New Delhi, August 16: Pandit Jasraj was born on January 28, 1930, in the village of Pili Mandori, Haryana, into a family dedicated to music for four generations. However, tragedy struck early in his life when his father, Pandit Motiram, passed away on April 24, 1934, when Jasraj was just four years old.
Without his father’s guidance, he began his musical training under the tutelage of his elder brothers, Pandit Maniram and Pandit Pratap Narayan, focusing on the Mewati gharana. To hone his craft, he practiced for up to 14 hours daily. During this period, he beautifully blended ‘bhav’ (emotion) and ‘bhakti’ (devotion) in his singing, which later became his hallmark.
In his youth, he traveled to Sanand, Gujarat, where he met Maharaj Jaywant Singh Waghela, who further refined his musical knowledge. A significant turning point in Pandit Jasraj’s career occurred in 1952 when, at the age of 22, he performed at the court of King Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah in Kathmandu. On that historic day, his rendition of ‘Raag Multani’ delighted the king, who awarded him 5,000 gold coins. In an interview, Jasraj recalled being overwhelmed by such a grand gesture.
His singing had a magical allure that captivated both nature and wildlife.
In music, ‘sade teen saptak’ refers to the total range of a singer or instrumentalist, encompassing three full octaves (mandra, madhya, and taar) and half of the fourth (ati taar or ati mandra), totaling 42 notes. This expansive range is considered extraordinary.
It is said that in 1996, at the Sankat Mochan Temple in Varanasi, while singing ‘Raag Todi’ before an audience of over 5,000, a deer approached the stage, mesmerized by his performance.
Pandit Jasraj’s artistry transcended mere musical grammar. Despite his roots in the Mewati gharana, he innovatively incorporated ‘kan-gayaki’ and meend in his singing, enriching the definition of classical music with more melody and emotion.
He introduced several innovations in music. The Jasrangi jugalbandi, based on ancient moorchhana, features male and female singers performing different ragas like Nat Bhairav and Madhuwanti together. This technique preserves the natural pitch of the voice and embodies the essence of Shiva and Shakti. He also brought ‘Haveli Sangeet’ from temples to global platforms, making it a popular semi-classical genre. His ‘kan-gayaki’ and meend-centric style infused Sufi and devotional elements, making khayal singing more emotional, accessible, and spiritual for audiences.
With a profound understanding of scriptures and ragas, he also enchanted the Indian cinema with his voice. He sang ‘Vandana Karo Archana Karo Raag,’ based on ‘Raag Ahir Bhairav,’ in V. Shantaram’s film ‘Ladki Sahyadri Ki’ (1966), which starred his wife, Madhura Shantaram. He collaborated with Pandit Bhimsen Joshi in ‘Birbal My Brother’ (1973) and lent his voice to songs in modern films like ‘1920’ (2008) and ‘Life of Pi’ (2012).
Recognized for his efforts to popularize classical music, Pandit Jasraj received several prestigious awards, including the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2000, India’s second-highest civilian honor. The International Astronomical Union honored him by naming an asteroid discovered between Mars and Jupiter ‘Pandit Jasraj’ on November 11, 2006. This celestial body, officially numbered 300128, reflects his birth date in reverse order (28/01/30). With this honor, he became the first Indian musician to join the elite club of global legends like Mozart and Beethoven.
In memory of his father and brother, he initiated the Pandit Motiram Pandit Maniram Sangeet Samaroh, held annually on November 30 at the Chowmohalla Palace in Hyderabad. Until his last moments, even during the COVID-19 lockdown, he continued to teach music online to his students in America.
He passed away on August 17, 2020, in New Jersey, USA. His body was cremated with full state honors in Mumbai. To preserve his remarkable legacy and elevate Indian music on the global stage, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the ‘Pandit Jasraj Cultural Foundation’ on January 28, 2022, to commemorate his 92nd birth anniversary.
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