Hariprasad Chaurasia (born 1 July 1938) is an Indian music director and classical flutist, who plays the bansuri, an Indian bamboo flute, in the Hindustani classical tradition.
Early life
Chaurasia was born in Allahabad in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. His mother died when he was 6. He had to learn music without his father's knowledge, as his father wanted him to become a wrestler. He did go to the Akhada and train with his father for some time, although he also started learning music and practising at his friend's house.
He has stated,
I was not any good at wrestling. I went there only to please my father. But maybe because of the strength and stamina I built up then, I'm able to play the bansuri even to this day. — Hariprasad Chaurasia
Career
Chaurasia started learning vocal music from his neighbour, Rajaram, at the age of 15. Later, he switched to playing the flute under the tutelage of Bholanath Prasanna of Varanasi for eight years. He joined the All India Radio, Cuttack, Odisha in 1957 and worked as a composer and performer. Much later, while working for All India Radio, he received guidance from the reclusive Annapurna Devi, daughter of Baba Allaudin Khan. She only agreed to teach him if he was willing to unlearn all that he had learnt until then. Another version is that she only agreed to teach him after he (of his own) took the decision to switch from right-handed to left-handed playing to show her his commitment. In any case Chaurasia plays left-handed to this day.
Apart from classical music, Hariprasad has collaborated with Shivkumar Sharma, forming a group called Shiv-Hari. The pair composed music for many popular movies, including Silsila and Chandni, and created some highly popular songs. Pandit Chaurasia also collaborated with Odia musician Bhubaneswar Mishra, forming the pair "Bhuban-Hari" (in line with Shiv-Hari), and the pair composed music for many Odia movies, creating numerous songs that were hugely popular in the state. These include Muje janena kaha baata (sung by Suman Kalyanpur; movie: Gapa helebi Sata); and all songs from Maa o Mamata, and many more.
Pandit Chaurasia's nephew and pupil Rakesh Chaurasia is a highly accomplished flutist now, and has been performing globally with such eminent maestros as Ustad Zakir Hussain.
He serves as the artistic director of the World Music Department at the Rotterdam Music Conservatory in the Netherlands[citation needed]. He was also the founder of the Vrindavan Gurukul in Mumbai (opened 2006) and Vrindavan Gurukul in Bhubaneshwar (opened 2010). Both of these institutes are schools dedicated to training students in bansuri in the Guru-shishya tradition.
He has collaborated with several western musicians, including John McLaughlin, Jan Garbarek, and Ken Lauber, and has composed music for Indian films. Chaurasia also played on The Beatles' 1968 B-side "The Inner Light", which was written by George Harrison.
Personal life
Chaurasia was married to Kamla and Anuradha. He has three sons Vinay, Ajay and Rajiv, five granddaughters and a single grandson.
In popular culture
The 2013 documentary film Bansuri Guru features the life and legacy of Chaurasia and was directed by the musician's son Rajeev Chaurasia and produced by the Films Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.
Awards
Sangeet Natak Academy[citation needed] - 1984
Konark Samman - 1992
Padma Bhushan - 1992
Yash Bharati Samman - 1994
Padma Vibhushan - 2000
Pandit Chatur Lal Excellence Award - 2015
Hafiz Ali Khan Award - 2000
Dinanath Mangeshkar Award - 2000
Pune Pandit Award - 2008, by The Art & Music Foundation, Pune, India
Akshaya Samman - 2009
Honorary Doctorate, North Orissa University - 2008
Honorary Doctorate, Utkal University - 2011
National Eminence award, NADA VIDYA BHARTI by Visakha Music and Dance Academy, Vizag - 2009
The 25 Greatest Global Living Legends In India by NDTV - 2013
Books
Official biography "Woodwinds of Change" by Surjit Singh - 2008
'Hariprasad Chaurasia and the Art of Improvisation', by Henri Tournier
Source:Wiipedia
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