Pandit Mukul Shivputra (Emmanual Karbhari)
On his 60th birthday, Pandit Mukul Shivputra spoke to Jayadev Calamur about lessons learnt, the future of Hindustani classical music, the search for a student to carry on his legacy and his father, Pandit Kumar Gandharva.
On his 60th birthday, Pandit Mukul Shivputra spoke to Jayadev Calamur about lessons learnt, the future of Hindustani classical music, the search for a student to carry on his legacy and his father, Pandit Kumar Gandharva. Excerpts...
You have been through a lot in your life. What are the biggest lessons you have learnt?
If there is anything I have learnt in this life, it's that in a quest to attain a desired goal, one needs to totally commit and surrender to the cause they believe in. Only then does one get better. Music has given me this reward in infinity.
If given a chance to relive your life, would you like to do anything differently?
We get very few opportunities to choose the course of our life. Life constantly challenges you. It tests your courage. Simultaneously, destiny gives you the passion and skill to resurrect like a phoenix. If I had the chance to relive my life all over again, I would be extremely fortunate if I could change some of the things. I have been fortunate to have so many loved ones – which I'm extremely grateful for. But in a short span of time, they were
taken away from me, which was heartbreaking. No one would prefer such bad episodes...
You have gone on record to say that music is your home, which is why material pleasures don't affect you...
Music is not just my home, it is also my soul, my universe. It has given me the chance to live life on my terms – something I am eternally grateful for. Music has always been there with me – when I was surrounded by loved ones and when I was alone. It kept me alive. It has loved me and taken care of me like a mother takes care of her child and will continue to be at my side till the very end. People recognise me for my music, and the world will remember me for my music.
How did you lift yourself from all the tragedies you encountered in life?
When life was harsh, music was my saviour. I have always searched for my 'loved ones' through music and I have found them only through music. When I needed to communicate with my loved ones, be it my mother, my guruji , my Kannamama and my wife Neetu, it was only through music. I have also reached them through music.
Many people expected you to carry Pandit Kumar Gandharva's legacy forward. However, you created a legacy of your own. Was this a conscious decision?
People believe that I've carried Kumarji's legacy forward. They are absolutely right. People also understand that I've created my own path and legacy. They are absolutely right again. I believe that both these styles have merged into one, but you can also argue that they are two separate styles and you are not wrong either. My father gave me everything and he wanted me to improve on what he had given me in my own way. He was a great guru for me. When I was under his tutelage, he guided me to have clarity and this also enabled me to experiment with my own style. Interestingly, this change in my style happened from 'within' and I can't explain whether I consciously made that change. When I learnt something new from my gurus or from books, then it was science. And when I performed, it became art. The merger of science and art happened from within. It is something I again cannot explain.
People think it's a miracle, but I believe that if you put your mind, heart and soul into something you love, then you are rewarded. I thank Mother Saraswati for ruling all four divisions – para, pashyanti, madhyama and vaikhari – of my tongue.
What do you feel about the young singers of today?
They need to listen a lot more and stay away from the 'chaotic' music, that's so popular today. The students are talented, but need to work hard and continue as students of music, if they do wish to succeed. It's a prerequisite that to be a good musician, one needs to be a good listener. Music is to be learnt by enjoying the process internally.
Who do you see carrying your legacy forward?
In fact, this is a problem… I haven't found a good disciple yet. Wherever I have travelled to various parts of India, I conduct swarshastra and swarsadhan workshops to identify potential. I interact with children, youth and the aged and observe them. All of them are talented. But I'm yet to meet that special student who is willing to learn at all times. Unfortunately, they want quick fame. This aspiration hampers their learning. I haven't found a student who wants to learn because s/he loves music and wants to stay devoted to it for the rest of his/her life.
But I have not lost hope. Aur dhundne se toh bhagwan bhi mil jaata hai [on searching hard, one can even find God] That's why I dream of starting a Vidyarthi Sankul (music school) and my Gandharvasabha is helping me in fulfilling this dream.