Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan pays tribute to the great singer who passed away on Tuesday.
It is very sad for the world of Indian classical music to have lost one of its great representatives. I have shared memorable moments with Gangubai Hangal at music festivals right from the 1970s.
Gangubai had invited me many times to perform at Hubli in Karnataka, where she used to stay. The place has produced great singers. I can’t but mention the name of her gurubhai Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, who, too, hails from this coastal belt.
It was a delight to watch Gangubai perform. She had old-world charm and carried the legacy of Ustad Abdul Karim Khan and Sawai Gandharva. Along with Karim Khan’s daughters Heerabai Barodekar (who lived in Pune) and Roshanara Begum (who migrated to Pakistan after marriage), she was an exponent of the Kirana gharana. Every singer of this gharana created a unique identity.
Gangubai, who developed a most appealing but powerful voice, endeared herself to music lovers all over the country. I was fortunate to have honoured her with the Haafiz Ali Khan Award in Mumbai in 1990. Incidentally, she shared the honour with DK Pattammal, the great singer from the south who passed away a week back. I was deeply saddened when nobody really cared about Pattammal’s death.
It is unfortunate that with the passing away of these luminaries, their seats in the classical world have become forever vacant. I pray to the almighty that Gangubai’s soul may rest in peace and may she continue to live forever through her music and her disciples.
I appeal to the state and central governments to reward great classical musicians during their prime and not when they are near retirement. The government rewards so many sportspersons and even Bollywood actors when they do well but sadly nobody cares about classical musicians. Reward them when they are young and they will find a greater urge to carry their music forward.
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