Pandit Motiram Explained

Pandit Motiram
Birth Date:1889
Origin:Pili Mandori, Fatehabad District, Haryana, India
Genre:Khayal, Dhrupad, Dhamar, Haveli Sangeet, Bhajan, Thumri, Tappa
Occupation:Vocalist
Years Active:1900s–1934
Associated Acts:Pandit Jyotiram, Pandit Maniram, Pt. Pratap Narayan Pandit

Shri Pandit Motiram (1899 – 24 April 1934), sometimes referred to as Motiram Pandit and Moti Prasad, was an Indian classical vocalist from the Mewati gharana.[1] Pandit is known for being the father and guru of popular musicians Pandit Jasraj, Pandit Maniram, and Pandit Pratap Narayan.[2] His legacy has been commemorated since 1972 annually at Hyderabad, where he was appointed a court musician, in the Pandit Motiram Pandit Maniram Sangeet Samaroh.[3]

A disciple of the Mewati tradition, Pandit's popularity grew through jugalbandi performances with his younger brother and disciple, Pandit Jyotiram, who were known together as Moti-Jyoti.[4]

Background

Pandit lost his father at an early age. He and his brother, Jyotiram, were adopted by their maternal uncle, Pandit Natthulal, a disciple of Ustad Ghagge Nazir Khan.[5] Pandit and his brother were trained in music by him.[6]

Career

He served as a court musician to Maharaja Pratap Singh in the Kashmir Darbar. He left after some friction with the Dewan and invited by the Nizam of Hyderabad Osman Ali Khan to be his court musician.[7]

Death

On 24 April 1944, Pandit died unexpectedly for unknown reasons on the day he was supposed to become the court musician of Osman Ali Khan, the Nizam of Hyderabad.[8]

Legacy

Music Contributions

Pandit is not known to have created any ragas.[9] His khayal and bhajan compositions remain popular today.[10] He was known for composing in aprachalit ragas. These include:

Disciples

Pandit's foremost disciplines were his three sons, Maniram, Pratap Narayan, and Jasraj.[11]

Personal life

Pandit married Krishna Meghe.[12] They had nine children together, two of whom died prematurely. This included Maniram (son), Padma (daughter), Pratap Narayan (son), Rama (daughter), Rajaram (son), Pushpa (daughter), and Jasraj (son).

Notes and References

  1. Book: Dāśaśarmā . Amala . Musicians of India: Past and Present Gharanas of Hindustani Music and Genealogies . 1993 . Naya Prokash . 9788185421186 . 240.
  2. Publications Division (India) . AKASHVANI: Vol. XXVIII. No. 30 (28 JULY, 1963) . Akashvani . 1963 . XXVIII . 30 . 6 .
  3. Book: Sarma . Debottam . Kankana Banerjee: The Journey of a Khayal Queen . December 28, 2022 . Clever Fox Publishing . 56.
  4. Misra . Susheela . Vasantrao Deshpande: A Tribute . Sangeet Natak . 1986 . 81–82 . 42–48.
  5. Book: Bagchee . Sandeep . Nād: Understanding Rāga Music . 1998 . Eeshwar . 9788186982075 . 188.
  6. Book: Roy . Ashok . Music Makers: Living Legends of Indian Classical Music . 2004 . Rupa & Company . 9788129103192 . 95.
  7. Book: Chapalgaonkar . Narendra . The Last Nizam and His People: Profiles and Sketches from Hyderabad . 2022 . Taylor & Francis . 9781000571325.
  8. News: Paul . Papri . Pandit Jasraj takes a trip down the memory lane to relive his idyllic childhood spent in Hyderabad . Times of India . 11 December 2016.
  9. Book: Budhiraja . Sunita . Rasraj: Pandit Jasraj . 2018 . Vani Prakashan . 9789387889583.
  10. Book: Mahabarati, Sangit . Ghosh . Nikhil . The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India . 2011 . Oxford University Press . 978-0-19-565098-3 .
  11. Book: Brahaspati . S. V. . Great Masters Of Hindustani Music . 2023 . Abhishek Publications . 9788182478985 . 126.
  12. Book: Budhiraja . Sunita . Rasraj: Pandit Jasraj . 2018 . Vani Prakashan . 9789387889583 .

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