Bengaluru: Pt Dr Nagaraj Rao Havaldar, distinguished Hindustani classical vocalist has accomplished a record of feats by completing the golden jubilee year of singing. These days, such an accomplishment is a rare sight to witness!
Music starts where speech ends: Pt Dr Nagaraj Rao Havaldar says: It is very, very well said that music starts where speech ends. What the normal mundane language cannot express, music can.
Human beings started singing first: Some anthropologists even go to the extent of saying that the human beings started singing first and later they developed a language to express themselves. Looks very profound. Well, no matter which background you come from, which social strata you belong to, music is a very, very fascinating subject that anybody wants to pursue. But we just have to dedicate ourselves and not fall a prey to the so-called thing of...
Social organisation economic security: There is nothing like a security in any walk of life. A billionaire can turn into a bankrupt over a few days. So therefore, music gives you great solace, peace, self-confidence, discipline, perseverance, patience.
Fled the house in search of the Guru: Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, well, he fled the house at the age of 11 and became a Bharat Ratna. He left the house in search of a guru. He did not have money to buy a ticket but well, he went in search. Then he got a guru in Savayi Gandharva, and came back. He learned from him and went on to become a Bharat Ratna.
Guru's were much greater: So that just goes to show that the true perseverance can lead you to the highest, highest achievement in the world. In fact, when he got Bharat Ratna, he said, okay, fine, that's what it's all about. But my gurus were much, much greater than all these recognitions, he had remarked.
Both were singers: Coming back to my journey and my perseverance of music my father, my mother both of them used to sing. My father was also a mature theater person though he was working in a Revenue Department.
A small theatre group: He would call professional artists from different parts of the Ballari district by and large and prepare a small theatre group in the place where he was working, and he would perform a drama there but that would involve a lot of practice during those days. I am talking of 1966 to 1967, 68, 69 when you are in a place called Kurugodu in Ballari district.
Seeds of learning sown into heart and soul: The harmonium teacher was called as the harmonium mestru. He would teach all the songs and we would learn those songs as young children. So that is how the seeds of learning were sown into our heart and soul.
Mother used to sing Aarati haadu: My mother used to sing the aarti haadu for Gowri. Gowri Gowri gaana dhaari maana dhaari, in other words, Make me a suhagan, make me an eternal kind of lovable husband and wife combination to stay forever. I did not know that that prayer was meant only for women. Even as a small boy, as I would imitate her songs, I would even imitate that. But that is the impact of music.
Music, basically starts with imitation: From there, I moved into an orchestra, local orchestra. This immortal song in the film Sandhya Raga was sung by Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. That left a total indelible impact on my heart and soul. So, I started imitating that song too. Because music basically starts with imitation. Then it stays at repetition. You keep repeating the same song for a period of time. Then one fine day you start creating your own, provided you go to a good guru.
Wrote poems and composed them to the tunes: According to me, music is a very intuitive, instinctive art form. In fact, during my childhood, during my college days, I used to write poetry, I used to compose them to the tune, and one fine day after learning classical music, I realized that they were tuned in a particular raga.
Hasiro hullina mele, biliaya moottina maale,
Chaduruduridantittu mumbelakinalli,
So this is a tune which I composed during my college days without even learning Raga Kalavati. So I am adding Komal Rishabh there, which I know the details now, but all I am trying to say is it's a very intuitive art form.
Music is an intuitive, instinctive art form: Hence, Music is an intuitive, instinctive art form. All you need to do is pursue, and go to a great guru.
Travelled extensively around the globe: After having learnt from great masters, I have travelled extensively within and outside the country and it has been a very, very enjoyable experience for me.
People have loved and welcomed my music: People have loved me, they have welcomed my music, they have hosted me as a visiting professor at Bharati Vidya Bhavan, London, as a visiting professor at Elmhurst College, Chicago.
A seed book in the heaven! Just to you give an example of what happened in Elmhurst College, I taught Indian classical music there for one full semester, close to three and a half months. Professor John retired doctor at the age of 75, and before that, between 70 to 75, he had visited India many times, and he was fascinated by Indian culture and music in particular. So he enrolled for that course, and he also signed a MOU with the university saying that they will not compel him to sing after he attends the course! He was just happy knowing the nuances of Indian classical music. So after I completed the semester, when they gave me a send-off party, he gave a speech. Saying that, Dr. Havaldar, thank you very much. Yesterday night, Jesus came in my dream and told me that, John, now there is a seat booked for you in the heaven because you have learned something about Indian classical music. This is the greatest gratification that Indian classical music in general can get. It does not belong to me. It belongs to all my gurus.
Sir Superb
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