New Delhi, Jul 21 (PTI) From sarod virtuoso Alam Khan, son of the late legend Ali Akbar Khan, to musician and queer transmasculine activist Rumi Harish, “The Call of Music” explores the journeys of eight distinctive voices in Hindustani music — ranging from acclaimed performers to unsung torchbearers.
Written by Hindustani vocalist Priya Purushothaman, the book explores the personal journeys of dedicated music practitioners, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process of music-making while also shedding light on the pervasive influence of social class within the realm of classical music.
It is published by Hachette India.
“I wondered about all the stories I wouldn’t get to hear or read, out of sheer lack of access or documentation. This compelled me to seek these individuals and see if they would give me the privilege of sharing a slice of their lives, coming together as something akin to an ethnographic survey of select Hindustani musicians in the twenty-first century,” Purushothaman, who also authored “Living Music: Conversations with Pandit Dinkar Kaikini”, said in a statement. From the narrow lanes of Kashipur to the sweeping hills of San Rafael, the artists profiled in the book emerge from vastly different worlds. Yet, each has devoted their life to music with “unflinching conviction and artistic courage”.
The lineup includes Shubhada Paradkar, a leading figure of the Agra gharana; acclaimed violinist Kala Ramnath; sarangi player and the youngest featured artist, Suhail Yusuf Khan; accomplished tabla player Yogesh Samsi; and vocalist Shubha Joshi.
“What binds them is a profound surrender to the art, a deep-seated devotion that transcends convention and circumstance. Together, they form a luminous, emotionally textured portrait of a musical legacy – rooted and radically alive,” said the publisher in its description of the book.
The book has been endorsed by the likes of historian Ramachandra Guha and acclaimed Hindustani classical vocalist Shubha Mudgal.
While Guha describes the book as a “rich and beautiful meditation” on the greatest of our art forms, Mudgal notes that Purushothaman’s writing “reflects in totality the rigour and introspection that has marked her journey as a singer”.
“As a lover of our ‘shastriya sangeet’ I found this book utterly compelling. So will readers with a more general interest in narrative non-fiction, and those seeking to make of their profession a calling,” Guha adds.
“The Call of Music: 8 Stories of Hindustani Musicians”, priced at Rs 699, is available for sale across online and offline stores. PTI MG BK BK
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