Pandit Jasraj

Born in a small village near Hisar in Haryana, Pandit Jasraj comes from a family of musicians of over four generations. Jasraj was initiated to music by his revered father, Pandit Motiram. Soon after his death, Jasraj went through intensive tutelage under his elder brother and guru, Pandit Maniram, and later under Maharaja Jaiwant Singh. He performed in the Mewati gharana style. Jasraj’s voice is known for its vocal range, extending over three-and-a-half octaves, perfect diction, clarity in sur and gayaki and command in all aspects of laya and rhythm. Jasraj has also trained young vocalists like Rattan Mohan Sharma and Kala Ramnath. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1990 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2000. Recently, he sang ‘namami devi narmade’, the anthem of the Narmada Seva Mission of the Madhya Pradesh government.

- Yoshika Sangal

What is your mantra for success? I'm a musician, so i would say that in order to be successful, just follow your guru’s teachings. You need to completely surrender to your guru. our parents and guru are the living divine for us. The mantra lies in guru bhakti [devotion to your Guru] and through it success will surely be achieved. How has the world of music changed over time? What we say is alive, if that does not undergo change, then it’s not really alive. changes are necessary. What doesn’t change is essentially dead. Just as a child at home grows up, becomes a young man and then gets old. This is such a slow process that no one can actually see the change happening. similarly, music is alive and it is changing so slowly that it’s hard to say how it has changed.