Tabla Rare Composition Of The Great Masters

आमुख

नमस्कार दोस्तों,

अपनी नयी पुस्तक, नयी कृति के साथ एक बार पुनः आपकी सेवा में सविनय उपस्थित हूं।

I believe that Artistes live through their works. Their art and creations keep their memories fresh, making them immortal. The freedom fighter-poet Ram Prasad Bismil once wrote:

शहीदों की चिताओं पर लगेंगे हर बरस मेले,

वतन पर मरने वालों का यही बाकी निशां होगा।

But those who dedicate their lives to art are not remembered just once a year. Whenever their work is appreciated, they are appreciated, remembered and honoured. This book is a tribute to those great Tabla maestros whose wonderful compositions fill its pages.

Dear reader, I am delighted to present this compilation of Tabla compositions, which were created by some of the finest Tabla players. The tendency of hedging and withholding knowledge has been one of the greatest misfortunes of Indian music. As a result, many brilliant compositions have died along with their composers. Unfortunately, these musicians did not believe in teaching their music to others, and left their legacies only with their kin.

Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande was probably the first luminary to preserve and propagate India’s pristine musical heritage. He accepted the tutelage of well-known teachers, learnt at their feet by paying whatever amount was demanded of him and accepting all their preconditions. Then, he made all his hard-earned musical knowledge public for the benefit of the students. Though, it is often said in musical circles that many musicians short changed Pandit Bhatkhande. The travesty of honesty notwithstanding, Pandit Bhatkhande remained true to his mission. A highly educated and well-established barrister of his time, Pandit Bhatkhande could have lived a luxurious life. He, however, chose to tread on the musical path where there were more thorns than flowers. He is therefore worshipped like a messiah in the world of Indian classical music today. No wonder, very few barristers enjoy the love and respect that Pandit Bhatkhande commands even today. His pious work was furthered by Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar and his disciples, specially Pandit Vinayak Rao Patwardhan and Pandit Omkarnath Thakur.

I was blessed to have been born in a family that has a legacy of music, and was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to wipe the shoes of many a great musician. I showed off their shoe- dust, which shone on my forehead like sandalwood paste. Because of their friendship with my father and guru, Tabla Shiromani Pandit Gama Maharaj, I had the opportunity to be close to these stalwarts. Those childhood memories are vivid even today. My father was a great musician. Though ill health kept him from becoming achieving fame, the musical world recognized his talent. Stalwarts like Pandit Anokhe Lal, Pandit Samta Prasad (Gudai Maharaj) and Pandit Kishan Maharaj used to respectfully touch his feet as he was both an elder and a knowledgeable person. Samta Prasad had learnt many things from him and had his son, Pandit Kumar Lal’s ganda bandhan was done by my father, as he was a scion of the guru gharana.

कितने हसीन लोग थे जो मिलके एक बार ।

आँखों में ज़ज्ब हो गये, दिल में समा गये ।

लेकिन, 16 जनवरी 1974 को जैसे ही बाबूजी (पं. गामा महाराज) का निधन हुआ स्थिति एकदम से बदल गई। संगीतकारों की संकीर्ण मनोवृतियों का अनुभव मुझे सर्वप्रथम अपने ही घर में हुआ। जब मेरे अपनों द्वारा ही मेरे और मेरे छोटे भाइयों के लिए संगीत शिक्षा का द्वार बंद कर दिया गया ।

नतीजा यह हुआ कि हम सबके जीवन की दिशा ही बदल गई। खैर। यह उनकी सोच थी। मेरी शुभकामनायें उनके परिजनों के साथ है। मैं उनके साथ हूँ। मेरी इच्छा सिर्फ यही है कि वे रचनायें जीवित रहें-मेरे पास नहीं तो उनके पास ही सही। स्व. दुष्यंत कुमार की कुछ पंक्तियां याद आ रहीं हैं- हो गई है पीर पर्वत सी, पिघलनी चाहिये ।

इस हिमालय से कोई गंगा निकलनी चाहिये ।

मेरे सीने में नहीं तो तेरे सीने में सही।

हो कहीं भी आग लेकिन आग जलनी चाहिये ।

Of course, the flame should not burn people’s aspiration to ashes. It should light the lamp that dispels darkness and ignorance of the mind.

After the publication of my books, especially Tabla Puran and Manke: Bhav, Sur Lay ke, I began receiving requests from young Tabla players and learners to write a book based on the practical aspects of Tabla, and its compositions. I ardently believe that the technique of Tabla playing can only be learnt from a true guru. It cannot be fully mastered by reading books. This is because it is impossible to codify everything in language. Every syllable, every composition has its own wazan (intensity of stroke), which cannot be expressed by any form of notation.

However, I also believe that whatever little knowledge I have is not mine alone; it belongs to the people, the musical fraternity, and those who appreciate art. Unlike wealth, knowledge has no material worth. So, to abide by the command of the people, I began to write this book.

When I was a student of music some fifty years ago, we did not have the luxury of writing down lessons in a notebook. Cassettes, tape recorders or other new age means of recording lessons were a far cry. I learnt through the traditional method of oral, face-to-face training. I have learnt all my music from my father. Since I had an immense yearning for learning, I received some guidance from friends. Later, to give this book a wholesome flavour, I received some material from scholarly Tabla players,

such as Prof. Sudhir Kumar Saxena, Pt. Sheetal Prasad Mishra, Pt. Sudhir Mainkar, Dr. Aaban Mistry, Prof. Mukund Bhale and Pt. Nayan Jyoti Ghosh etc.

ये रचनायें मुझे समृद्ध करती रहीं और मैं पूरे देश में स्थित विभिन्न विश्वविद्यालयों तथा शिक्षण संस्थाओं में घूम-घूमकर एक से अनेक दीप जलाता रहा। One day, after I had delivered a lecture on the various gharanas and baaj of Tabla at the Saptak School of Music, Ahmedabad, Hetal Mehta Joshi, the daughter of well-known Tabla player, Pt. Nandan Mehta, who is herself an accomplished Tabla player, touched my feet and said, “Uncle, you have a treasure trove of learning. One can only learn a part of what you have even if one dedicates an entire lifetime.” I felt ashamed at her words, as none of what I have is mine. I had no right to lay a claim on things that I have received as a legacy from my ancestors or as gifts from well wishers.

During another conversation, my good friend and the very knowledgeable music critic, Manjari Sinha, emotionally remarked that the Hindi music fraternity’s failure to recognize me was a matter of grave oversight. If my books were in English, I would have been catapulted me to stardom, she said, यह हिंदी संगीत जगत् का दुर्भाग्य है कि वह आपका सम्मान नहीं कर पाया। वरना आपकी किताबें अगर अंग्रेजी में होतीं तो आप अर्श पर होते फर्श पर नहीं ।

Padmabhushan Ustad Asad Ali Khan, too, had said that I write better than those who are associated with the English press. 3774 तो अंग्रेजी वालों से भी अच्छा लिखते हैं। फिर अंग्रेजी में ही क्यों नहीं लिखते हैं? I had then politely but firmly replied, खाँ साहब, आपको मेरा लेखन पसंद आया इसके लिए शुक्रिया। लेकिन, मैं यह निवेदन जरूर करना चाहता हूं कि अच्छा लिखने का ठेका सिर्फ अंग्रेजी वालों ने ही नहीं ले रखा है। और, बौद्धिकता किसी भाषा विशेष की जागीर नहीं होती। यह हमारे पतन का प्रतीक है कि अंग्रेजों को हराने के बाद भी अंग्रेजी से हम लगातार हारते जा रहें हैं।

Though I have great respect for English as a language, I would like to clarify that the bilingual treatment of this book is not to add any glory to me. Its primary purpose is to make the knowledge of Tabla accessible to those who are not familiar with Hindi. के उद्देश्य से नहीं, कुछ देने के उद्देश्य से इस पुस्तक का लेखन हुआ है।

All my publishers tell me that authors who live an extravagant life exist only in movies, not in real life. I am also aware that an author does not even recover the money he pays to a typist for typesetting the manuscript through the sale of his book. The wise, therefore, prefer to become typists rather than authors. Of course, as far as I am concerned, I would rather stay firmly grounded than fly fancifully.

your I would like to clarify a few things regarding the book in hands. First, the compositions documented herein have reached me orally. Therefore, there may be some differences due to differences in pronunciation. Such aberration is possible, because a Tabla player usually presents a composition in his or her own style, irrespective of the gharana to which the composition belongs. इसलिए त्रक का तिरकिट, तिट का तेटे या धड़गिन का धिनगिन हो जाना असंभव नहीं है। जिस तरह हिमालय से निकलकर बनारस तक पहुंचते-पहुंचते गंगा का स्वरूप काफी कुछ बदल जाता है, उसी तरह रचनायें भी सौ-पचास साल में काफी कुछ बदल जाती थीं- हैं। This is because these traditional compositions were never written on paper. The compositions of Haji Vilayat Ali, Ustad Salari Khan, Pandit Bhairo Sahay, Ustad Muneer Khan and Pandit Bikku Maharaj passed through innumerable hands, ears and mouths before reaching me. It is therefore probable that a few syllables have been replaced. Of course, I have honestly tried to test these compositions on the touchstone of my little knowledge to avoid errors. However, the onus of judging the success my efforts is now on you. थोड़ी मेहनत आप भी तो कीजिये ।

Through this book, I express my gratitude to the great masters who have left behind a legacy of such beautiful compositions, enriching the world of Tabla literature. I also thank those generous people who have shared with me priceless compositions. Thanks are also due to those who have selflessly contributed compositions with the sole objective of passing on knowledge to others.

एक प्रकार का प्रायश्चित भी है। हमारे कुछ संगीतकारों ने सांगीतिक बंदिशों केप्रति जो स्वार्थी भाव दिखाया, और संगीतार्थियों के प्रति जो अन्याय किया उस अन्याय प्रायश्चित का भी प्रयास है यह पुस्तक। दुनिया से विदा लेने की वेला में ऋण मुक्ति का भी एक छोटा-सा प्रयास है यह। I want to bequeath whatever I have learnt here to the people who live here. The rich leave a legacy of wealth, I am leaving a legacy of whatever little I know. यह बहुत बड़ी बात है कि जिसके पास इस धरती पर अपना एक छोटा- ना हो-उसे पूरी धरती, पूरा आसमान अपना लगे।

कौल यह मेरा नहीं, मेरे पीर का है। मेरा हर जख्म उनके तीर का घर महल कोठियां तो अमीरों के हैं। खुला आसमां सिर्फ-फकीर का है। झूठ को सच मैं कह नहीं सकता। यह फैसला मेरे ज़मीर का है।

The Tabla is gaining popularity all over the world and is today taught in many countries. Sadly, students are often exploited in the name of teaching. I was therefore receiving requests from many quarters to publish a book in English. I therefore decided to have this book published in both Hindi and English. The Publications Division of the Government of India is publishing another book of mine on Tabla in English-Art and Science of Tabla Playing.

This book has been translated by Debasish Chakraborty, while the responsibility of typing was shouldered by Kevalnand Kamal. Madhukar Narayan and Puneet Batra checked the proofs. I thank these individuals for their contributions. I am indebted to Tabla player Abhishek Mishra for reviewing the book, and pray that the almighty’s blessing be with him. Thanks are also due to Shri Madan Sachdeva of Kanishka Publishers and Distributors for taking interest in publishing this book.

I wholeheartedly believe that you will shower the same affection on this book as you have done for my other books, Antarnad: Sur Aur Saaz, Tabla Puran, Bharatiya Sangeet ke Naye Aayam, Manke: Bhav, Sur Lay ke and Art and Science of Tabla Playing. If you have missed reading any of these books, please do read it. You will feel good, and so will I. Your suggestions are most welcome.

Yours truly,

Vijay Shanker Misra