Pt. Chhannulal Mishra: An open-minded classical virtuoso who embraced non-classical forms too

It was maybe becoming that Pt. Chhannulal Mishra breathed his final on Dussehra — his most enduring legacy are his recordings devoted to Lord Ram. Whether it was the four-volume rendition of the Sundarkand, the evocative Ram Vivaha, or his recognition as a kathaakar. His album Ram Raga has him singing solely the phrases ‘Raja Ram’ for a couple of hour in a deeply transferring tribute to devotion. Pt. Chhannulal was a uncommon artiste whose music transcended the boundaries of classical raga.

Born on August 3, 1936, within the musically wealthy village of Hariharpur in Azamgarh — typically described as a spot inhabited solely by musicians — Chhannulal educated as a vocalist at an early age. His marriage to Manorama, daughter of the Benaras gharana tabla maestro Pt. Anokhelal Mishra, cemented his place within the vibrant classical music world of Benaras. He additionally educated below Kirana gharana vocalist Ustad Abdul Ghani Khan — a lesser-known performer however an erudite grasp. Ustad Mashkur Ali Khan, some of the educated musicians of the Kirana gharana, recollects listening to that Pt. Chhannulal Mishra additionally acquired steering from Ustad Ghani Khan’s son, Ahmed. This cross-gharana coaching contributed to the depth that marked his music.

Pt. Chhannulal was profoundly influenced by musicologist and scholar Thakur Jaideva Singh, who had made Benaras his dwelling. It was maybe this affect that deepened his understanding of the intrinsic hyperlink between music and devotion. For Pt. Chhannulal, bhakti was not merely a theme; it was the very essence of his music.

Recognition from the broader world got here late to him, regardless of his recognition in Benaras and musical data. He remained a devoted trainer all through his life; as soon as, once I requested him a few singer’s declare of discipleship, Panditji laughed good-naturedly and mentioned, “If her career can flourish by calling herself my sishya, why should I deny it?” He even taught Pt. Veerbhadra Mishra, the saintly ‘mahant’ of the Sankat Mochan Temple in Benaras.

His iconic recordings with the Devi Foundation introduced him to a wider stage within the early 2000s, when he was already over 60. The first album, Anjali (2001), was a convincing success — launched in Mumbai by Amitabh Bachchan and in Delhi by former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Soon after, he turned a fixture at nearly each main music competition within the nation. Yet he remained equally dedicated to singing at intimate baithaks. He even lent his voice to some movies. Jai Sinha of Devi Foundation, nonetheless, laments that his demanding schedule left no time to finish the Foundation’s deliberate recording of the whole Ramcharitmanas. “It is a huge loss,” Sinha mentioned, “as no one was better equipped to sing it.”

Pt. Chhannulal affability on stage, his instinctive join with audiences, and his humour made him much-lover performer. He engaged with all varieties of listeners — connoisseurs in addition to the uninitiated — with equal ease and heat. He had a particular gravelly voice, honed to a molten mellowness with a long time of riyaaz. He drew audiences wherever he sang — nearly all the time along with his son, Ram Kumar Mishra on the tabla.

His recognition as a bhajan singer typically overshadowed his robust classical coaching. Apart from his bhajans, recorded by Devi Foundation, Pt. Channulal was additionally a distinguished thumri singer. He was adept in each the Banaras and Gaya kinds. His huge repertoire included uncommon Horis — some devoted even to Shiva, equivalent to ‘Khelen masaane mein Holi, Digambar’ (lets play Holi within the cremation floor) He additionally sang a variety of people songs and didn’t have the same old disdain that classical musicians have for non-classical forms. For him, music was all the time a medium of communication, and no style was ever insufficient for that function.

Accolades got here to him slowly, however they did come. First, the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi recognition in 2000, when he was 64. A decade later, in 2010, he acquired each the Sangeet Natak Akademi award and the Padma Bhushan. These had been adopted by the Akademi Fellowship in 2019 and, a 12 months later, the Padma Vibhushan in 2020. With his passing, Indian classical music has misplaced an irreplaceable voice — a easy and an ever-smiling artiste.