Bhimsen Joshi, My Father

One of the foremost exponents of the Hindustani classical tradition, music maestro Pandit Bhimsen Joshi (1922–2011) mesmerized audiences with his soulful renditions of bhajans and khayals. A legend who amalgamated technical skill with passion and intensity, who took the kirana gharana to the masses, he was conferred the Bharat Ratna in 2009—the only male vocalist, so far, to have been honoured with this award.

In this intensely emotional account, Bhimsen Joshi and his first wife Sunanda’s son, Raghavendra, journeys from childhood to adulthood to recreate his father’s life, piecing together the myriad anecdotes and revelations he gathered over the years from various family members. He reminisces the days spent with his Bhimanna, the early morning riyaz with a resonating tanpura, the drives across the country for a concert, the Bhairavi echoing in distant horizons, as well as tales of his interaction with common people and his mastery over several languages.

This is a revealing account of the legendary singer’s little-known personal life. This is the memoir of Bhimanna’s forsaken son who lived in the shadow of his father’s brilliance.