Extraordinary rendition

I was introduced to his music at the age of seven. We were living in the small town of Bharatpur and I used to look forward to my Uncle Vinnie coming on vacation from Allahabad University armed with 78 rpm records of the latest Pankaj Mullick songs to be played on our HMV gramophone. I would be mesmerized by the lyrical ‘Yeh Kaun Aaj Aaya

Savere Savere’ and ‘Chhupo Na Chhupo Na Woh Pyari Sajaniyan’, sway to the lilting melody of ‘Madbhari Rut Jawani Hai’ and ‘Aayi Bahar Aaj Aayi Bahar’, and march to the martial beat of ‘Pran Chahe Nain Na Chahe’. Whenever I did well in an exam, ‘Aaj Apni Mehnaton Ka Mujhko Samra Mil Gaya’ would echo constantly in my mind!

Pankaj Mullick grew up in a musical environment as his father, Monimohan Mullick, was very fond of music and used to invite musicians to sing and play at his house. Pankaj then met the Tagore family and was fascinated by the great poet’s work, and won his approval to turn the poems into music. Steeped in tradition, he was also a great innovator and introduced the tabla and other instruments which were till then taboo in Rabindra Sangeet.

In films like ‘Kapal Kundala’, ‘Nartaki’ and ‘Doctor’, he was not only the music director, composer and singer but the actor as well.

Among the many honours that he won were the Dada Saheb Phalke award in 1973 and the Padma Shri in 1970. Pandit Nehru requested him to sing and record ‘Jana Gana Mana’ in a style that set the standard for the singing of the national anthem. At the TV launch in India he was invited to sing the inaugural song on Doordarshan in Delhi.

He may have passed away but his music will live forever.