Hariprasad Chaurasia

Early life

Chaurasia was born in Allahabad in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. His mother died when he was 6. He had to learn music without his father's knowledge, as his father wanted him to become a wrestler. He did go to the Akhada and train with his father for some time, although he also started learning music and practising at his friend's house.

He has stated,

I was not any good at wrestling. I went there only to please my father. But maybe because of the strength and stamina I built up then, I'm able to play the bansuri even to this day.

Career

Chaurasia started learning vocal music from his neighbour, Pandit Rajaram, at the age of 15. Later, he switched to playing the flute under the tutelage of Pandit Bholanath Prasanna of Varanasi for eight years. He joined the All India Radio, Cuttack, Odisha in 1957 and worked as a composer and performer. Much later, while working for All India Radio, he received guidance from the reclusive Annapurna Devi, daughter of Baba Allaudin Khan. She only agreed to teach him if he was willing to unlearn all that he had learnt until then (so as to start over free from any pre-existing errement). Another version is that she only agreed to teach him after he (of his own) took the decision to switch from right-handed to left-handed playing to show her his commitment. In any case Chaurasia plays left-handed to this day.

Apart from classical music, he has made a mark as a music director for Indian films along with Shivkumar Sharma, forming a group called Shiv-Hari. He has collaborated with world musicians in experimental cross-cultural performances, including the fusion group Shakti.

He serves as the artistic director of the World Music Department at the Rotterdam Music Conservatory in the Netherlands. He was also the founder of the Vrindavan Gurukul in Mumbai (opened 2006) and Vrindavan Gurukul in Bhubaneshwar (opened 2010). Both of these institutes are schools dedicated to training students in Hindustani Bansuri in the Guru-shishya tradition. He continues to enthrall audiences in his late-70s and stays connected with the family of his Guru, Pandit Bholanath Prasanna.

He has collaborated with several western musicians, including John McLaughlin, Jan Garbarek, and Ken Lauber, and has composed music for Indian films. He has performed throughout the world, winning acclaim from varied audiences and fellow musicians including Yehudi Menuhin and Jean-Pierre Rampal. Chaurasia also played on The Beatles' 1968 B-side "The Inner Light", which was written by George Harrison.

Personal life

Chaurasia was married to Kamla and Anuradha. He has three sons Vinay, Ajay and Rajiv, five granddaughters and a single grandson.

In popular culture

The 2013 documentary film Bansuri Guru features the life and legacy of Chaurasia and was directed by the musician's son Rajeev Chaurasia and produced by the Films Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.

Awards

Honours

Books

Discography

These are major albums released by Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia

Ajanma - Hariprasad Chaurasia (Solo album)

Music for Bollywood films

Along with Shivkumar Sharma he composed music for

Music for Telugu films

The music for the film Sirivennela was composed by K. V. Mahadevan which revolves around the role of Pandit Hari Prasad, a blind flautist played by Sarvadaman Banerjee and flute renditions by Chaurasia.

Music for English films

Some of his music is used in Mithaq Kazimi's 16 Days in Afghanistan.