"Untouched Aspects of Musicians" delves into the lesser-known facets of musicians' lives, exploring their personal struggles, creative processes, and the challenges they faced behind the glamour of fame. This anthology embarks on a journey to uncover the enigmatic and lesser-known episodes that define the Indian musicians not just as musicians, but as a human and torchbearers of the divine art. Here the stories that capture the essence of their artistry and the magical intersections between their music and the divine have been explored.
This collection starts with a mythological story of Sage Narad Muni and ends with that of a legendry musician of 20th Century viz. Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. These are not mere anecdotes, but rather profound revelations that illuminate the deeper truths of their contributions to Indian music.
Om Prakash Sharma Born in November 1948 in a small town (Todaraisingh, surrounded by Aravalli Hills on one side) near Jaipur Rajasthan, where the stars shone brighter than the city lights. It was there, amid the simplicity of life, the values of dreams and the importance of resilience were learned.
Education: M.A (Public Administration); BSc; Sangeet Prabhakar (Sitar). Learned Vocal Music under the tultage of Late Pt. Dwarka Nath and Late Pt. Rajendra Shankar Bhatt. After that got training in sitar playing from Shri Babu Lala Gupta and Ms. Shashi Kacholia. Currently learning sitar playing from Shri Debojyoti Gupta (disciple of Ustad Shahid Parvez and late Shri Buddh Dev Dass Gupta).
Associated with editing of Monthly magazine (The College Mercury) during late Sixties in Maharaja's College and also in Editorial board of Monthly/Quarterly magazine published by Department of Post; Rajasthan Circle Jaipur during early nineties.
Worked as Senior Accounts Officer/Regional Financial Advisor in Department of Post (Postal Accounts Wing), Rajasthan Circle Jaipur for about 38 Years. Also worked as Administrative Cum Accounts officer in Indian Institute of Quality Management/Electronic Test and Development Centre Jaipur during the year 1994-95.
Presently associated with Jaipur Sangeet Sankalp (An organization for the upcoming of budding artists of Indian Classical Music) as Secretary.
This is the first publication with the hope to come along with another one in future.
Mostly musicians are silent devotees of Goddess Muse. In Indian context we may replace this Goddess with Sarasvati who is invariably depicted with Veena instrument in her hand. "Ya Veena vardandmandit kara." Thus despite the predominance of matter in our materialistic life the element of divinity and spirituality is very much inherent in human psyche. Very often it is also observed that the single minded devotion of the votaries of Music keeps them quite aloof from ostentatious worldliness and hypocritical mannerism. In fact their dedication to the adorable deity is so absolute that there is no room left for intermediaries. So far as their nature and behavior in terms of social interaction is concerned they are generally distinguished as introvert by virtue of uniqueness of their characteristic temperament.
Undoubtedly for a listener or audience Music is supreme and focal point in the process of enjoying and assessing the performance of Artist, but at the same time keeping in view the integral relationship between the music and the musician, multifaceted personality of the devotee of Music also deserve our attention. While glancing at the subject matter of this book instantly curiosity arose in my mind about the very need of such a marvelous treatise which is explicitly devoted to delineation of the untouched aspects of the magnetic personality of musicians. There is an oft quoted saying that necessity is the mother of invention. As such we have to explore the sphere of necessity in the said context. Generally, it happens that we are so much engrossed and lost in the bewitching world of music that we lose sight of the musician who is basically a human being having his own propensities. In my opinion all form of Art are the progeny of humanity. So careful consideration ought to be given to the human angle in respect of musicians who nurse and nourish the music so affectionately despite of all odds and predicaments.
If we go deep in to the complex network of personality of musicians many phenomenal mysteries are unraveled which transcend our frontiers of knowledge and sensory awareness. Psychologically speaking beside conscious state of mind there are also unconscious and sub conscious state in every human being. Nobody knows when a particular state of mind becomes active and gets expressed in human action. This applies to musicians too. As a result of it we come across their particular habit, crazes, eccentricities, fads and idiosyncrasies as part and parcel of their benign existence. Here is a word of caution. Their uncommon aspect of behavior is not to be just scoffed at. Rather it demands our inquisitive attention to pinpoint the background of happening. It will be in the fitness of the things if the evaluation of musician's personality is done in its totality without prejudices. I am sure by a dispassionate and profound study of human behavior we may be in position to discern some meaning, relevance and hidden message therein.
In this regard I am very well reminded of my contact with so many musicians whom I happened to meet at different centers of All India Radio and Doordarshan during my humble career as a broadcaster spanning over 30 years. My multiple experiences amply bear testimony to views held by me about the personality of musicians specially designed by the supreme creator of the universe i.e. God. Just to quote of only one dazzling example of extremely sanctimonious personality of Ustad Bismillah Khan. Whenever he paid a visit to All India Radio Allahabad for recording of his programme he used to salute the threshold of the studio without fail before entering it.
Thus there an unforgettable saga of events showing behavioral features of the musicians. I am sure all music lovers coming in to close contact with them will bear witness to this fact. Of course many a time in our hearty conversation we point out to the peculiarities in respect of musicians without demur. Naturally we take some interesting aspects light heartedly whereas in some cases we ponder over them seriously even pathetically. That depends upon the nature and context of the situation.
Endless spectrum of human existence profusely indicates towards unlimited chain of untouched aspects of the artists of the music world. Keeping this perspective in view the vastness of the subject matter can be easily understood. It is in itself a paradox that a theme even being so important and absorbing has reminded untouched by the connoisseurs of music so far as the publication of a book on its concerned.
I am extremely happy that Mr. Om Prakash Sharma who himself is a devoted musician and musicologist has embarked on this venture quite seriously and assiduously. Since it is an immensely research oriented work due patience must have proved as a vital asset in the achievement of his splendid mission. As music lover we are indebted to him for his glorious gift in the form of this book.
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