Remembering Pt. Rajeev Taranath on his 92nd birth anniversary: Reaching the Note “Sa”
Four months have passed since the demise of Sarod Maestro Pt. Rajeev Taranath in city on June 11, 2024. To mark his 92nd birth anniversary today (Oct. 17), Star of Mysore is publishing a write-up by his disciple Rumi Harish, Transman, Musician, Social Justice Activist and Writer, in honour of this world-renowned maestro, who lived in Mysuru and was its major cultural icon.—Ed
By Rumi Harish
On 10th June 2024, I received a message, “Guruji’s condition is not good” from Krishna Manavalli, Professor, Guruji’s ‘Magu’ (child) and one of his students. Next day, early in the morning, I left for Manipal Hospital, Mysuru from Bengaluru, with my friend and co-worker Sunil Mohan.
As the taxi made its way through the Highway, I just could not hold my patience. I kept urging the taxi driver to go faster. My only saviour in life, the panacea for controlling my emotions and help me be in the everyday space with dignity, is always the Jaunpuri sung by late Pandit Mallikarjun Mansoor. Through the entire journey from Bengaluru to Mysuru I repeated this Jaunpuri several times.
He was my passion
As we journeyed, I fell into a kind of stupor. My ears were filled with these lyrics from Naseer ud Deen Naseer’s qawwali “Dillagi dil ki lagi ban kemitaa de thihai” (what you start liking will turn into a passion and erase your self). I woke up with a shock, thinking of how in such a short span of six months, Pandit Rajeev Taranath, the artiste who lives on in his students, had become my passion in singing. Sorry, I cannot use ‘late’ for him.
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