On the 5th of January 2006, Kashiram Hall in Ahmedabad was jam packed with an audience witnessing a gamut of maestros of Hindustani classical music gathered on stage along with Saptak pariwar to felicitate Tabla Samrat Padma Vibhushan Pt. Kishan Maharaj.
(L-R) Vidushi Manju Mehta, Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Pt. Rajan Mishra, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pt. Kishan Maharaj, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pt. Sajan Mishra
Of the dignitaries present was Ustad Zakir Hussain who was asked by Pt. Nandan Mehta to say a few words for Pt. Kishan Maharaj and Zakirbhai simply said,
“मुझे नंदनजीने कहा था कि, आप महाराजजी के लिए कुछ दो शब्द लिखकर ले आना बोलने के लिए....... मैं बैठा लिखने के लिये लेकिन .......... सोचा लिखुँ दो शब्द..........पर समझ में आया कि दो करोड़ शब्द भी कम पड़ेंगे। और मैं लिख कैसे सकता हूँ, एक संपूर्ण जो कलाकार होते हैं, गुरु होते है....जिनको देखकर लगता है कि, हाँ..... जब गुरु ब्रह्मा, गुरु विष्णु, गुरु महेश्वर जो हैं, वह साक्षात् रुप जिसमें हो सकता है..... वैसी एक हस्ती हमारे सामने है।”
It is true that words fall short to describe a larger than life figure like Pt. Kishan Maharaj but if one were to encompass his persona and artistry in a few words it would be – Flamboyant, Dignified, Forthright, Sensitive and Highly Intuitive.
Pt. Kishan Maharaj was born on 3rd September, 1923 in Banaras into a family of professional musicians. Coincidentally, it was Krishna Janmashtami and so he was named after the revered deity Lord Krishna. He was initially trained in classical music by his father, Pt. Hari Maharaj. After his father’s untimely demise, his training was taken over by his uncle, Pt. Kanthe Maharaj. In an interview with Pt. Rajan Mishra, Maharaj Ji throws some light on the kind of training he received.
"हमारा बड़ा सौभाग्य रहा कि उनके जैसे गुरु हमें मिले। उन्होंने हमें जब शिक्षा देना आरंभ किया तो सुनके ताज्जुब करोगे कि एक वर्ष तक हमें सीधा ताल उन्होंने कोई बजाने नहीं दिया। एक वर्ष तक जब बजवावे तो १९ मात्रा, १७ मात्रा, १५ मात्रा, १३ मात्रा, ११ मात्रा, ९ मात्रा, एक वर्ष तक हमें झपताल या त्रिताल या एकताल या ये सीधा ताल कोई हमें बजाने नहीं दिया, वक्री ताल वह बजवाते रहें फिर एक साल तक उन्होंने हमें नृत्य के साथ बजाने की शिक्षा दी। अपने पलंग पर बैठ के बिलकुल dancer का रोल अदा करते थें और हम उनके साथ नीचे बैठ कर चौकी पर उनकी संगत करते थे। इस तरीके से हमें विद्या सौभाग्य प्राप्त हुआ है।"
On asking about his Sadhana Pt. Kishan Maharaj told Pt. Rajan Mishra,
“ऐसा हुआ कि जिस वक़्त पाँच वर्ष कि अवस्था हमारी थी तो हमारे पिताजी ने हमसे तबला आरंभ कराया तो वो ‘धा धा ती ट धा धा तीं ना’ ये सब ना बता कर, हमें सबसे पहला टुकड़ा उन्होंने बताया,
धा श्रवण सुंदर नाम गणपति, ज्ञाननाथ गजाननम् ।
ध्रीक नगीन धेरत धा दीं धा कीटतकतीरकीट , लम्बोदर एकदन्त धा तिरकिट
कीटतक लम्बोदर एकदन्त धा (२)“
“गणेश जो हैं, यह वाद्य यन्त्र के महान देवता है और इनका उपासना किया जाए तो चर्मवाद्य में ज़रूर सिद्धि प्राप्त होगी, इस लिए हम सालों से ही गणेशजी के उपासक और माँ सरस्वती की आराधना और गुरु के चरणों की आराधना अभी तक हम करते आएं हैं। बजाने से पूर्व इन्हीं लोगों का ध्यान करके हम तिलक लगाते है, ये तिलक लगाने के बाद ही हमें लगता है कि हम तबला वादक हैं, इसके पहले तो हम अपने को एक बड़ा मामूली-सा समझते है, मगर ये टिका लगाने के बाद जैसे हमारी खोपड़ी जागृत हो जाती है, तब हम समझते हैं कि हाँ, हम तबला वादक है। .....बग़ैर देवी देवताओं, बड़ों के आशीर्वाद के, गुरु के आशीर्वाद के, किसीभी विद्या में सिद्धि प्राप्त नहीं होती है यह हमारा दृढ़ विश्वाश है।”
Pt. Kishan Maharaj’s unmatchable tone of tabla be it on किनार or मैदान, his mathematical acumen and command over the बायाँ or the bass drum made his style unique compared to others. After Maharaj Ji passed away, Pt. Shivkumar Sharma acknowledged the fact of his command over different rhythm cycles.
“Pt. Kishan Maharaj was one musician who had complete mastery over all the taals. So this is one incomparable diamond who is gone.”
He aggressively followed the Pakhawaj style of playing and therefore he also used to play many बोल or syllables with his full right hand on the treble drum. His थाप – a बोल played on the treble drum or दायाँ with full hand like that in pakhawaj, would overwhelm other artists on stage and audience and reverberate in the hall for long highlighting his presence.
He was a master of intuitive playing which was evident majorly in his accompaniments and in solo performances too. While accompanying instrumentalists he played considering the subtleties of the mood of the raag being performed, taal and temperament of the artist. He mentioned this in one of his performances at Saptak with Pt. Shivkumar Sharma in 2001.
“कलाकार को कितनी चीज़ों का माहौल देखना पड़ता है, जिस शांति से और जिस प्यार से आप लोग सुन रहें है और जिस प्यार से अभी शिवकुमार बजा रहे हैं, अब उसमें हम जो हड़कम तूफ़ानवाला टुकड़ा बजाना शुरू करें, तो कितना भद्दा लगेगा? मगर ये देखिए जैसे कोई दो शरीफ़ आदमी आपसमें बहस कर रहे हो….. यह वो बहस है……”
In his solo recitals he would replicate the आलाप , जोड़, झाला pattern played by instrumentalists to establish a raag through a specific piece called ‘चलनचारी’ which was spontaneously improvised on the stage. He revered the composition of the ancestors and presented them in his solos with utmost sincerity. With kathak dancers, he would pick up the compositions recited by the artists in a go and play them right away showcasing his acute presence of mind.
It is often difficult to find qualities required, both, to become a performer and a guru in one artist but Pt. Kishan Maharaj was an exception like few of his contemporaries. He was a task master who made no compromise while teaching his students and expected the same commitment from them. This is evident today from the number of shishyas who are performing globally and taking forward his legacy.
One of his prominent shishyas was Pt. Nandan Mehta, who till his last breath revered Maharaj Ji as his guru. He not only remained a devoted disciple all through his life but established the art of Banaras Gharana tabla and specifically the style of Pt. Kishan Maharaj through ‘Saptak School of Music’ he co-founded with others in Ahmedabad with utmost sincerity and dedication. During his speech on the occasion of his felicitation on 5th January 2006, Pt. Kishan Maharaj expressed his feelings for Nandan Ji in his own words,
“सबसे बड़ी ये बात है कि, हमारा शिष्य जो नंदन महेता है, इसने जो बड़ा काम किया है…वो एक चीज़ किया है की, पूरे गुजरात में हमारे तबले का ऐसा प्रचार करके रख दिया………… हमें पूर्ण विश्वाश है कि हमको नंदन मरने नहीं देगा।”
Saptak began its journey with the blessings of two giants of Indian Classical Music – Pt. Ravi Shankar and Pt. Kishan Maharaj in a concert organized at Jaishankar Sundari Hall, Ahmedabad on 17th November 1980. The concert lasted for about four hours and is still etched in the memory of many who attended it. From that very year, Maharaj Ji graced the annual festival with his presence every year. He would arrive early in Ahmedabad and stay at Nandan Ji’s home. He not only performed every year but attended all the programs of the festival.
His presence was a great source of encouragement for all the artists participating in the festival and also for students of Saptak School of Music. Many times he would perform with an intention to impart his knowledge with deserving students. In fact, in the early eighties when a few students performed a tabla trio in Taal Dhamaar in the Saptak Annual Music Festival, the very next day in a baithak organized at Nandan Ji’s home Maharaj Ji played a solo in Taal Dhamaar with an intention to teach Nandan Ji’s students the srinagar ras of Taal Dhamaar.
He was not only close to Nandan Ji but the entire Saptak Pariwar. The entire family shares a great bond with Saptak and its members till date. Nandan Ji was an elder brother to me and I have also taught at Saptak School of Music for many years.
.
Pt. Kishan Maharaj was recipient of many awards which includes the ‘Sangeet Natak Akademi Award’ in 1984, the ‘Padma Shri’ in 1973, and the ‘Padma Vibhushan’ in 2002 and Ustad Inayat Ali Khan award in 1986, Dinanath Mangeshkar Award to name a few.
Pt. Kishan Maharaj was a multi-faceted artist. He was not only a great tabla player but also an ace sculptor, painter and poet. He sculpted a life size statue of Lord Ganesh playing pakhawaj in his home and called it ‘Ganesh Kaksh’. Every time when he was asked to preside over the felicitation of any senior artist be it Ustad Ali Akbar Khansahab, Vidushi Kishori Amonkar or Pt. Birju Maharaj at the Saptak Annual Music Festival, he would write a special poem for them and recite it before the audience. One such poem which he wrote for Vidushi Kishori Amonkar on the occasion of her felicitation at Saptak Annual Music Festival, 1997 is transcribed below,
“कौन कहेगा ऐसी कलाकार को अबला (अबला बड़ी कमज़ोर को कहते है, जिसमे बल न हो)
हिरनी सी है पर करती शेरो पे हमला।
कौन कहेगा ऐसी कलाकार को अबला,
और हिरनी सी है पर करती शेरो पे हमला।।
अति सूंदर गाती हो ख्याल, छूटे लय नहीं छूटे ताल
अति सूंदर गाती हो ख्याल, छूटे लय नहीं छूटे ताल।
या हो तराना या हो त्रिवट सुन सुन श्रोता होत निहाल
पेच तान की ऐसे जैसे चमके चपला, कौन कहेगा ऐसी कलाकार को अबला।।
हिरनी सी है पर करती शेरो पे हमला….
स्वर पे है पूरा अधिकार, खडग टिप्र सब अप्रमपार
स्थायी अंतरा कहन पर गुनिजन भी हो जात निसार।
स्वर पे है पूरा अधिकार, खडग टिप्र सब अप्रमपार
स्थायी अंतरा कहन पर गुनिजन भी हो जात निसार,
शुद्ध पद्धति सुन कितने हो जाते पगला, कौन कहेगा ऐसी कलाकार को अबला।।
हिरनी सी है पर करती शेरो पे हमला….
जाल बड़ा सूंदर बुनती हो सांगत में गुणीजन चुनती हो
बन जाता माहोल कला की बारी बारी सबकी सुनती हो।
जाल बड़ा सूंदर बुनती हो सांगत में गुणीजन चुनती हो
बन जाता माहोल कला की बारी बारी सबकी सुनती हो,
फिर ऊपर से रखती हों नहले दहला, कौन कहेगा ऐसी कलाकार को अबला।।
हिरनी सी है पर करती शेरो पे हमला….
नाम किशोरी कला कठोर,नाम किशोरी कला कठोर, देती हो महफ़िल झगझोर,
सभी करेगा वन्स मोर तुजम बस इक बार लगा दो जोर।
गाना गाओ आप बजावे मालिक तबला, कौन कहेगा ऐसी कलाकार को अबला।।
हिरनी सी है पर करती शेरो पे हमला….”
In an earlier era when tabla players were not given their due importance when accompanying, Maharaj Ji was the one to earn respect for Tabla Players and establish them on equal footing with other forms of art such as Vocal, Instrumental Music and Dance. The tabla player as is seen today is greatly because of the herculean efforts of Pt. Kishan Maharaj.
A giant of a personality like Pt. Kishan Maharaj comes on this earth once in a millennium. He was an artist par excellence who commanded respect from his contemporaries, disciples and his audience equally. He had a larger than life image which made him stand out wherever he went. On the occasion of his birth centenary year Saptak Pariwar bows down to the legend who took the art of playing tabla to another level and changed the course of Indian Classical Music .
(Photo courtesy: Saptak Archives & Pt. Puran Maharaj) – Pt. Puran Maharaj