Mumbai, October 4 (IANS). There are a few names in the music world, which cross the boundaries of time and reflect on infinitely. Pandit Ram Chatur Mallik is such a name, in whose voice the ancient soul of Dhrupad lives. This great singer, who was born on October 5, 1902 in the Amta Village of Darbhanga district Bihar, not only saved the rich tradition of Darbhanga Gharana, but also gave it a new identity on the world scene. His singing had purity of Vedic mantras, depths of Ragas, and there was a rhythm used by the listeners. Ram Chatur Mallik was the 14th generation of the Mallike family, who was the pride of the Darbhanga Raj Darbar for centuries. His father, Pandit Rajit Ram, was a well -known singer and poet who composed Raga Vinod and composed thousands of Dhrupad compositions, inspired by Vedic texts. Rama Chatur’s childhood was spent in the lap of music. His first Guru was his father and then Uncle Kshitij Pal Mallik, who introduced him to the nuances of Dhrupad. But Rama Chatur left his unique impression in Khayal and Thumri, not limited to Dhrupad. There was such a confluence of classicity and emotions in his singing that the audience would be enchanted. Ram Chatur Mallik was a confidant of Maharaja Kameshwar Singh as the last head of Darbhanga Raj. Every responsibility of music at Raj meetings was on his shoulders. He was one of the selected artists who identified Indian classical music on the international stage. He visited England and France and captivated the audience with his Dhrupad-Dhamar singing there. His singing had a flexibility, which also made the rigid structure of Dhrupad easily sweet. He was called Dhrupad vice. In 1970 he was received by the Government of India the Padma Shri. Apart from this, he also received many awards. Her singing was also praised by veterans such as Ustad Amir Khan and Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. This story related to Ram Chatur is malted in some of his articles. Once, all the great artists were present at an informal festival. Ram Chatur Mallik suddenly started singing a beautiful Thumri after his Dhrupad singing. Everyone was surprised by his unexpected step. Thumri singing is known for his sentimentality and fickle, which is completely different from the severity of Dhrupad. When he finished his singing, Elder Ghulam Ali Khan, who is considered the king of Khyal and Thumri, rose. He praised Rama Chatural Mallik’s deep depth and efficiency with an open heart. Swara Pandit Ram Chatural Mallik’s life was synonymous with the practice of music. In his voice there was the magic that the Ragas gave soul. If the echo of Dhrupad slows down, his compositions and recording remind us that true art never disappears. -Ians jp/gkt
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