The Music Room by Namita Devidayal
Music Room is the story of Namita and her teacher; of the charismatic Alladiya Khan; and of the foul-mouthed and bewitching Kesarbai. At its heart is Dhondutai, shy, diffident yet full of determination… Namita Devidayal is a journalist with The Times of India. She lives in Mumbai. This is her first book.
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January 10th, 2008 at 3:57 am
this book is a wonderful read! i recommend it highly. just dont listen to the dhondutai kulkarni cd after, you will be rather disappointed. i wonder if there any recordings of her in her youth; the book speaks about her accompanying kesarbai in a calcutta ( santiniketan?) recording..
January 7th, 2008 at 8:17 am
its not that paranoia infact if she did thought so it does not happens many people sing khayals sung by her but they cant imitate her even.its a pity if she felt like that.well alot has been saved from the treasure.ALLAH DIYA KHAN SAHIB never recorded any thing commercially thats why u have not heard him.dont know if someone has a private mehfil recording.
January 3rd, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Hi all,
Just finished reading the book. I think it is actually a change to see a book on Hindustani Music getting space in the popular media. Usually such books sink without a trace in a sea of apathy and lack of promotion.
We never really tried to document the lives of our great musicians and this book definitely fills a gap there. And for me Atrauli Jaipur Gharana is the staple of my daily music binge. And all i had ever heard were random anecdotes about the giants of this gharana from the past. Now I can feel their flesh and bone, so to say, instead of groping in the air.
And if you are under Kesar Bai’s magic then this is definitely the book to read. Not a lot about Bade Khan Sahib although. I have never even heard his voice, but what a genius to have given birth to such ineffable style.
There is one thing which troubled me a lot. It is Kesarbai’s marked reluctance to get her music recorded and her paranoia about her music being stolen. Does creativity come with such a possessiveness always? Is there something pathologically destructive in the creative act, something that seeks to consume that which it produces? It is as if she wants history to mourn her, to remember and feel cheated out of a treat it can only imagine.
Sometimes I feel as if all of classical music thrives on this looking back in loss and frustration. One always feels “Kahan gaye woh Log?”. Is it really so? Have we always thus declined? Lost our knowledge and skill always, till all is lost?
Sorry for ranting on, but do read the book.
Thanks,
Arijit
December 31st, 2007 at 11:16 pm
if any one has some recording of kesarbai share it on this site b/c to appriciate her one must listen to her first.I have listened to her.