Pundit Arun Kumar Chatterjee
At 93, his energy and love for music are infectious. Pandit Arun Kumar Chatterjee, who has been residing in Suncity since 2014, is one of the senior representatives of Kirana Gharana.
His initial training started under the guidance of his mother at the tender age of four, from whom he learned devotional Bengali songs. His first live performance, at the age of six, earned him 12 awards. Later, he learned from music maestros Pt. Bheemsen Joshi, Pt. Bhishmadev Chatterjee, and Pt. Narain Rao Joshi and that explains his versatility, which is seen in the ease with which he renders khayal, thumris, bhajans, and devotional songs.
He is an ‘A’ grade A.I.R artist and was even associated with the Ramakrishna Mission. “I was 32 when I started working with the Ramakrishna Mission, where many foreign nationals used to come to me to learn music,” Panditiji tells us over the phone.
The national award-winning Hindustani classical vocalist believes classical music is “like worship of the Lord.” The knowledge of classical music, he says, helps one to have a strong foundation on which any tune or rhythm can be created. “If you want a 42-floor building, you need a strong base. Isn’t it? he asks.
Is there any advice he has to offer to young musicians? “A child needs to practice the seven notes at least once a day, while anyone above 15 can do that twice- both morning and evening. Also, there are some diet restrictions one needs to follow to be a good musician. Things like tamarind or samosa are to be avoided. Naad sadhana can be done regularly,” he opines.
About his stay in Suncity, Panditji says it’s like living in Kashmir. “There are so many baags and bageechas in Suncity, which makes it so beautiful. People from different religions and communities live here as one big family,” he concludes on a happy note.
