Her father’s daughter

Kumar Gandharva was a visionary Indian classical vocalist, known for his unique contributions to Hindustani music. He did not believe in conforming to purist traditions, and that made his music innovative and distinct. His mastery over the dhrupad and khayal forms of classical music found several blends with folk and Bhakti sangeet. His daughter Kalapini Komkali, a celebrated classical vocalist in her own right, was in Punjab to perform at the third edition of the Sacred Amritsar festival. She recalls how Guru Nanak’s philosophy deeply influenced him.

“My father would deep-dive into the literature of saints before he created compositions inspired by their works. He was influenced by Guru Nanak’s philosophy and Gurbani. We have Guru Granth Sahib at home, kept with maryada. Unfortunately, he could not take it up in a big way or the way he always wanted to,” shares Kalapini. She performed two of her father’s rare compositions, one inspired by Gurbani and the other by Bhagat Namdev’s bhajan. Her performance culminated with Kabir’s baani.

Talking about the other influences in her father’s work, she says, “It included Meera’s ‘Padavali’, Tulsidas’ ‘Vinay Patrika’, Tukaram’s ‘Gatha’, Gorakhnath’s bhajans and Kabir’s ‘Beejak’. His music formed a bridge between Indian classical music and the philosophy of the saints.”

While deeply rooted in the classical tradition, Kumar Gandharva also incorporated modern influences, which made his music accessible to a wider audience. Kalapini, too, shares some of her father’s vision in terms of audience interactions. “The way you present your music and the way it is received depends on a lot of factors. Music is a dialogue between the audience and the artiste. One has to be in sync with the audience and my father’s music has managed to transcend generations.”

Given her keen interest in the music of Punjab, Kalapini says she has always relished performing here. While her direct participation remains limited to her concerts, she is a willing participant for taking up the discourse on Punjab’s musical traditions and heritage.

“Punjab has a rich legacy of Hindustani classical artistes and it has nurtured so many big names, who have become legends. I wish the audience here engages with Hindustani classical more.”