Hindustani classical vocalist Kishori Amonkar passes away at 84, funeral at Shivaji...

Padma Vibhushan recipient classical singer Kishori Amonkar passed away at the age of 84 at her house in Mumbai on Monday evening. One of the finest Hindustani classical singers, Amonkar was ailing for a while, said sources.

Amonkar’s body has been kept at Ravindra Natya Mandir in Prabhadevi for people to pay their last respects.

The funeral will be held at the Shivaji Park crematorium on Tuesday evening. She is survived by two sons and grandchildren. In her career spanning seven decades, she was revered as ‘Gaan-Saraswati’.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief on Twitter. “Demise of Kishori Amonkar is an irreparable loss to Indian classical music. Deeply pained by her demise. May her soul rest in peace,” he tweeted.

Modi also tweeted a link to a documentary film on Kishori Amonkar, Bhinna Shadja, with the caption, ‘The works of Kishori Amonkar will always remain popular among people for years to come.’

Stating that the field of Indian classical music has lost one of the most luminous stars, governor of Maharashtra CH Vidyasagar Rao in his tribute, said, “Smt Kishori Amonkar was a great vocalist gifted with a divine voice. She belonged to the small league of vocalists who took Hindustani classical music to great heights. While assiduously retaining the essence of her classical tradition, she welcomed innovative ideas. A great guru herself, Kishori Tai passed on the knowledge she acquired through years of dedication to her disciples.”

Condolences poured in from Bollywood fraternity as well. Noted actor Shabana Azmi tweeted, “What a loss... Have been her ardent fan and consider myself fortunate to have lived in a time I could hear Kishori Amonkar sing.”

Born on April 10, 1932 to Madhavdas Bhatiya and Mogubai Kurdikar, a well-known classical vocalist, she learned music under Ustad Alladiya Khan Saheb and Kesarbai Kerkar.

Amonkar sang in the Jaipur gharana style, with her quintessential Maharashtrian and Goan lehja. Her training in music began under her mother. She studied at Elphinstone College.

Known to have acquired her own style in emphasising the emotional content of music, Amonkar imbibed the nuances of the much-feared Jaipur-Atrauli gharana.

She was a recipient of the Rashtrapati Award, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and Sangeet Samragni Award, among others.

In a tweet, Bharat Ratna awardee Lata Mangeshkar said, “Mujhe abhi abhi pata chala ki mahan shastriya gayika Kishori amonkar ji ka swargwas hua, ye sunke mujhe bahut dukh hua. Wo ek asaadharan gayika thi.Unke jaane se shastriya sangeet jagat ki bahut haani hui hai... (I have just heard that the legendary classical singer Kishori Amonkarji has passed away. I am saddened. She was a phenomenal singer. Her passing is a big loss to music).”