Pandit Bhimsen Joshi Jayanti

Pandit Bhimsen Joshi Jayanti

Pandit Bhimsen Joshi is undoubtedly the greatest classical music vocalist of all time. The Prime Minister paid homage to Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, the classical music vocalist, on his centenary birth anniversary.

About Pandit Bhimsen Joshi

Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, born on 4 February 1922 as Shrikrishna Bhimsen Joshi in Pune, Maharashtra was regarded as one of the greatest Hindustani classical vocalist of the 20th century.

Bhimsen Joshi, a legend belongs to the Kirana gharana tradition of Hindustani Classical Music. Pt. Joshi is noted for his concerts, and between 1964 to 1982 Joshi toured Afghanistan, Italy, France, Canada and USA.

He was the first musician from India whose concerts were advertised through posters in New York city, United States. Bhimsen Joshi was instrumental in organising the Sawai Gandharva Music Festival annually, as homage to his guru, Pandit Sawai Gandharva.

In 1998, he was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, the highest honour conferred by Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama.

About Hindustani Music:

Hindustani music is one of the most prominent and most developed forms of classical music in the world today.  The other school of Indian Classical Music is Carnatic music which is practiced mainly in Southern India.

The historical roots of both the music types belong to the Bharata’s Natyasastra. Hindustani Music is vocal-centric. The major vocal forms associated with Hindustani classical music are the khayal, Ghazal, dhrupad, dhammar, Tarana and thumri.

Hindustani music places more emphasis on improvisation and exploring all aspects of a raga, while Carnatic music is primarily composition-based. The central notion in both these systems is that of a melodic musical mode or raga, sung to a rhythmic cycle or tala. It is melodic music, with no concept of harmony.

About Gharanas:

A Gharana is a system of social organisation linking musicians or dancers by lineage or apprenticeship, and by adherence to a particular musical style.

The word is most commonly used to refer to the traditional groupings of soloists and performers who collectively compose the classical music of India.

Function in guru-shishya parampara, i.e. disciples learning under a particular guru, transmitting his musical knowledge and style.