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| Sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar and his daughter Anoushka Shankar performing at a live concert in year 2005. [PHOTO: Revanta Banerji/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0] |
Many
are recalling what he meant for the country and praising his contribution to
the Indian classical music. Born in Varanasi and spent his youth touring Europe and India with the dance group of
his brother Uday Shankar, Ravi Shankar was majesty of his own music
has been described as the best-known contemporary Indian musician and India’s
greatest cultural ambassador.
Sounds
from a plucked-string instrument or
multi-stringed instrument called the sitar helped Shankar captivate audiences
across the globe. At the same time, the celebrated composer and musician raised
India’s profile in Western countries. Lalit Mansingh, a former Indian
ambassador to the United States, says he projected the country on the global
stage in the 1960's and 70's when there were not too many people willing to bet
on India.
In 1938, Panditji gave
up dancing and decided to study sitar playing under the court musician
Allauddin Khan. After finishing his studies in 1944, Shankar worked
as a composer, creating the music for the Apu Trilogy by Satyajit Ray, and was
music director of All India Radio, New Delhi, from 1949 to 1956.
Fame
and glory
Received
rigorous and traditional training in India, Ravi Shankar began playing in the
West. But he broke the mold as he experimented with fusions of Indian themes
with Western classical and jazz styles. And as he played with top rock bands in
the West, he helped close the musical gap between distinct cultures.
As he
shot to fame in the West, he was showered with accolades at home. He was a
member of the Upper House of Parliament from 1986 to 1992. He was given India’s
top civilian award, the Bharat Ratna in 1999. Ravi Shankar composed the music
for India’s favorite patriotic song and the signature tunes of India’s state
owned broadcaster. He also composed some Bollywood film music.
But
more than anything, his huge international success helped shake the dust off
India’s 5,000-year-old heritage and classical art in the eyes of the
world.
Star
status
An
Indian playback singer, Babul Supriyo, says he gave rock star status to Indian
classical music.
“It
is the charisma, the fame, the aura that he brought into classical music that
is important for me," he says. "What Ravi Shankar did -- bring that
glamour aspect which was kind of missing. That flamboyance, that élan that Ravi
Shankar brought into classical music was one of the reasons why he got so well
accepted.”
Lalit
Mansingh, who knew Ravi Shankar for more than five decades, says he was born
with an ability to communicate to people across the world. He says, the
musician, also known as Panditji had an “amazing personality.”
“Very
outgoing, very optimistic, he had this sense of enthusiasm, sense of
curiosity…he would have views on everything, and it was always with a light
touch," Mansingh says. "He would always enliven any meeting with his
sense of humor and descriptions of his experiences and so on. The nice thing
about Panditji is, he never started by saying what is in it
for me, how much money are you giving me.”
With
his demise, an era has come to an end. But artists like Ravi Shankar never die
because they will live on through their music. Millions of people across the
world have been deeply influenced by this charismatic genius who was always way
ahead of his time, and they will continue to be. In India, Ravi Shankar, will
be remembered not just as one of the world’s greatest and tallest musicians,
but also as its most famous musical son.