Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj — a maestro and a legend — is no more. The Indian crown has lost its one more jewel. While the world pens thoughts on his virtuous voice and ethereal bhajans, my mind travels to a distant, sleepy town of Sanand in Gujarat, where his heart resided.
The state today is bereft and mourning the loss of someone whom the present generation called Bapuji, and the older generation treated as a son. Panditji’s connection with the Vaghelas — the erstwhile rulers, is immense. It was at a very early age when he travelled to the state with his elder brother Maniramji (Pandit Pratap Narain) to learn from the legendary ruler Jaywant Sinhji Waghela. Besides being the titular head of the state, Jaywant Sinhji was also a great singer, composer and a custodian of the Mewati gharana.
Sanand is a small princely state known for its patronage to the Mewati Gharana which was immortalised by Jaywant Singh Waghela. It is also the seat of the Mahakali temple, where resides the idol of Maa Kali who is considered the “Kuldevi” of the Mewati gharana. In fact, Panditji’s famous ‘Mata Kalika bhajan’ was taught to him by Jaywant Sinhji. And every time he stepped on the soil of Gujarat, he rushed to Sanand to sing at Darbargadh as an ode to Maa Kali and also to his extended family.
The close ties of the family continued even under Jaywantji’s son — Maharana Rudra Sinhji Waghela, who took the musical tradition forward. The grandson of Maharana Jayshiv Sinhji Waghela still continues to patronize musicians. Rudra Sinhji’s daughter Kanwarani Nitya Bulbul Singh of Gara shares, “Legends say that Panditji’s elder brother Pandit Pratap Narain, who sang in the courts of the Nizam of Hyderabad lost his voice. He was told to pray in Sanand under the patronage of my father Rudra Sinhji. He got his voice back and ever since the family’s ties became even stronger.”
The present generation of the family — son Jayshiv Sinh, daughter Nitya and grandchildren, are still singing in the darbar and are meeting their guru constantly. Totally in grief over Pt Jasraj’s death, Nitya shares, “He won millions of hearts through his divine music and was an evolved being, humble to the core. He lived with love and simplicity. A Magnetic personality who left everyone spellbound by his love and music. He was a father figure to me. A friend, philosopher and guide. To me it’s a very deep personal loss. Words aren’t enough to express this irreparable loss.”
She further recalls, “I went with him to the greatest concerts across the globe, to intimate sessions in the homes of celebrated Indians. Even when he went for his treatment, he continued to talk to my brother and me. We have lost a father figure.”