The Tabla Veteran Padma Vibhushan Pt. Kishan Maharaj passed away last night. I respected him, and loved him alot. Being a very straight forward and extremely moody person, people were generally scared to talk to him. I am really lucky that I got his guidance till 2-3 years back, along with my Guru Ma, Padbhushan Smt. Girija Devi. I had the fortune of talking to him without being scared of his thrashings which were normal to everyone who went to see him.
It was in June 1999, when my Guruma had arranged for a get together in her Varanasi residence and where Kishan Maharaj Ji and some other respectible personalities of the city had come. All of sudden Appa ji (Guruma), asked me along with my other two Guru Behen (Batchmates, Other disciples of my Guruma) to sing a bhajan. It was supposed to be a casual performance, meant just for entertainment. I did not bother very hard to present the bhajan beautifully. I just sang it. And also because of the other Gurubehans, who were elder but junior to me, the rythm got slipped twice. Maharaj ji was unhappy with it all. As soon as it ended, and Maharaj ji was about to leave, he called me in front of everyone. I went to him, scared, in a room full of atleast fifty people most of whom were very respectible personalities of the city. He said, "Are you out of your senses? Seems you have stopped your Riyaz (practice). Aren't you ashamed of what you have done?" I understood the matter instantly. He added, "You slipped the Taala (rythm) twice." Being a kid everyone could make out that I was feeling insulted and was just about to cry. Maharaj Ji could make it out either. He suddenly started speaking softly, and said, "Child, don't you have to maintain your level of performance. You must maintain the place that you have acquired in Music. And not only that but you must also strive to get higher than that." The crying face of mine turned into a smiling one when I heard him saying this. I couldn't believe my ears that Maharaj Ji, who is known for his daring nature and for thrashing people in Public, talked to me like this in front of everyone. I really felt blessed, which I actually am to have spent time with such legends.
The surprise was yet to come. Maharaj Ji was ready to leave and luckily I was assigned the job of dropping him home. As soon as we reached his home, he asked me to wait for two minutes so that he could empty the tiffin box of sweets, which Appaji had given him to take home and fill it with sweets from his home, which is actually a Banarasi Tradition where we do not return empty tiffin boxes or even utensils. As soon as he came with the tiffin box he said, "I have put two big Laddos (Banarasi Traditional Sweet), in your tiffin. See, I am not returning it empty. Tell, Girija what is inside." I grinned. Taking his leave, I touched his feet and was just about to leave when he stopped me again and said, "Child, Are you upset with what I said in front of others? It is just to remind you that you got to run ahead of not only others in the world but also ahead of yourself. You must not deteriorate from what you are." I said, "Absolutely not Maharaj ji. I belong to a family which has no Musical Background. Who else is going to show me the way if not You and Appaji?" I was really astonished to see Maharaj ji talking like this.
That was the most precious moment of my life. I was really surprised to see that aspect of Maharaj ji which, I suppose, is known to very few.
Your departure is a great loss, not only to your family, but also to me, my family and Sunanda Di, my Gurubehan (Sunanda Sharma - http://sunandasharma.com/ ) as well.
You are always going to stay alive in my Heart Maharaj ji. People like you can never die....
My pranaam to you....
