Pandit Jasraj
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| Pandit Jasraj | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | 28 January, 1930 |
| Origin | Hissar, Haryana, India |
| Genre(s) | Hindustani classical music, Mewati Gharana |
| Occupation(s) | Classical Vocalist |
| Years active | 1945 - present |
| Website | http://www.panditjasraj.com/ |
Pandit Jasraj (January 28, 1930) is a famous Indian Classical vocalist, and the foremost exponent of the Mewati Gharana in Hindustani classical music.
Jasraj and his wife Madhura (daughter of V. Shantaram), have a son, Sharang Dev, and a daughter, Durga Jasraj, a Bollywood actress. Music composers Jatin-Lalit are his nephews.
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[edit] Early life
Pandit Jasraj was born on 28 January 1930 in Hissar, Haryana to a musical family. [1] He was awarded the second highest civilian honour in India, the Padma Vibushan in 2000.
His family is well known for singing in the Mewati Gharana style. His father, Pandit Motiramji, died when Jasrajji was only four, on the very same day when he was going to be appointed as the state musician in the court of Last Nizam.
[edit] Career
He was initiated into vocal music by his father Pandit Motiramji. He received training from his elder brother, Pandit Maniramji, and later Maharaja Jaywant Singhji Waghela took him under his tutelage. He was also greatly influenced by the voice of the famous ghazal singer Begum Akhtar, after whom he decided to train in singing.
To supply additional means of livelihood, Maniramji took Jasraj as an accompanying tabla player. But at the age of 14, unhappy with the treatment of an accompanying artist, Jasraj left and vowed not to cut his hair until he had learned to sing.
Pandit Jasraj is blessed with a rich, soul stirring and sonorous voice, traversing effortlessly across all the three and a half octaves. His vocalizing in perfect diction, clarity and extreme melodiousness. He also did an extensive research in Haveli Sangeet.
Panditji's greatest contribution to Indian classical music is his conception of a unique and novel jugalbandhi, styled on the ancient system of moorchanas, between a male and a female vocalist, each singing in their respective scales and different ragas at the same time.
Often, it is said that great artists fail to pass on their craft to the next generation. However, Pandit Jasraj has a large number of students and has thus ensured longevity for his genre, and has Sanjeev Abhyankar as heir apparent of the Mewati Gharana. Sadhana Sargam, one of the most famous singers of Bollywood is among his disciples.
[edit] Honors
He is the recipient of many awards including Padma Vibhushan, Sangeet Martand, Sangeet Kala Ratna, Sangeet Natak Academy Award, Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskar, and Dinanath Mangeshkar Award. [2]
- Padma Vibhushan, (art-classical music-vocal) in 2000
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1987
- Sangeet Kala Ratna
- Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Award
- Lata Mangeshkar Puraskar
- Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskar
- Surer Guru
[edit] Discography
- Upasana (album) (2007)
- Tapasya (album) Vol. 1 (2005)
- Darbar (album) (2003)
- Maheshwara Mantra (2002)
- Soul Food (album) (2005)
- Jasraj,Pandit Vol. 2-Haveli Sangeet
- Inspiration (album) (2000)
- Ragas Triveni & Multani Live ()
- Ragas Bihada & Gaud Giri Malhar
- Worship By Music/Live Stuggart '88
- Ornamental Voice
