Date: Mon 9 Feb, 2004
Subject: In Memoriam - Pt. Kaviraj Asutosh Bhattacharya (17/03/1917-09/02/2004)

My respected and beloved Guru-ji of tabla, Pandit Kaviraj Ashutosh "Asu Babu" Bhattacharya passed away last night at 2am after a month long illness, at the age of 86. Thus ends the life of a truly great man, famous as both an extraordinary tabla player and teacher and reputed Ayurvedic doctor.

Guru-ji was born in Varanasi, India in March 1917 and studied tabla under the great Ustad Kanthe Maharaj. As a young man he was already a rising star, playing his first conference at the age of 21 with the legendary Ustad Allauddin Khan, in Allahabad. Shortly thereafter he was to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather in studying Ayurvedic medicine in Delhi. At the same time as taking lectures, studying and gaining practical experience in his medicine guru's clinic, he was maintaining his tabla practice, giving lessons on Sundays and performing concerts and radio recitals with the likes of Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan and Vilayat Khan.

After completing his degree and returning to Varanasi, he set up his medical practice and continued to give tabla performances, learn from his guru-ji and practise around 6 hours a day, receiving many awards for his musicianship. During this period he played with most of the "greats" of 20th century Indian classical music, including Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan, Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan, Pt D.V. Paluskar, Pt. Nikhil Banerjee, etc etc. In 1952 he performed in "that concert" - Ustad Allauddin Khan, his son Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Pandit Nikhil Banerjee accompanied on tabla by Ustad Kanthe Maharaj and his senior disciple, our Guru-ji, gave a 3 1/2 hour performance together in the early morning during an All-India Music Conference in Calcutta. Despite such incredible achievements, he always thought of medicine as his profession and music as his hobby, so he never took money for concerts except for expenses like travel, food and lodging.

One of his beliefs was that music should be a divine experience. This sort of music can only come from years of intensive practice and devotion, from thinking of music as an offering to God and allowing inspiration to come from spontaneity, which can only happen when one is completely free with one's instrument due to "too much practice and devotion". In many ways he was a true "musical saint".

May God bless him on his journey.

(Adapted from "Guru-ji")

Love to all
Shen
Aum Mani Padme Hum