ANNAPURNA DEVI ... 7
The greater the 'thhehrao' (standing on a note), the deeper the expression of the raag. This unnecessary rush of notes, this undue speed of movement along the scale renders a raag sterile, although, it pleases the public of fickle mind and short-spanned attention a deal. But the spirit of raag music is lost in this melee of notes jostling for momentary space and position. All this stems from a hurried approach to life in general which in turn causes this hustle and bustle in performance and destroys the very soul of classical music. The most culpable for this state of affairs are musicians of mastery themselves who keep the public in a state of musical excitation with a torrential flow of high-speed notes, musical phrases and melodic pieces which keep them in favour with the masses while lowering public taste for good music all the while. Minor artistes merely mimic this trend set up by major ones and, thus, the saga continues of classical music being rendered cheap for the sake of self-sustenance at any cost. Regrettable !
A notable exception to this general occurrence -- now almost a rule by dint of repetition -- was Ma Annapurna Devi who renounced the platform of popular approval for the pyre of self-immolation where she lit the fire of pure music herself and set to flames all earthly aspirations which may have remained in her subconscious mind, for knowingly she had never cared for material gain from music as all her peers did. There, in her remote altitude in her 'Akash Ganga' apartment, she lay in repose with her surbahar even as her heart was torn to shreds by a marriage that lay in ruins.
Written by Sugata Bose
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