Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia: 'Meri Bansuri Mujhse Bahot Pyaar Karti Hai..'
When we think of soothing music, it’s often the soothing, soul-stirring notes of the bansuri that first reach our ears. And when it’s bansuri, one name rises above all — legendary flautist, Padma Vibhushan Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia.
His music has touched hearts and moved audiences worldwide. Even at 86, he continues to train and inspire young, passionate musicians. He believes he breathes only to let his music breathe, and for him, every breath becomes magical when it flows through his flute.
“Meri bansuri mujhse bahot pyaar karti hai (My flute loves me a lot). Mein bhi usse bahot pyaar karta hu (Even I love it, unconditionally),” Panditji says.
The flute maestro considers the musical instrument his “everything” and reveres it as God.
Like God is worshipped in different forms, say Lord Krishna is picturised playing the flute around his beloved Radharani, Gopis and cows, filling the air with pure ecstasy, Panditji points out that the sound of the bansuri can be felt differently by different people — it has the power to stir varied emotions in each listener.
“When the flute recital begins, there are experiences lived. To some, it feels relaxing and rejuvenating; to others, it feels like performing a puja; to some, it feels like taking the darshan of Lord Krishna; and to others, it’s all about romance. People even get transported to Vrindavan or Mathura, visualise the Gopis, and feel as if the divine Himself is playing the bansuri,” he adds.
He rightly calls the flute an instrument that can narrate everything — whether it’s for romance, worship, or devotion. So, what does he experience as a musician while playing the bansuri. “It’s like a shower of nectar (amrit ki varsha hoti hai). We are all bathing in it as the tunes touch us. What we blow from the heart, that emotion is conveyed to others,” he shares.
Panditji then throws light on a significant institution — the ‘guru-shishya parampara’, which, he says, has evolved over the years without losing its true essence and goodness. He agrees that change is the only constant and it is essential for watering the seed of creativity. “Things change with time. So, has the guru-shishya tradition, but it is still strong,” he says.
He further notes that “the young generation perceives things with their sense of understanding, and we do it with our way of thinking”. “If our kids follow and create like us, what’s unique about them? If one needs novelty, we must embrace change in the evolving times,” he explains.
Panditji is a guru to many renowned artistes today, including the flute sisters, Debopriya and Suchismita Chatterjee, whom The Free Press Journal interviewed in April. So, whose teachings inspired him the most? “My mother,” he replies immediately.
With heartfelt gratitude to his mother, he emotionally reflects that a mother is the first guru — the one who gives birth, nurtures her children with love and care, and trains them to become successful. In his words, “A guru is like a mother — there’s no replacement.”
Panditji makes a bold remark, “Some younger musicians want instant fame, often idolising themselves as great or God. This is wrong.” He advises one must follow their guru and respect them. “Gurus impart more than just music lessons; their blessings and right guidance make an artiste grow and achieve great heights," he shares.
With his wisdom, knowledge, and long journey in music, bansuri maestro Hariprasad Chaurasia has immensely contributed to the world of music, from devotional songs to filmy beats. For over six decades, Hariprasad Chaurasia has been synonymous with the bamboo flute, elevating the instrument to unprecedented heights.
Heartfelt tribute at NCPA, Mumbai
His journey from Allahabad to global acclaim was celebrated on Friday at the NCPA, Mumbai, where musicians — including his daughter-in-law Pushpanjali Chaurasia, bansuri players Debopriya and Suchismita, and others — paid a heartfelt tribute to him. The event was titled Bansuri Jab Gaane Lage and presented in collaboration with Vrindaban Gurukul.
Refuses to be called 'The Father of Flute"
The tribute means a lot to him, especially because the audience truly felt the joy created by the music, making it a memorable evening. Despite receiving prestigious honours such as the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1984), Padma Bhushan (1992), Padma Vibhushan (2002), and many more, he playfully yet humbly refuses when we ask if he would like to be addressed as the ‘Father of the Flute'. “Father? Come on. I’m still young. I am a child (Mein toh abhi bhi baccha hu na),” he expresses with a gentle smile.
A century ahead or maybe forever, how does he want people to remember him? For his music, he says. “I take with me two things to the stage, swara and laya (melody and rhythm), and ensure they are synchronised. If there’s an imbalance or one of them is missing, it’s a God’s curse (Bhagwan ki baddua),” he notes.
“I try to leave a mark wherever I perform. I wish to make them fall in love with music. Often, people enjoy the bansuri. People offer me food, tea, and praise. I feel blessed. I can’t really sum it up in words as the feeling is beyond and very special.”
He concludes with, “If people listen to my music and enjoy it, the purpose is served. It’s not about understanding or decoding music, but simply soaking into its essence and what it has to offer.”
news