The maestro and his musicality
A literary tribute to the music maestro, the biography ‘Pandit Bhimsen Joshi’ by Kasturi Paigude Rane takes readers on a melodious journey through the life and legacy of the legendary vocalist
His soulful music, gentle yet stentorian voice, and monumental style not only enthralled millions of admirers worldwide, but also made a mark on a dynamic generation of India’s classical vocalists. Authored by Kasturi Paigude Rane, eminent Indian classical vocalist and academician, ‘Pandit Bhimsen Joshi: Celebrating his Centenary’ published by Publications Division, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, portrays the life and works of the legendary Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, and his magical journey of riyaaz and devotion.
The book is more than a biography; it is a literary tribute that takes us through the arduous journey of Pandit Bhimsen Joshi’s life, the first Hindustani vocalist to have received the nation’s highest honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 2008. We also get to delve into the story of how he ran away from home as a young boy who had just felt his inner call, his expedition to north India in frantic search of a guru, and his music training that followed thereafter. It showcases his uniqueness as a musician, and how he enthralled the world for more than seven decades. It portrays how the maestro was instrumental in shaping one of the biggest music festivals in India – the Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav.
Kasturi Paigude Rane has vividly detailed about Pandit Joshi’s life in seventeen chapters, and why his music continues to thrive even after so many years of his passing away in 2011. The Publications Division of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting published this book in 2021 as a tribute to Pandit Bhimsen Joshi on his birth centenary in February 2022.
In the author’s words – “One of the most intelligent minds of his time, Pandit Joshi was one of India’s most cherished music personalities of the 20th century; he had an unparalleled aesthetic perspective and he was the busiest performing musician amongst all his contemporaries…”
About the author
Rane completed her MA and PhD in music from Lalit Kala Kendra, and was a recipient of Junior Fellowship for research awarded by the Ministry of Culture. Besides her performances in India, she has also performed in parts of the USA, UK and Europe, and had been an active member of the Governing Council of South Central Zone Cultural Centre under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. She is currently a faculty of music at Lalit Kala Kendra, Savitribai Phule Pune University, and FLAME University, Pune.
Views expressed are personal
