Tomorrow January 12 2013 is 21st death anniversary of Pandit Kumar Gandharva (ಶಿವಪುತ್ರಪ್ಪ ಸಿದ್ಧರಾಮಯ್ಯ ಕಂಕಾಳಿಮಠ).
Wikipedia informs:
"The Voyager Golden Records are phonograph records which were included aboard both Voyager spacecraft, which were launched in 1977. They contain sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth, and are intended for any intelligent extraterrestrial life form, or for future humans, who may find them."
If I had a vote, the late Kumar Gandharva's voice would be there.
Lawewnce Krauss speculates if indeed ET life will ever find and decode them:
"I am glad they will be
found to contain visual images of this beautiful blue planet as it once was,
along with music, to demonstrate that intelligent beings once lived on Earth.
It will also deliver simple greetings in hundreds of dialects from our
species—perhaps giving the impression that we knew we were lucky to exist for a
brief time on this cosmic speck, instead of suffering under the solipsistic
notion that we somehow reigned supreme in a universe created for us."
Humility expressed in the quote above too would go well with Kumar's art.
I understand almost nothing of music but he remains the greatest male singer and one of the greatest 20th century artists for me. I understand a little bit about Kabir and Bal Gandharva (बालगंधर्व) because of his music. There is an excellent page on Panditji on Facebook. You may visit it here.
Courtesy that page, I was introduced to a very good artist Vishnu Chinchalkar (विष्णु चिंचाळकर) 1917-2000.
Look at his following two pictures featuring Kumar.
These pictures are stunning in simplicity and yet convey Kumar's mien in all its majesty.
I have been very lucky. Some time during 1985-1987, my friend Jayant Inamdar (जयंत इनामदार) and I attended at Karnataka Sangha, Matunga, Mumbai (कर्नाटक संघ, माटुंगा) lecture-cum-demonstration programme of Panditji, everyday evening, for almost a week.
I remember Marathi poet Vasant Bapat (वसंत बापट) interviewing him. I still recall the late Mr. Bapat saying: I am here like a calf pushing his mother so that she lactates more!
How true! No one in that audience- the late Gangadhar Gadgil (गंगाधर गाडगीळ) and his wife came almost everyday- could have really interviewed Kumar. He transcended words every time he sang. He often asked (chided?) his accompanists to play softly.
I also remember Kumar say that a lot of singers sing 'Miyan Ki Malhar' because they can's sing 'Malhar'! He also compared raga to a painting where a singer works like a painter.
I don't think I will ever attend a better live program than that in my life. And it was completely free. We had to just show up.