Message in the flute

Flautist Ronu Majumdar wants to spread the message of universal brotherhood through his bansuri

by Sangeeta Singh

MUSIC can really bring people of different views together. And for a change the legislators of Uttar Pradesh, famous for creating a rumpus in the Assembly, were found sitting together to listen to the flute on April 1, in Lucknow. The concert was organised by the Sahara India Group in memory of Shri Sudhir Chandra Roy, father of Subroto Roy, chairman of the group. And the person who brought them together was Ranendranath Majumdar, country’s famous flautist who won the ’Life Time Achievement Award’ of Rs 1,01,000. What is more interesting that for the first time in India a bansuri concert of this magnitude was held with 16 artists participating from all over the country.

Ronu Da as the flautist is popularly known belong to the Maihar (Rampur) Gharana which has produced most of the country’s leading flautists like Ustad Alauddin Khan, Pt. Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Panna Lal Ghosh and Nikhil Banerjee. He has learnt to play under the guidance of father Dr Bhanu Majumdar, Pt. Laxman Prasad Jaipurwale and Pt. Vijay Raghav Rao. “Learning under different gurus gave me the confidence to experiment with different styles which have been appreciated both by music directors and the audience,” says Mr Majumdar.

Mr Majumdar is also known to bring back the concept of seven hole bansuri against the six hole instrument popularised by Pt. Hari Prasad Chaurasia. He says that Panna Lal Ghosh, who is a legend in bansuri used to play the seven hole instruments. “Certain ragas like Shri Raag and Behag cannot be played without a seven hole flute,” adds the artist.

To give depth to his style Ronu Majumdar learnt vocal music for seven years. “This helped me sharpen my acumen in bansuri.” Today Ronu Da has created his own style and he admits that creating ones own style and being recognised for that when established artists are there is really difficult. Ronu Majumdar has played for a number of Hindi films like Hero, Jaag Utha Insaan and 1942, A Love Story.

He has also given the background music along with Pt. Ravi Shankar for the Hollywood movie Primary Colours.

However, he enjoys playing for a concert much more than playing for a film. “Nothing like getting the instant reaction of the audiences,” says Mr Majumdar. But he also admits that giving background music for a film gives him the pleasure of playing according to the music director. “The pleasure of creating something which others want gives a different kind of feeling.” However, he laments that music in films is largely dependent on synthesizers these days.

Mr Majumdar’s aim is to popularise the bansuri all over the world. “Of late people in the western world have started recognising bansuri but it still is not as popular as sitar, sarod or tabla,” says he. “Bansuri being an instrument of Lord Krishna its more popular among Indian audiences than western.” He also says that western flute is made of metal, which makes it different from bansuri. “Its bansuri which captures the beauty of ragas.”

Among the distinguished artists he admires, Mr Majumdar names Panna Lala Ghosh and Pt. Ravi Shankar. “It was Panna Lal Ghosh who brought this ancient pastoral instrument on the classical platform way back in early 60s.” He further says that Pt. Ravi Shankar have always encouraged him to come up with his own style. Mr Majumdar was also a part of Pt. Ravi Shankar’s popular project, Chants of India. And for reviving seven-hole bansuri he gives full credit to his guru Pt. Vijay Raghav Rao.
Mr Majumdar would like to perform solo, in duet and in trio rather than as an accompanist. “Violin and sarangi are more suited for performing as accompanist instrument rather than flute,” says he. However, playing trio his new found love. “A trio of bansuri, guitar and santoor is what fascinates me these days.” Another way Mr Majumdar would like to perform is through fusion and he cannot stop talking about his fusion album -A Traveller’s Tale, which according to him has been very popular.

Mr Majumdar also likes to talk about his new album Dhyan, recently brought out by Times Music, which has been very popular. He says it contains the essentials of Sam Ved and the concepts of dhyan, moksha and samadhi have been narrated through flute. His other music albums include Heart to Heart, Reverie, Jugalbandi series and several others. His international releases include Fascinoma with ace guitarist Ry Cooder of the US and John Hassles, In search of life with Christian Seiferd and Mysticism of Wood Wind.

A graduate from Mumbai’s Vivekananda College, Mr Majumdar wanted to do a Ph.D in Music. “My artist friends especially Zakir Bhai said that the same time can be used in intensifying my research in flute which needed no formal degree,” he says.