Tansen the Magnificent

By Dr K.N. Sharif

Tansen, the great musician, the shinning star of the music

world whose light illuminates the vast expanse of the
universe of music, has given continued inspiration to
generations of musicians.

Tansen's father was Makrand Pande, a Gaur Brahmin by

caste. He lived in Bepat village, some 25 miles from
Gwalior. Makrand Pande and his wife, Kalindi Bai, once
went to Assam to pay homage to Kamakhaya Devi in the
year 1532 A.D. On the return journey, they were blessed
with a son who was named Tansukh, which became 'Tanna'
in affection.

When the boy grew up, it was felt that he was dumb. His father visited several
temples and served many saints, including Swami Haridas of Brindaban. He also
used to visit a Sufi saint, Muhammad Ghous of Gawalior, who himself was very
unhappy with the boy's malady.

Muhammad Ghous began treating his malady with indigenous herbs, which
brought about continued improvement in the voice of the boy. Muhammad
Ghous, who was a skill full singer and musician, also trained Tanna in the use of
seven vocal sounds.

After very hard practice, Tanna's voice not only improved but also became sweet
and melodious, so much so that soon he developed into a singer. Muhammad
Ghous used to call Tanna as Tansen in affection.

When Tansen was 12 years old, Muhammad Ghous, with the consent of
Makrand Pande, sent him to Swami Haridas of Brindaban in the year 1544, who,
seeing special aptitude towards music in Tansen, began to train him. Sri Gopal
Lal, the adopted son of Baiju Bavara, the first disciple of Swamiji, was also
getting training there at the time. Gradually, both Tansen and Gopal Lal became
thick friends.

Tansen realized and experienced the immense power, grandeur and depth of
music in Baiju Bavara, and which grew in him. One day, he went to the jungle to

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fetch some firewood for the ashram when suddenly his sight fell over a tree, on
the branch of which a light seemed to flicker, that seemed to appear and
disappear alternately. He heard some sounds just before the light shone and soon
it disappeared. Tansen was astonished to see this mystery.

He went to the ashram and disclosed this mystery to his teacher, Swami Haridas.
Swamiji knew this effect of light. He cleared the mystery, saying that light shone
due to the effect of Deepak Rag sung by a bird on the trees, and it went out as
soon as the bird stopped making the particular sound.

Thereafter, Swamiji taught Deepak Rag to Tansen. After his training in the years
1555-1556 and after mastering many melodies, Tansen returned to his village,
Bepat. Having returned home, he searched for Baiju. But he could not get any
clue as to his whereabouts. He started to practice music in a music vidyaperth in
Gawalior founded by Man Singh, Tomer and Baiju.

Meanwhile, his parents passed away. In 1558, Tansen again left Gawalior in
search of Baiju. He reached Bandogarh, the capital of Rewa state after some time.
The king there was a great patron of music. He took Tansen to his palace and
treated him as a brother and made him the chief musician of the palace. He
remained there for some time, but soon the memory of Baiju made him restless
and under the pretence of winning a music championship, he started again on
his search for Baiju.

Establishing his superiority in music in state after state, he reached Agra and
threw his challenge. Akbar had already heard about the fame of Tansen through
Abul Fazal. He was anxious to see and listen to the great musician. He was much
pleased on Tansen's arrival. A music concert was organized on the orders of the
emperor.

In the programme, the style and voice control of Tansen was very pleasing and
attractive, and consequently no singer at the Delhi court dared to show his feat
after this. Even the best singer of the Mughal court, Jihan Khan, pretended to be
have a stomachache and avoided the contest.

Tansen's challenge to the master of music in the Mughal court in the year 1562,
was not taken to undermine the musician. However, Akbar freely admired and
accepted the merit and greatness of Tansen's art, which reminded him of Baiju
and his skill. A desire to see the magnificent contest between the two great
masters arose in Akbar's heart. Akbar tried very hard to invite Baiju for this
contest, but Baiju was not willing to accept the invitation. At last, Akbar sent for
his mother and asked her to persuade her son to enter the contest. Hearing about
Tansen's desire of world recognition in music, Baiju was somewhat hurt and

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accepted the challenge on condition that the contest should take place in an open
space, and no information be given about Baiju to any person except the emperor
and the ministers. And thus the contest was organized in a forest near Agra.
Baiju appeared with his uncouth flowing hair and in torn clothes and took his
seat among the multitude, quite unnoticed.

On the order of the emperor, the contest was announced and Tansen started Todi
melody. Soon, a herd of deer, having been attracted by the music, arrived there
and gathered around Tansen. Tansen put a garland of flowers around the neck of
a black deer. As the Raag ended, the herd of deer disappeared into the jungle.
Akbar looked towards the court singers, but none dared to sing in the face of
Tansen. At last, the emperor looked towards Baiju.

Baiju, modest and selfless, stood before the emperor and admired Tansen's art
with all his heart. He announced that he would sing the Mirg Ranjani Todi with
the effect of attracting only that deer around whose neck Tansen had put the
garland.

Baiju started the Mrig Remain Todi (nowadays known as Gujree Todi). Soon, the
same deer around whose neck Tansen had put the garland, approached Baiju
and sat near him in a hypnotized state. Baiju took off the garland from the deer's
neck and put it on the neck of the emperor. Dumbfounded, Tansen continued to
stare.

The emperor asked Baiju to start a Raag which Tansen could reply to. Baiju said,
"I should start with Malkauns Raag and after melting the rock lying in front, I
shall plant it into my Tanpura (musical instrument). After the Raag is over, the
molten rock will again become hard. Let Tansen melt the rock again and get it
out my Tanpura."

Tansen was sitting nonplussed. Baiju started Malkauns Raag and the rock began
to melt gradually. Seeing this, Tansen got up and went near Baiju and said,
"Respected sir, who are you? My guru had told me that there was a gurubhai
Baiju who could excel me."

Baiju asked him who his guru was, Tansen referred to his guru Swami Haridas
and said that he, Tansen, had started on a search for his gurubhai under the
pretext of world victory. At this, Baiju's eyes welled up tears. He embraced
Tansen and said that he was that unlucky Baiju.

Having found Baiju, Tansen was beyond himself with pleasure and prostrated at
the feet of Baiju, who, only with great difficulty, could calm Tansen. Baiju

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requested the emperor to give Tansen the great master, the highest position
among his musicians and artists, which the emperor readily agreed to.

However, after some time, getting the opportunity, Tansen prayed Akbar for
leave and departed for Rewa, never to return to Agra again. Akbar sent Jalaludin
Khurchi to invite Tansen, but even then Tansen did not return to Agra. Akbar
then sent Abul Fazal with instructions that in case Tansen did not return, he
must bring him back by force, Rewa's queen together with the Akbar pearl
(which was as large as twice the size of an egg).

Seeing that a great calamity was going to fall on the Rewa ruler's family on his
account, Tansen reluctantly started for Agra. But he was unhappy all the time.
He could not forget the love of the rulers of Rewa, and this feeling became so
strong in him that he took a vow never to sing again in Akbar's court. Akbar,
however, waited for an opportunity. He gave Tansen a beautiful house in the
palace to live and provided him with all amenities.

Akbar had many wives besides Jodabai, called royal begums. Among them was
one called Daulatabad Begum on whom Akbar had conferred special favours.
Her daughter, Mehrunnisa, was extraordinarily beautiful, a woman of character,
religious minded, wise and a lover of music.

Akbar took her to Tansen's garden and asked her to sing a Raag in a slightly
defective manner. At the behest of her father, she started Bageshwari. The Raag
reached Tansen's ears, too, who listened to it attentively.

He detected the deviation and became restless. Tansen then approached

Mehrunnisa. Having got her introduction, he told her about the deviation.
Mehrunnisa said that she could not but bow down before India's great artist, but
she requested him to correct her. Tansen, who had been defying the ruler for so
long, had to accept his defeat at the hands of the fair Mehrunnisa. Tansen sat on
the ground and began Bageshwari gradually. He lost himself in the sweet
melody and Mehrunnisa, too, lost her heart to Tansen. Akbar was listening to
him from behind some trees, gradually Akbar appeared before Tansen. He
requested him to teach music to Mehrunnisa, which he accepted. Akbar was
much pleased when he came to learn about their love. He arranged a music
festival in order to bring this to a successful conclusion.

The music festival was held in a famous palace of Agra. When Jihan Khan's turn
came, he asked for a favour. He said that Tansen be asked to proceed first.

The Emperor smiled and looked at Tansen who stood up and said that there
were no clouds in the sky at the time. He would like to invite clouds and to offer

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their fresh and sweet water to the emperor. He asked for a golden pot to be
brought and placed there. A golden vessel on a sandalwood stand was placed
before the gathered audience. Tansen began with prayers to Mother Saraswati,
his guru Swami Haridas and then looking at the eager sweet face of Mehrunnisa,
he started Megh Raag.

A small patch of clouds began to gather in the clear sky. Gradually, the clouds
began to thicken and then came the rain and drop by drop the golden pot was
filled. Tansen offered the golden pot full of water to the emperor.

Akbar married Mehrunnisa with Tansen with royal decorum and Tansen
embraced Islam. A Persian historian of Akbar's court says that Tansen died on
April 26, 1586 A.D. His body was taken to Gwalior with full royal honours and
buried near the mausoleum of his spiritual guru, Muhammad Ghous.

[Source: Dawn, Lahore, Pakistan; October 08, 2003]