On Feb 8, the 71st birthday of ghazal exponent, Jagjit Singh, the music fraternity paid tribute to the legend, with a concert titled Jashn-e-Jagjit Singh, where they shared their memories of the singer.
Who could forget the soul-stirring voice behind melodies like Hazaaron khwaishen aisi, Ye kaghaz ki kashti and Jhuki jhuki si nazar. They rang in the ears of millions of music lovers for decades. And will forever.
For admirers, and those associated with him, Singh’s passing has been a great loss.
But they frequently conduct events like Jashn-e-Jagjit Singh, to keep his memory alive.
The concert, organized by Swardharohar, featured singers such as Roop Kumar Rathod, Sonali Rathod and the violinist Deepak Pandit.
Recalling the maestro, Roop Kumar Rathod said, “Jagjitji had invited me to his 70th birthday last year. Though he is not with us physically, the ghazal maestro is always alive in our hearts.”
Roop Kumar Rathod paid tribute to him by presenting some of his ghazals.
He recalled, “This was a man who took the genre to Royal Albert Hall. He performed with base guitar, violin, santoor, sitar and other percussion instruments that were not used for Gazals before.”
Rathod added, “Jagjitji never changed his original singing style. People tend to do this to survive in the industry, and establish themselves. But he was never in that glamour race. His confidence ensured he would remain individual.”
Rathod remarked, “I learned a lot from him. I consider him my mentor. He motivated me when I began my career in singing, after I left playing the tabla.
“I still remember him patting me on my back, saying, ‘It’s good you are carrying the legacy’. He was down-to-earth and very straightforward. Traits that are difficult to find in a person of his stature.”
He went on, “He told me that to be a good ghazal singer, one must learn Urdu. So I learned the language. “According to Jagjitji, everyone wants to be a star in one day. But it takes great effort. People pay less attention to that part.” Meanwhile, his wife Sonali shared her first meeting the maestro: “I was 11. I was performing and after it got over, he hugged me, asking my name.”
Deepak Pandit played the violin in 900 concerts with Jagjit Singh.
After his parents died, Singh supported him.
“I have no words to express how I feel, “ he said. He always cared about his musicians, insisting the troupe stay with him in the same five star hotel. He was a father figure to me and will be loved for long.”
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