Holi, sawan & ragas eternal: Remembering Pandit Chhannulal Mishra’s soulful journey

Lucknow: Celebrated Hindustani classical singer Pandit Chhannulal Mishra, who passed away in Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur at the age of 89 on Thursday, loved Varanasi and lived the city's free spirit, something that showed both on and off the stage.

The highly-acclaimed Padma Vibhushan awardee singer, who melded folk and ragas, culture and devotion, and sang to us of the joy of Holi, the yearning for 'sawan' and timeless tales from the Ramayana, was also a skilful teacher, who in his own inimitable style taught music and its message to his audience from the stage, helping the masses connect with the varied nuances of classical music.

Pandit ji or Guru ji, as he was fondly called, taught in an inter college in Varanasi before he decided to devote himself full time into singing.

Deft pauses would be integral part of his performances as he would use them to explain the intricacies of lyrics, the nuances of music and their message before resuming his soulful singing, with the foot-tapping audiences clapping rhythmically in unison, making the maestro smile.

"Pandit ji would smile and get the audience involved by praising their rhythmic clapping, which he would say showcased their knowledge and understanding of music. That is why there was never a dull moment during his performances," top classical singers and artistes told PTI while admitting that in his passing, Varanasi has lost a "great, global ambassador".

Pandit Rajnish Mishra, noted singer and son of renowned classical singer late Pandit Rajan Mishra, told PTI how Chhannulal Mishra would bring an element of storytelling into his performances.

"I attended the Ganga festival in Varanasi years back. I still remember how virtually everyone had goosebumps as Panditji not just sang 'Masane Main Holi', but also took us along on a soulful musical trip by explaining how Lord Shiva played Holi, though not with colours but with ashes at the cremation ground," Rajnish Mishra said.

"I still get goosebumps when I recall his performances," he added.

Pooran Maharaj, son of well-known tabla player late Kishan Maharaj, told PTI: "Pandit ji made Banaras proud. He was so down to earth that he would even address me as Maharaj ji. He freely met everyone, loved Bhojpuri, and everything about Banaras."

"My father performed with Pandit ji several times. He always had great regards for him, both as a performer and as a person," he added.

Classical singer Pandit Sajan Mishra, who formed the famous duo of Indian classical music with his elder brother Pandit Rajan Mishra, said, "Pandit ji's singing revealed his personality. His versatility was outstanding. A great exponent of Thumri, Chaiti... He would be greatly missed."

Varanasi-based professor Rajeshwar Acharya, former head of Gorakhpur University's Department of Fine Arts and Music, told PTI, "From Hariharpur village in Azamgarh to the global stage, he connected with classes and masses with equal ease. He would be much missed because he was a popular singer who was as comfortable singing pure classical as while connecting with the masses."

Revati Sakalkar, another well-known singer who uses music as a healing therapy, told PTI that "Pandit ji was not just a great singer, he was a great human too who would never throw a tantrum."

"There is always a certain chemistry between the vocalist and the instrumentalist on stage. Pandit ji was such a great human being that he would ensure to cover up for his team too.

"Being a master, he knew the art so well and that is why his performances also made for great on-stage viewing. They were so relaxing, so easy going," she said.

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