Sur Bane Hamaara

For those of us who were not initiated in to classical music appreciation, and to whom the fondest memory of television is still Doordarshan of the nineties, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and Dr. Balamurali Krishna represented Indian classical music. The reason was the widely popular musical "Mile Sur Mera Tumhara", which opened with the voice of Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. Hence his demise today leaves a void not just in the Indian music landscape, but also in hearts of many non-connoisseurs of Hindustani music like me.

I do not know anything to tell about his Kharana or his profoundness with Khayal. But still, I can vouch that his rendering had a power to tell word-less stories to the film-songs-trained ears of mine.

For me, his appearance in "Mile Sur Mera Tumhara" or "Ek Sur" (the official name of the song) is enough to make memory of him eternal. Written by Piyush Pande, composed by Ashok Patki, directed by Suresh Mullick and telecasted first on the Independence Day of 1988 after Prime Minister's speech, "Ek Sur" was a celebration of the diversity of India. It almost caught the status of the unofficial anthem of India. Covering fourteen languages and as many cultures, it was literally a free tour of India from Kashmir to Tamil Nadu, from Kutch to Assam.



Those were the days when I did not realise that nationalism, even when superior to regionalism and casteism is something that had to be slowly replaced with the feeling of universal brotherhood. Wish I could select a song that celebrates universal brotherhood to dedicate to Pandit Bhimsenji's memory tonight.