Today is the
birthday of Pandit Kumar Gandharva, the great Indian
classical singer. A musical prodigy from
childhood, he refused to be bound by custom, and introduced many groundbreaking
themes and styles into his singing, which made him controversial in the eyes of
some conservatively-minded music enthusiasts.
He was stricken with tuberculosis as a young man and was told by doctors
that he would never sing again. After
much suffering, he recovered with the help of antibiotics, but was left with
only one functioning lung. This didn’t
stop him from eventually returning to singing.
He incorporated folk and devotional songs into his repertoire, including
the songs of Kabir. His interpretations
of the songs of Kabir are renowned for their artistic beauty and singular spiritual
intensity. Here is a link to his
performance of Kabir’s Nirbhay Nirgun Re Gaoonga:
Thursday, April 8, 2021
Kumar Gandharva
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