Glowing tributes paid to Pandit Bhimsen Joshi in Bangalore

The Ravindra Kalakshetra auditorium resonated with Pandit Bhimsen Joshi’s music, sung by his disciple Pandit Anant Therdal and party. The Sunday evening tribute, organised by the Kannada and culture department, had a number of renowned musicians reminiscing the maestro and his music.

Kannada and culture minister Govind Karjol said the country had lost a gifted musician, whose versatility ranged from classical to contemporary to cinema. “He has the same calibre as Tansen, Thyagraja and Beethoven,” Karjol said, adding that  it was well known that music healed both body and mind, especially if it was as divine as Pandit Joshi’s.

Well-known veena player Mysore V Subramanya said, “Although we knew that Pandit Joshi was ailing for some time, we were not ready to lose him.”