KERKAR, KESARBAI

KERKAR, KESARBAI (1892–1977), Hindustani classical singer. Kesarbai Kerkar, who hailed from the state of Goa, was born into a community of professional singers. Her first tutelage was under Abdul Karim Khan of the Kirana Gharana (lineage) for a brief period. It was followed by intermittent study under Ramkrishnabuwa Vaze for a period of ten years. Barkatullah Khan, a leading sitar player of the early twentieth century, also tutored her in singing. She mastered the complex singing style of Alladiya Khan of the Jaipur-Attarauli Gharana, under whom she studied from 1921, training for at least eight hours a day.

Kesarbai sang with a broad and flawless "aa" (a musical utterance of the vowel "aa"), which invested her music with a unique luminosity. Her vigorous, weighty execution of double-stranded fast tonal patterns left listeners speechless with wonder. She could swoop from a high octave to a deep, resonant low octave, while retaining a remarkable uniformity of volume. Continuity of sound through amazing breath control was one of the principal tenets of her singing style, and this seemingly unending breath lent grandeur to her music. Fast tonal patterns woven into the rhythmic passages compelled the constant attention of the listener. Kesarbai won many national honors. Her recording of a thumri in Bharavi was selected by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration for inclusion in a collection of Earth's best music, which will be sent on the spaceship Voyager.

Amarendra Dhaneshwar

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Deodhar, B. R. Pillars of Hindustani Music. Mumbai: Popular Prakashan, 1993.

Haldankar, Shrikrishna. Aesthetics of Agra and Jaipur Traditions. Mumbai: Popular Prakashan, 2001.

Ranade, Ashok D. On Music and Musicians of Hindoostan. New Delhi: Promilla, 1984.