The opening of the much-awaited tribute paying ceremony to the great legend Lt. Ustad Ali Akbar Khan on the 5th of August 2009 at Uttam Mancha began with the recollection of the treasured moments that the master musician Pt. Debashish Bhattacharya shared with him…
“1968, I was five when father took me to an all night Raga Music Concert and there I encountered eternity! Ustad Ali Akbar Khan sat elegantly rattling thunderous Bageshree on his sarod and three thousand others and me present that night drank deep from the wine of intoxication. I acknowledge that was my first injection of instrumental live Raga Music. I relive this experience every time I think about it. The bold finger plucking to mellow passages and the divinity of his rendition was quite amazingly a great match for his stubborn and serious personality mixed with child like simplicity and love. The inner quality of this saint and the maestro musician left a deep imprint in my music, my thoughts and even affected the principles of my life. In my dream, my despair, in my frustration his music helps me as a medicine, in dark as a torch to search truths as also Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Sahib’s or Ustad Abdul Karim Khan Sahib’s.
My Guru another legend of Indian Guitar music, Pt. Brij Bhushan Kabra was Ustad Ali Akbar Khan’s disciple who sent me over to him, to learn in USA in the year 1995. The feeling was so much hypnotic that I kept dreaming and days passed by so quickly that on the last day I realized that I had stayed there almost for one and a half months. I wanted to stay with him for a longer period of time like I did with my other Gurus, Pt. Ajoy Chakroborty and Pt. Brij Bhushan Kabra. I never had an opportunity to learn from him for a long period of time but every year since then when ever I had been in California I always met him and always learned something from him while discussing heart felt thoughts on music and life. The news of his demise during my Paris tour paralysed me but musicians can't keep the audience waiting and so i had to play that night, the night of 19th June, 2009, at Paris, in Theatre de la cité internationale dedicating my love my music to this never to be forgotten artist. I achingly remember how last time when i paid him a short visit he had asked me "Next time when you come let no matter hurry you away from me. Try to stay for a bit longer time.." ...but the next time never came.
But I got him injected in me at the age of five, remember? That was the key factor. As a Guru , as a father ,as a performer he was a saint very simple in living generous and kind but a very rigid trainer.I have been surprised to see that God has created his own son in such a precise way yet with such perfection.Some of his best students around the world think he is a super God, but I think he is the best son of God and very near to him.
I always feel that he is a pathfinder,an unique musician a creative genius who has curved new heights for sarod players and explained Raga music through his repertoire performance.Without him and Pt. Ravi Shankar’s presence I doubt Chaturangui and my playing style would never have born uniquely.
I wish to lead a life like him as a musician and as a Guru.May be one day I will find a newer way through his education and philosophy.You may note “Aviskaar” track of Calcutta Chronicles was a humble rendition remembering Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.
Today I pray that may his soul rest in peace. My heart felt condolence for his wife Mary J. Khan, his sons Ustad Ashish Khan, Ustad Pranesh Khan, Alam Khan, Madina and Manik and Khan saheeb's daughter Baby di and to all his associated family members and also to his illustrous students. After departing this material world he has been given a place in Heaven in the garden of permanent night. I pray that the eternal time and all the spheres of this universe may be enlightened by his majestic melody. Salute to the King of Sarod Baba Ali Akbar Khan. "
The tribute paid to the legend, by his devotee the Indian slide guitar maestro Pt. Debashish Bhattacharya would remain engraved in every soul as a never to be forgotten melody of memoirs.
The music so intimately rendered started off with raga JAI JAWANTI and glided to the concluding harmony with MISHRA PILU . Pt. Bhattacharya with his Chaturangui was as eloquent of his personal grief on the passing away of the legend as the audience receptive of an expression of intimacy as if enacted out on stage. Accompanying with the maestro on tabla was brother Shree Subhasis Bhattacharjee and on tanpura Shree. Somranjan Chakraborty. Personalities like Pt.Ajoy Chakraborty, the son of the late Ustad, Ustad Ashish Khan, veteran musicologist Shri Ashish Chattopadhayay, Smt. Sandhya Sen, female vocalist vidushi Purnima Chawdhury and many other artists, connoisseurs, fans and devotees paid homage with their invaluable presence making the evening a remarkably memorable one.
- Pandit Debashish Bhattacharya, July 2009.