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| Edited By: |Source: PTI |Updated: Mar 12, 2010, 11:43 AM IST
Musical aspirants today want fame, glory and money in the shortest possible time, laments well known classical singer Girija Devi.
"Today youngsters are looking at achieving fame and money quickly", the 80-year-old Thumri (a common genre of semi-classical Indian music) queen, who has climbed up the
ladder of fame after years of hard work, said.
Unlike the past, where music was the single goal, today youngsters want to learn music, go out and work, play, spend time with their family and also earn money. "They want to do everything", the Padma Shri awardee told PTI.
She supposes the need for money is driving young music aspirants into doing so many things. "We lived on dal and roti, they want a pizza and Chinese (food)."
Bemoaning that the tradition of holding onto one's 'gharana' was soon losing out to youngsters wanting to try out all schools of music, she said, "Today there is mix of all music. Purity of gharana is only being upheld by a few from the older generations. Some like myself continue to uphold the style of our gharana and our singing", she said.
Mooting the idea that there should be a serious discussion on upholding a school of music, Girija said she had informally discussed with other great musicians that they should all converge at a place and take up the issue.
There should be some organised format whereby it should be made clear that students taken in as disciples by a certain guru of a gharana must ensure they follow its tradition and uphold it. "We need to seriously sit down and discuss the issue", she said.
The singer is however optimistic that her own students who have accepted her as their guru are bound to uphold her gharana.
"I am confident they will not let me down. They will continue with the tradition I have imparted. They will remain true to my gharana. But I am not sure what will happen with the generation following it", Girija said. Not really convinced about the theory of variety, she said in a single gharana there are so many varieties to learn "that it will take a lifetime to do so".
Disapproving of today's music TV reality shows, Girija said she did not approve of one person bagging the award and 20 others being turned down. "One wins and 20 are left behind in tears."
"A single singer walks home with a crore (of Rupees), which can be used to fund the scholarship of 20 others", she said. The role of the judge also has many loopholes. The judges' decision is superceded by the decision of the masses.
"Why do you call a judge to judge the show when the judge's decision is not respected in the first place", she said, adding that she had turned down offers to judge shows for the very same reason.
