‘A storm in an ocean’: Hindustani vocalist Kumar refused to be bound by orthodoxy

More than 30 years after his passing, legendary Hindustani classical vocalist Kumar Gandharva remains a puzzle for his admirers – a performer as much as an idea. His life, music and aesthetic philosophy have inspired not only musicians but a variety of creative practitioners over successive generations. Genius, rebel, experimenter, creator extraordinaire – these words evoke aspects of his artistic impulse but fail to capture its complexity.

In journalist Prabhas Joshi’s words, Kumar Gandharva’s nature was such that: “If he had not been a brilliant singer, he would have been an author. If not an author, then a painter…That is, if he had been in an ocean, he would have been a storm.”

One window into this puzzle is his own reflections, and the writings of those who have been touched by his artistry. I approach this archive through a series of questions about art and music, hoping to illuminate some parts of his profound legacy.

What is art?

For Kumar Gandharva, art was a perpetually changing stream. Even a traditional form like Hindustani music was not to be bound by convention or orthodoxy. In an interview with poet Vasant Bapat, he said: “The character of art, of music, is to change. On the one hand, you say it changes and on...

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