| BIOGRAPHY |
| Ramprapanna Bhattacharya is a highly acclaimed representative of younger generation of the famous Imdadkhani-Etawah Gharana. Family Background: Ramprapanna belongs to a family which has a remarkable musical, cultural and spiritual heritage. His great grand father Late Ramendu Bhattacharya was a noted clarinet player. Ramprapanna's grand father Late Ram Kishore Bhattacharya, an ex-member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, was perhaps the only person to translate and explain Goswami Tulsi Das Ji's classical works including RamCharitManas and Vinay Patrika in Bengali. His grand mother used to play sitar and has the family relation with the Bhattacharya Family of Shib Thakur Lane, Kolkata (which includes great musicians like Timir baran, Amiya Kanti Bhattacharya (Bhombal Babu) and Indranil Bhattacharya). His father Sri Ram Udar Bhattacharya is also a musician by his own credit. His mother is an achiever in the Academic World, having Masters Degree in Philosophy. His paternal aunts were also disciples of Late Sangit Acharya Jamini Ganguly. Association of Sangeet Acharya Girija Sankar Chakravarty, Pt. Gakul Nag, Shri Biman Mukhukhopadhyay (exponent of Nazrul Geeti) has helped to groom the cultural atmosphere in his family. |
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| Musical Journey: Born in 1982, Ramprapanna was first introduced to music by his mother. He took up the Sitar at the age of six under the able guidance of his father , who guides him till today. Ramprapanna's father, Sri Ram Udar Bhattacharya had very rare oppertunity to learn under the doyens of many leading Gharanas (schools) of Tantrakars (instrumentalists). These included Ustad Ali Ahmad Khan (Sitar-Senia-Maihar Gharana), Ustad Mustaq Ali Khan (Sitar-Jaipur Senia Gharana), Pt. Gokul Nag(Sitar-Vishnupur Gharana) and Pt. Indranil Bhattacharya(Sitar-Senia-Maihar Gharana). Pt. Indranil Bhattacharya was son and disciple of Timir Baran (the first disciple of Ustad Alauddin Khan of Maihar Gharana and Md. Amir Khan of Senia Sahajahanpur Gharana). Though Indranil Ji was the last disciple of Alauddin Khan, his tution in sitar was also from his highly talented cousin brother Amiya Kanti Bhattacharya (Bhombal babu), who was pupil of Ustad Enayat Khan, the father and guru of Sitar legend Ustad Vilayat Khan. Hence Ramprapanna has been benefited from the vast music lessons from his father. |
| Observing Ramprapanna's inclination towards Vilayatkhani Baaj of Sitar, Pt. Kashinath Mukherjee (son of scholarly vocalist Shitala Chandra Mukkherjee and brother of renowned film maker Hrishikesh Mukherjee) accepted him as his disciple. Ramprapanna has received regular music lessons from him (1997-2005) for eight to nine years in Kolkata. He is getting valuable musical guidance from him till today. Kashinath Mukherjee is a senior disciple of Sitar Samrat Ustad Vilayat Khan and the legendary vocalist Ustad Amir Khan and had been close to greates as Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. His musical guidance has influenced Ramprapanna by stylic innovations, profoundness and compositions of Imdadkhani-Etawah Gharana, Spirital depth and complicated taan patterns of Ustad Amir Khan and soulfulness, romanticism and dazzling brilliance of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. |
| He is receiving detailed exposure of the Imdadkhani Etawah Gharana, also called Vilayatkhani Gharana (The 400 years old tradition of India's most renowned musical family), which includes Gayaki Ang(Vocal Style), different Angas (techniques) of Alap, Jod, Jhala, Tantrakari, Ragang(Esthetic Colouring), complicated Sargams, super fast Taans (Complex and delicate wave of melodic patterns). Since he hails from Imdadkhani-Etawah Gharana, different styles of Thumri, Dadra, Tappa, even certain facets of Ghazal and folk tunes are also present in his repertory. |
| Ramprapanna has participated the workshop, organized by the Govt. of West Bengal, conducted by Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, in 1998 and 2000. He has also attended the workshop, organized by the "Rajya Sangeet Academy" conducted by Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan. He was the youngest participant in the workshop, organized by EZCC, conducted by Pt. Bimal Mukherjee. |
| Now, continuing the same musical tradition he is undergoing extensive guidance from Pt. Arvind Parikh (the senior most disciple of Ustad Vilayat Khan) in all aspects of Imdadkhani-Etawah Gharana. Pt. Arvind Parikh is an original product of Vilayat Khan's tradition and style. 60 long years of his close association with Ustad Vilayat Khan has made his encyclopedic knowledge on Vilayat Khani Baaj. Ramprapanna is being directly benefited by his contemplative, meditative and introspective approach towards music, huge collection of authentic Bandishes (compositions), scientific approach of teaching. Ramprapanna is really fortunate to have close association, affection and blessings from none other than Aftaab-E-Sitar Ustad Vilayat Khan Sahab. |
| Pt. Arvind Parikh |
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| Pt. Kashinath Mukherjee |
| Sri Ram Udar Bhattacharya |
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| Sri Amiya Kumar Dutta |
| He learnt rhythm and basics of Tabla from his father and Sri Amiya Kumar Dutta. He was also accepted as disciple by Sri Soumitra Lahiri. It was great privilege for him to have musical lessons from Late Pt. Bimal Mukherjee of Jaipur-Sitar Gharana. |
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| Sri Soumitra Lahiri |
| Copyright@2006 |