briefer in putting an idea across. Compared to other artistes, his gestural vocabulary (mudras) was also very much richer.

Mahakavi Vallathol and Mukunda Raja in their efforts to set uP.the Kalamandalam had devised various ways to collect funds. At that time, no one had ever heard of a Kathakali performance with tickets. Kurup's 51 KUNJU KURUP name was such a draw that they dared to put on a number of shows and succeeded in 1924-25. Ticket sales were surprisingly brisk for them. Kurup was at his zenith. And he stayed there for decades.

When the Mahakavi set up the Kalamandalam, it was Kurup whom he selected as the Chief Instructor there. The first batch of his students in­ cluded Gopinath, Kelu, Sivaraman, Madhavan and Krishnan Nayar, Of these Krishnan Nayar alone steadfastly stayed with the Kathakali Theatre. Kurup's students include some famous names like Ram Gopal, Mrinalini Sarabhai, Ragini Devi and Menaka.

The core of Kathakali Theatre is abhinaya-i-abhinaya in all its aspects, delineations and nuances. Kurup was indeed the master ofabhinaya. His' ouchitya or aesthetic discretion was unparalleled. While playing Bahuka by the side of Ritu Parna, the latter, a role usually taken by a junior actor, Kurup always maintained the subordinate position while many others often put on a different air altogether. Kurup's ability lay in maintaining the true character of the role without projecting his individual stature through it. Another notable instance of his remarkable performance is the portrayal of Brahannala in Uttara Swayamvara where he never over­ stepped the limits of courtesy to the cowardly prince.

He never stayed on the stage a second more than was necessary. When he left the stage, the audience always felt that he should have stayed a little longer.

Kurup has been honoured in his life time with the highest of awards available to an artiste in this country. Yet he continued to be humble, ready to learn something new every time. Temperate in habits, helpful to his juniors and patient with ill-informed critics, he was indeed a father figure of the Kathakoli Theatre. When I called on him on his satabhishekam, i.e. the eightyfourth birthday at his house in Kottai near Palghat he was reminiscent of his younger days when many a Kathakali artiste had to live in penury. Things had changed very much since the fiftiesand he was happy that the artistes were far better off. His fear h~w­ ever was two-fold. Firstly these poor fellows did not have the education or cleverness to dodge the ineometax .inspectors! Second, affluence could lead to dilution of the rigours of training. Modern audiences wanted ~o See only mini-performances. Well-fed young men may not therefore strain enough to master the complete technique and acquire composite skills.

Basically, Krup's training was entirely in the Thakazhi style-the South Kerala school. His teacher Sanku Pillai was no giant. But Kurup's talent was such that he could be on his own and evolve his own personal stYle based on observation discussion and effort. He could effortlessly dominate the North Kerala stage in spite of the general feeling in that Lam:r" SAlIm NATAK AKAOU. SANGEET NATAK 52 region that the Kalluvazhi style i.e. the North Kerala school was superior to the southern style. He did so without bravado. He did so by com. petence, imagination, rasa mastery and aesthetic discretion.

Under Kurup's direction an authoritative bookon Kathakali mudras was written by the late Prof. Gopalakrishnan in 1936.

Kurup lived to the ripe age of 93. Towards the last few years be was physically weak and could not move about. But his mind was alert and his reservoir of anecdotes never dry. One could sit by his side for hours and listen to him recounting his past, a past studded with artistic con­ quests, creative challenges, abundant popular acclaim and a personal sense of fulfilment.

Kunchu Kurup will live in the annals of the Kathakali Theatre as one ofits most precious jewels with a rare glitter. He not only preserved the traditions of this great theatre unsullied, but augmented them, enhanced them, glorified them and sublimated them.

M, K.K. NA YAR-has been closely connected with the work of Kerala Kalamatr dalam,. r.~d was its Chairman uptil 1971. At present he is Joint Secretary, Planning Commission, Government of India. (see Sangeet Natak-2) THE DIVINE ACTOR

Personal reminiscences

T.M.B. Nedungadi

Guru Kunju Kurup, the venerable Veteran of the Kathakali stage, was an actor of rare calibre whose presentation of abhinaya (the quintes­ sence of Indian histrionics) has never been surpassed in living memory. With his demise, the last link with a generation that lived at the most cri­ tical period in the history of Kathakali is gone-the most precious link, one should say. This loss is sure to make any Kathakali lover ponder with sad and nostalgic memories ofa great actor ofwhom it had often been said "when this man is on the stage, acting becomes divine".

The first time I saw Guru Kunju Kurup was in the early thirties when the Kerala Kalamandalam was just taking shape under the tutelage of Mahakavi Vallathol. The first public performance by the Kalamandalam Kathakali Troupe was in Calicut, my home town. I had just been in­ troduced to this great art full ofvariety and mystery. Its technical intrica­ cies were then very much beyond me. All the same, I can still remember how I was kept enthralled by Kunju Kurup who was then playing the role of Bhima in Kalyanasougandhika. Since then I had the good fortune of witnessing most of the major roles played by the great Master; and al­ though they were all uniformly good, there are some which stand out in my memory by their excellence.

The first in the panorama is the role of Rugmangada, the King who is bound by his promise to kill his own beloved son, a tragic role evoking the ultimate in pathos. Many a time have I seep this role being enacted by actors. But no one Rugmangada was exactly like the other; although the pathos that was created was of the same level. From an actor of Kurup's calibre, this comes as no surprise. However, a technical explanation from the artist himself will be of educative interest to art lovers. Some SANGEET NATAK 54

of us, his admirers-used to crowd around him and ask him questions about the various rasa-abhinaya techniques. We asked him why Rug­ mangada, if he was such an ideal King, fell for Mohini, who came from nowhere in the middle of a forest. Then he explained certain rudiments of Natya; as to how the background for "desire" has to be a starting point, how the desire gives rise to disappointment and how that ultimately gets transformed into either pathos-as in the case of satvic personalities-or roudra, anger, as in the case of rajasic or tamasic personalities. Then he asked us to watch his Rugmangada which was being enacted that day in one of the major performances of Kalamandalam. At the first sight of Mohini, Kurup's Rugrnangada started registering his feeling of attrac­ tion for the beautiful damsel. The first deviation came when he started with "this must be a divine creation; otherwise normally personalities like mine don't get so easily attracted." Then cogitating on it, be enacted the sloka in Kalidasa's Shakuntalam, wherein Dushyanta states that "in matters of doubt the promptings of a satvic mind register correctly and can be assumed to be the correct course." To see the poetic genius ofKali· dasa thus being transferred to the world of histrionics was a rare ex­ perience. Guru Kunju Kurup was mainly responsible for popularising the Kathakali version of Rungmangadacharita in middle and north Kerala where till then it was rarely enacted.

Another masterpiece of this veteran actor was his delineation of the role of Keechaka. The scene where Keechaka, basely motivated by sheer lust, tries to seduce Droupadi (Sairandhri) can easily deteriorate into vulgarity. How to act sensousness without vulgarity is a point which has yet to be studied by many of the present-day actors including some of the most successful amongst them. The dignified manner in which Kurup did it will ever remain fresh in my memory. His suggestive glances and subtle moments were much more powerful than all the confusion that is usually created on the scene by present-day actors-no kicks, no need of making 'Sairandhri' act like a frightened but half permissive female and nothing that makes a connoisseur feel repulsed. The ability to differentiate between Ravana's desire for Rambha and Keechaka's lust for Sairandhri is a sort of touchstone to test the Kathakali actor. Kunju Kurup could with ease bring out the distinction between the arrogant, haughty, love of Ravana and the contemptuous lust of Keechaka, the debauch.

Yet another of Kurup's roles which stands out in my memory is that of Sri Rama in Uthararamachcritha, in a scene (descriptive) where Sri Rama takes Sit" around the Palace gardens. Sita is with child and her Lord wants to make her happy. The particular occasion was an evening of Kathakali in the Kalarnandalam when some dignitaries and some dis­ tinguished foreigners were present. Poet Vallathol who wished that his Kathakali should be appreciated by the distinguished audience had given written instructions as to what each actor should portray. The script 55 THE DIVINE ACTOR that was given to Kurup was somehow lost. When the actual performance started Kurup began to improvise and to describe the beautiful garden. He as Sri Rarna addressed Sita thus: "Do you know why this cool and scented breeze is wafting by? It is already practising how to fondle the curls on the sweet face of the baby Prince who is going to be born to you! The flowers are vying with each other to be similar in sweetness with the charming face of the Prince to be born. The few jasmine flowers (they are few because summer is past and spring has just arrived) are trying to enact the smile of the baby Prince with two or three freshly cut teeth!" Thus Kurup went on. Every item described was connected with the child that was going to be born to the Queen. In the end Sri Rama said, "You know, darkness is descending on the sweet and pleasant garden. Let us retire. Darkness ofthe future should not frighten our darling who is within you." Was it not a portent of the future? a foreboding of things to come? I remember how excited the poet was and how he cheered loudy and said, "Poets like us should consider ourselves fortunate that Kurup has not started writing poetry."

These three particular roles have been specially mentioned by me because Natyacharya Kunju Kurup is too well known for his portrayal of Sudama, the devout boyhood companion of Lord Krishna, Sundara Brahmana the highly cultured, elderly and effectionate well-wisher who is smooth suave and wordly wise or the famous roles of Nala and Bahuka. The present day Nalas and Bahukas are indeed modelled upon the roles portrayed by Kunchu Kurup about fifty years ago. As Sudama, Kurup's emphasis was more on his absolute dedication to prayer and surrender to the Lord than on his poverty. Without the assistance of the usual elaborateness of Kathakali make-up and costume and without any vigorous foot-movements he could capture the rapt attention of his audience by virtue of his superb histrionics. The main characteristic of Kurup's acting was his dignity and superb control ofhimself. He was never blatant or cheap. He would never sacrifice the traditional norms of Kathakali aesthetics in order to win popularity. This has made him a truly revered acharya,

While appraising and appreciating the histrionic mastery of Guru Kunchu Kurup we should not forget to recall the active roll he played in reviving the art of Kathakali. If Kalamandalam has proved successful and if the dreams of Mahakavi Vallathol have been at least partially ful­ filled, I can with confidence say that the utmost cooperation rendered by Kunchu Kurup has made these possible. Cooperation. Yes, because he wanted an institution that would create aesthetic appreciation in the Kerala people. Close contact between the actor and the audience espe­ cially the younger generation was a prerequisite for such appreciation. It was here that Kurup stood out from other veterans. He always too~ delight in holding discussions regarding the various aspects of Kathakali SANGEET NATAK S6 with the then growing generation. It is out of such meetings that a love and reverence for the art is generated. I have been fortunate to have some such enjoyable moments and reminiscences of these make me both humble and grateful to the acharya that he himself made me and others like me true devotees of Kathakali.

Kunchu Kurup's genius for the noble art of Natya may seem unac­ countable to many of us. But he himself had a simple explanation for it. He reminded us of an incident which took place some fifty years ago. I am giving below the incident as recorded by an eminent critic to whom Kunchu Kurup had narrated the incident:

"It happened one evening at the Azvancheri Mana-a famous Nam­ boodiri household-where the play fixed for the evening was the one about King Nala and his brother Pushkara. They were enacting the episode of Pushkara defeating his brother and banishing him from the kingdom.

"Kurup as King Nala had finished the early sequences and retired to a lonely spot near the green room. Pushkara was on the stage, Mappat Kanda Kurup doing the role. He excelled himself as Pushkara and the impressionable audience started muttering 'Pushkara holds the stage. Nala need not return now'.

"Among the audience was a Brahmin-Edamana Namboodiri-an ardent fan of Kunchu Kurup. He could not bear to see the turn ofevents, so unfavourable to his favourite. He went round to the green room and spotted his hero standing alone, unaware of all that was happening on the stage. Even when the Namboodiri acquainted him with the doings of Pushkara, his hero stood helpless. Suddenly the Brahmin said in a deter­ mined tone: "Don't you worry Kunchu. I wilI fix it all right"; and went away to return a few minutes later completely drenched after a dip in a nearby tank. He had sacred ash ivibhuti) in his hand. He stood proud and erect, facing Kurup, prayed from the bottom of his heart and sprinkled the sacred ash on Kurup's head. Kurup could only see that the Namboo­ diri was trembling. Kurup felt a new throb of life pulsating through his veins. He forgot his surroundings. He forgot himself. Like one possessed he made a dash for the stage and stole the thunder from his rival. Ever since, confessed Kurup, the same divine thrill ran through hi~ whenever he donned his costume and entered the stage to the accompam­ ment ofthe inciting drum-beats and the irresistible music".

T.M.B. NEDUNGADI has long been associated with Kathakali as a connoiseur, writer and patron. He has worked in close collaboration with several leading figures of the Kathakali stage. He retired recently as Joint Chief Controller of Imports and Exports. Govt, of India. Llbril17 IAIIm' NATAK AKADE.' - •••• "AA.A. Registered with the Registrar of News­ papers in India under No. R.N. 12760/65