I used to call him Uncleji and not Panditji. He would never mind. When I was around four years, we used to go to Uncleji’s place every other day as Babuji (Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia) and Uncleji would meet often. At the time, I was too young to know I was standing in between two pillars of Hindustani classical music. They were called the kings of sur and taal. For me, they were simply Uncleji and Babuji.
Babuji saw him as an elder brother. With dedication and devotion, they brought the santoor and the flute into the classical scenario. Before that, the two were considered folk instruments. I am in Kolkata. When I got the news, I could not register it. I went through some recordings of Uncleji and I could see the spiritual side of him. He was a devotee of Sathya Sai Baba and I could see Sai baba in him. His aura could coax the most agitated human beings into a sense of calm.
He was custom-made for his instrument. He had delicate but strong hands. There are three strings in the santoor and you are supposed to hit all three strings together to produce that kind of sound. Also, his posture was meant for the santoor. His santoor would face the heaven, thanks to his long legs and the asana in which he would sit down to play it. I think God makes such artists just to break the mould. There will be no one else like him.
– Rakesh Chaurasia, son of Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia
Babuji saw him as an elder brother. With dedication and devotion, they brought the santoor and the flute into the classical scenario. Before that, the two were considered folk instruments. I am in Kolkata. When I got the news, I could not register it. I went through some recordings of Uncleji and I could see the spiritual side of him. He was a devotee of Sathya Sai Baba and I could see Sai baba in him. His aura could coax the most agitated human beings into a sense of calm.
He was custom-made for his instrument. He had delicate but strong hands. There are three strings in the santoor and you are supposed to hit all three strings together to produce that kind of sound. Also, his posture was meant for the santoor. His santoor would face the heaven, thanks to his long legs and the asana in which he would sit down to play it. I think God makes such artists just to break the mould. There will be no one else like him.
– Rakesh Chaurasia, son of Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia