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Pandit Jasraj, who continued to shine like a flame

Pandit Jasraj, who continued to shine like a flame of Indian classical music on foreign soil

Just as a lamp burning in front of a temple symbolizes prayer in the Indian tradition, so too Pandit Jasraj was a symbol of Indian classical music in America. They were shining like the flame of Indian classical music on foreign soil.
Even after spending a long time in a foreign land, he did not give up his devotion to Krishna and Hanuman and his music. Not even your own attire.

Classical singer Pandit Jasraj died in New Jersey, USA at the age of 90. Belonging to the Mewati family, Pandit Jasraj was born on 28 January 1930 in Hisar.

It would be surprising to know that this leading name of Indian classical music was also crazy about cricket. In an interview, he had said that he has loved cricket since the 80s. This was the period when the cricket frenzy spoke loudly to the people. Pandit ji used to listen to the commentary for hours by putting the radio on his ear. He used to give his reaction on every wicket from fours, sixes.

If you want to make it crazy ...
Who doesn't love Begum Akhtar's ghazal 'Deewana banana hai to deewana bana', but Pandit ji was her biggest fan. Wherever this ghazal was played, they would stop and proceed only after hearing it. It is said that he used to sit in the restaurant where this song of Begum Akhtar was played on the radio for many hours.

The legacy of music that Pandit ji left behind is not that he inherited it very easily, at the beginning of his musical journey he started training with his father, but due to poor financial condition he passed it on to his brother and guru Pandit Maniram. Also had to work with as a tabla player.

... and took the pledge
When he moved to Calcutta in 1946, he played the tabla in a classical event there and after that he started working as an artist of All India Radio. At first he wanted to be a tabla player. But at that time, the tabla player was looked down upon, after which he decided to become a musician whose fame is from India to abroad. At the age of 14, Jasraj took a vow that he would not cut his hair until he became a musician. Started singing training at the age of 16 and did his first live show at the age of 22.

When the elder Ghulam Ali said ‘no’
In an interview, he had said that he had met Ghulam Ali Khan in a hospital in 1960, then Ghulam Ali asked Jasraj to become his disciple, but Jasraj refused. He had said that Maniram is already his guru, how can he make another guru now.

During his musical journey, he received many honors. After an age they settled in America, but neither abandoned Indian costumes nor gave up musical tunes. On the contrary, they continued to spread the Indian musical tradition all over the foreign lands. He will always be remembered like the flickering flame of Indian classical music.

Reff https://hindi.webdunia.com/national-hindi-news/pt-jasraj-120081700101_1…

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