Tansen The Musician
India/Hindu
The most famous exponent of the power of music was Tansen, who was born in Gwalior. Childless, his parents has sought the blessing of a sage, Muhammad Gaus, and after this Tansen was born. As a child he learned to mimic the cries of animals and birds, and one day he was heard by a passing holy man, Haridas, who begged Tansen's parents to let him take the boy to Brindaban and teach him music, to which they agreed. After eleven years his parents died, and Tansen went to Muhammad Gaus, who completed his musical training and also introduced him to the Rani of Gwalior, herself a gifted singer. At the court Tansen fell in love with one of the queen's handmaidens, Hushaini, and became a Muslim in order to marry her.
Later, Tansen became court singer to the Maharaja of Rewas. The Emperor Akbar visited the court ans was so struck by Tansen's gifts that the Maharaja presented his singer to the Emperor, who settled him in Agra. There he suffered much from the jealousy of the courtiers, who egged him on to sing the raga Dipak (Fiery), in the hope that its power to burn would destroy the singer. Tansen agreed, but taught another raga, Megh (Cloud), to his daughter Sarasvati and her friend Rupavati. Then he began to sing Dipak in court. The air grew warm, the audience was bathed in sweat, the leaves on the trees withered and fell, and the water in the river began to boil. Lamps in the hall lit themselves, and Tansen felt himself suffocating with the heat. Meanwhile, the two girls desperately sang Megh, calling up a furious thunderstorm and torrential rain, and Tansen rushed out to his bedside and prayed for his recovery, and Tansen's foes at court were punished. He lived on as court musician, died in 1585, and lies buried in Gwalior.
Legends Of The World
Edited by
Richard Cavendish
ISBN 1-56619-462-8
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