Worth A Thought...

'Make musicians as brand ambassadors'

Wednesday, 29 March , 2006, 11:33 

Allahabad: Tabla maestro Pandit Kishan Maharaj favours the Indian Inc's financial support for classical musicians by making them brand ambassadors in the manner they back sportspersons and cine stars.

The 83-year-old artiste says it is lack of financial assistance rather than dwindling interest that is stifling promotion and preservation of Indian classical music. |

Kishan Maharaj said, "Contrary to the common belief, it is not the lack of interest among the people that threatens classical music. Rather, the huge difficulties faced by musicians in making their ends meet is the biggest stumbling black,"

The Padma Vibhushan awardee is peeved at the fact that while film stars and some sports personalities earn millions by virtue of the sheer glamour associated with their names, musicians have to travel door to door to collect a Rs 2.25 lakh needed for treatment of violinist V G Jog.

"Why is it that the entire nation was stirred when Amitabh Bachchan fell ill but recent indisposition of vocalist Bhimsen Joshi failed to cause a ripple?" said the tabla player.

Edited by giggles_2005 - 18 years ago

Its a shame indeed..Do you know anyone who is doing some work to help??

Thanku gigglesji for posting it.

Its seriously worth a thought...I urged members of the forum, if we cud do something for Ustad Bismillah Khan saab thro this platform...but eventually things didnt go forward....I'll find out n let u know of anything that'll help the keen in taking forward the cause...

Its a pity...look at the medalists in Common wealth...they dont even have good facilities there n our cricketing heroes earn crores just on their one successful match...

The amount of attention the music channels give to the indecent remix songs, movie stars n people like Rakhi Sawant, I hope they dedicate atleast an hour in their program sheet to classical music or covering a musician's life....I simply adore Jaya TV,SunTV for that...they have dedicated slots for Carnatic music and above all during the Mazhgazhi season, they also have slots for concerts with live audience where audience ask the artistes more abt the music, the instruments etc...when will we see all this on bigger scale?!?!?!?

This is just shameful. I was present at one of the last concert of Pt. V.G. Jog. It was a jugalbandi between Pt. Jog and Ustad Zakir Hussain organised by ITC.

What a fantastic musician he was. It is really shameful that a musician like him died in poverty, and Ust. Bismillah Khan is suffering so much.

When Pt. Bhimsen Joshi ji goes to the hospital, no one knows about it, but on today's Times of India the headline news is "Hrithik Roshan is a proud father of a baby boy" 😡 😡 Scoundrel Press.


Edited by apparaohoare - 18 years ago

Well I must blame the fourth estate...they are the ones who force meaningless things into our living rooms and lives...and then they say they do it because it sells... Have u watched the news channels these days...they are like the worst form of page 3!
Luvmusic ji pls let us know if someone is already doing something in this direction and how we can pitch in....

Originally posted by: adwarakanath

I have recordings of Pt. Jog. never has the violin sounded better in Hindustani. FANTASTIC musician.

As I've said, Appaji, our country's culture's going to the dogs😡.

I was apalled yesterday when my friend called EVERY SINGLE TEACHER of his a 'whore', 'bas***d', 'b******', 'cc' etc...you know the refrain.

When, I told him this wrong, never say that to your teacher, he started boasting about how he and his friends harass their teacher and she doesn't do anything.

When we said we never dared to do anything like that, his reply - Tum <beep> to sale <beep> fattoo ho <beep> woh teacher to sali <beep> <beep> hai....tum logon ke <beep> mein dum nahin hai.


Yeh haalat hai aajkal. Yehi banda keh raha tha ki 'Black Eyed Peas' is the best instance of singing he's ever heard😕

💔 yeh haal hai desh ka....I was just getting angry like a hell when I was watching the indisciplined crowds on II shows.An elderly person had come on stage and was singing in Lucknow show(zillion times better than the so called participant for whom they were cheering...my apologies to the gentleman for putting him in same sentence as the contestant)...and the audience were booing....what crazy people....

Elders ko gaali dena, professors ko chidhaana aur chote kapde pehanna shayad fashion hai aur 'in thing' hai...pata nahi ghar mein kya sikhaatey hain....ya yeh log itne pahunchey hue hain ki maa baap ke saamne acting kar saktey hain acche bacchon ki tarah....I was surprised how girls were dancing(abnormally) on stage with the II contestants for songs like 'Kab tak jawaani sambhaalogi rani'....wat wud her mom or dad think when they see it on screen?or may be they enjoy too....looking at their daughter on national tv....I donno....

Sure giggles ji I'll find out...it was heart wrenching to see Ustad ji on a news channel in the condition he was....shud we all be proud of being Indians?This is how we treat our torch bearers of art?

I wonder if we could do something collectively...as members of this forum...Just wondering

It could be small...just a signed petition to the President...who is a great lover of the arts I believe...or it could be on a larger scale for actually raising funds...just ideas...but sure would appreciate your responses!
Skeptics pls stay away!

Originally posted by: adwarakanath

That's a good thought. I have met the great man a couple of times and last time he remembered me...se let's see, I'll draft a letter and post it here. We can all sign and I'll send it.

Tht'll be grt Abhi...atleast if he can release the grant to Ustad ji....

and abt the girl u mentioned...heights of indiscipline....

Edited by luvmusic - 18 years ago