Extraordinary life of Mallikarjun

Come January 1, and it will be the 105th birth centenary of Padma Vibhushan Late Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur. And who better to speak about him than his disciple, Sarod player Pandit Biswajit Roy Chowdhury, who was in Hyderabad for the Jashn-e-Deccan festival.

“Mansurji was nothing but ‘complete music’,” says Biswajit, adding, “Three days after the death of his wife, he landed at his prior scheduled concert and left home disappointed as he did not find the organiser or the audience. And he told me “Koi nahi aaya” (No one came).

“Once upon a time, we were having lunch at a hotel and he noticed that the waiter had served him an extra papad. He called the waiter and thanked him for the gesture and said “Main tumhare liye gaaunga” (I will sing for you). And lo behold, Mansurji got off into a raga much to the surprise of everybody in the restaurant.

“He used to stay in my house in Delhi and also judged auditions of All India Radio recordings. Once we went to a theatre performance and the ‘Banjara’ character inspired him so much that he got up and said: ‘Yeh Banjara ke liye, chaar prakar ki bandish hai’ (There are four compositions based on this ‘Banjara’ character). And he started singing and finally was up on stage as the audience recognised and honoured him spontaneously.

“Once Mansurji started performing in a five star hotel accompanied by Ustad Zakir Hussain and the moment he saw Vijayaraje Scindia, Rajmata of Gwalior in the audience, he decided to sing the traditional slow composition of Raga Bhoop as per Gwalior Gharana. After about 20 minutes, many from the audience started to leave. But for him, it was all about singing and upholding the pure tradition of Gwalior Gharana in front of the Rajmata. Next morning he had a ‘morning concert’ and he was ready by 6.00 am. He insisted on reaching the venue and started singing even as the organiser was trying to figure out the arrangements.

“On his 75th birthday, he sang three ragas, the names which no one really knows. If anyone dared to ask, he would just say: ‘Hum sab shagird hi marne wale hai, Maine bade bade ustad dekhe hai, mujh se bahut bade.” (Everyone will die as a student, I have seen many Ustads in my life, Much more knowledgeable than me). His body and soul was nothing but music, and music only” concludes Biswajit.