Today Baiju Bawra is remembered more by the film made on him which highlighted the rivalry between him and Tansen than his flair for music. He is reviled as being a “bawra” (crazy).
Though not much is known about him historically, musicians’ perception of Baiju Nayak is quite different. It is said he was a disciple of Swami Haridas of Vrindavan and he lived and died in Chanderi. Another account has it that he was musician of the Gwalior court. The uncertainty about the details of his life being as they are, what is definite is that he was a revered figure. Ustad Bahauddin Dagar, who performed in his memory at the 2nd Baiju Bawra Festival organised in Chanderi recently, recalled: “I remember my uncle Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar performing in Chanderi in his memory in the early 1980s.”
Organised by the Shri Achaleshwar Mahadev Temple Foundation, the 2nd edition of the one day memorial festival featured a vocal recital by the Bihar Bandhu, Sanjeev and Manish Jha, disciples of the Gundecha Bandhu.
Asked why he had chosen Chanderi as the venue, as the place is not known for music now and is quite inaccessible, Tiwari said, “I am from a small town myself and had no access to learn classical music concerts. I want people in small places to have the opportunity to hear authentic traditional music. I feel classical music is becoming an elitist interest – this should not be. The opportunity to hear classical music should be available to everyone.”
Laudable indeed, and the small but fervent audience that collected to hear dhrupad in the “angan” of the Raja Rani ruined palace sat through the proceedings dedicatedly. The veena concert ended at 11 p.m.!
