In search of Divine Tabla
Parthasarathi Mukherjee is a divinely gifted
tabla exponent and a versatile musician. He is the foremost disciple of
the legendary tabla maestro and doyen of Benaras Gharana, the late
Padmabhusan Pandit Samta Prasadji. The erudite Tablist Mukherjee shares
his story with Ranjana Amaradeva.
My father was born and brought up in Jamshedpur (also known as Tata
Nagar) a industrial town 300 km away from Kolkata. My father belonged to
the third generation in a family of engineers. He was fascinated about
tabla since he was a child but never got a chance to learn. One day his
whole life changed when he went to a concert at Bengal Club Music
Conference in Jamshedpur and he heard the legendary Pandit Samta Prasad
playing a tabla solo for three hours. At the end of his recital my
father had no doubt from whom he should learn. So he went to the stage
and touched Panditji’s feet and pleaded him to accept him as his
student. My father became his disciple in 1951.
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Parthasarathi Mukherjee |
I met Guruji when I was five years old and I have already started
learning tabla from my father by then. I used to go and see him in
Benares during school vacations and eventually after I finished schools
I was taken to him by my father and I spent 10 years with him and
trained under Gurukula system. My father took me to my Guruji and asked
him to take me as a student. My father used to send money to my Guruji
not to me, for my expenses. One day Guruji said “you must now go and
play with other musicians and find your path in music. Come to me for
guidance and I will help you.”
That day I was supposed to travel in the evening train leaving from
Benares. My guruji asked me to come into his office room. (He used this
room as the office and prayer room.) He called me in and took a bank
book and said “your father sent me money for your expenses. I collected
it all and deposited it in this bank account. Use it to start your
carrier.” I was speechless. That was the kind of dedication teachers had
for their students those days. We must try to keep that tradition going.
I was once Attending Paluskar Jayanti Samaroha in Delhi in 1988
organized by Gandharva Mahavidyalaya. The principal Pandit Vinayachandra
Maudgalyaji asked whether I could give a tabla solo since one artist has
not arrived. I asked who is going to play nagma (a tune played by by
harmornium, sarangi or violin to keep the time cycle during Tabla Solo
recital). He said that it could be arranged. So I played in front of a
distinguished audience. I played before Pandit Jasraj ji’s performance.
I only had half an hour. At 10.30 am I started playing. Ustad Amjad Ali,
Pandit Sajan & Rajan Mishra and Shafat Ahmad khan were also present.
Everybody loved the performance. There was a big review in the papers
next day. After one month my Guruji played a solo at the same place. The
audience had told him about my performance and guruji was very happy. I
heard that he was in tears. He wrote a letter to me from Delhi. I still
have that letter. It is a precious memory.
In India there are different Schools of Tabla playing. We identify
them by the place they were originated. Like Delhi, Lucknow, Farukkabad,
Benares, Ajarada and Punjab. Basically it is the same material but there
are subtle differences in technique. More than today the purity of
styles or Gharana was important in ancient times. Since these places
were far away from each other it was much easier to maintain the purity.
Gharana
Nowadays young generation tend to pick up goodness from all the
Gharanas. If you do it with proper understanding I see no harm in it.
But I believe it is best to learn in one style in the early years and
later understand the technicalities of different styles. And that can be
achieved when you get a Guru who can demonstrate the intricacies of
different Gharanas.
I studied Basically Benares style so my forte is Benares. Now I learn
from Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri of Lucknow Gharana. I was inspired greatly
by Ustad Nizamuddin khan and Pandit Shyamal Bose of farukkhabad.
Therefore I can say that I am exposed to different styles.
While there is no solid proof it is accepted that historically Tabla
was invented in Delhi. Delhi style is similar to Nakkara playing.
Nakkara is a two piece drum which is played with sticks. Delhi style use
two fingers mostly.
Then tabla moved to east of India. To Lucknow and Farukkabad. Lucknow
was the centre of dancing at that time. When Tabla was used to accompany
Kathak dancing they had to match the power of feet. So they used lots of
open bols (khula). Farukkabad style was derived from Lucknow style.
Pandit Ram Sahai-ji from Benares went to Lucknow and learnt there. He
came back and included the bols from Pakhawaj and instilled it to
Benares style by creating a combination of open and closed bols.
Which ever style you play one must have the proper tools before
starting to use them. If you want to change a wheel of your car you need
proper tools. I personally believe that in any art form technique is
tools and again I will repeat you need a Guru who can teach you the
correct technique and then the Sadhana is very important. Then only you
can forget technique and music starts flowing by the grace of Guru and
getting connected to the almighty. Actually when I started learning I
had only 2 or 3 exercises to practice during my first 3 years.
One can have their own preference. But a Tabla player should learn
all its aspects. To accompany for dancing, instrumental music, vocal
music and Solo Tabla as well. I like to accompany for vocal music more
than anything. My inspiration came from Pandit Shyamal Bose, Ustad
Nizamuddin Khan. I listened to them for hours. The playing was just
amazing it was not about keeping beats but the music was created within.
Sometimes I find it very difficult to describe these feelings.
Teaching in Sri Lanka
This is my first visit to Sri Lanka. I have heard a lot about your
country. I am delighted to visit Sri Lanka. Culturally we have so much
in common. I have a nice memory of Sri Lanka. Let me share it with you.
30 years ago we listened to Radio Ceylon. Every day 11 to 11.30 in the
morning Radio Ceylon used to play good classical music and bollywood
music. We had a valve radio then. I used to climb to the top of the roof
to fix aerial . I grew up with listening to that music.
I am invited by Amaradeva Foundation to come and do a workshop in
Colombo. I am extremely happy to come and do a Tabla workshop in Sri
Lanka. I think this is an opportunity for me to share my passion, my
life with you and I like working with people from different background
and learn about other cultures.
Specially it is an honor to work with Amaradeva foundation that is
established to preserve the works of a genius, Padmashri Pandit W D
Amaradeva. As I understand The Amaradeva Foundation is promoting
Classical music and helping young musicians to improve their talent. I
am glad to be a part of this venture.
Canada tour
I have done workshops in Canada. Invited by Virasat Foundation. The
director of the school is Jaspal Randhawa, a Vancouver based
organization. They asked me to set up a school and started in 2008 with
a 10 weeks residency which got extended for 6 months in 2009. I spent 9
months in 2010. I taught over 35 full time dedicated students from age 6
to 65. I believe in teaching the material I play myself and it’s not
that I play something and I teach something else. As a teacher you have
the responsibility to pass on the proper knowledge.
Music and Life
I was taught in such a way by my Guruji that I realized one need to
know not only about music. When I first went to my teacher Pandit Samtha
Prasad Ji under whom my father learnt, he said that I should sleep and
breath his music. He made it clear that he is not going to sit down and
teach me. It was a constant learning.
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