09/08/2021
My Dear Friends,
And The Near & Dear Ones...
Today 10th Of August,2021, is the 89th Birth Anniversary of my Father Suromani Dr Pandit Raghunath Panigrahi (Padmashree)
I am unable to Celebrate the Birth Anniversary of Pandit Panigrahi even Virtually As......
I have been very ill since 29th of June and was bed ridden almost for Twenty days and I was under constant medication..I have just come to a better health since last Three to Four days.Thank God I was Covid Negative with Shiridi Baba's Blessings, otherwise it would have been very Serious as My Lungs had affected...
Anyway I should be much better in another weeks time and I am thinking of Organising the Celebration on 23rd August instead of today...which depends on my health Condition..
I am very sorry to say that neither the Cultural Dept,of Odisha nor other Cultural oriented Persons, Institutions and Others might be remembering the Birth Anniversary of the Legend..
It's also hopeless to expect,Rather we have to blow our Own Trumpets ..
Regards
Baboo Panigrahi
A Tribute: Suromani Dr. Pandit Raghunath Panigrahi (Padmashree)
Pandit Panigrahi was an epitome of Indian music, who imbibed in his singing style, Hindustani, Carnatic and folk music and his songs remain immortal and his quintessential style is still remembered and followed. Rightly given the moniker, Son Of Jayadev by Bharat Ratna M S Subbulakshmi, for his composition and renderings of Geeta Govinda, which made him internationally acclaimed, Pandit Panigrahi sang in Tamil, Telegu, Kannada, Oriya, Sanskrit, Bengali and Hindi - and his repertoire had no limits.
Born on this auspicious day, the 10th of August 1932, in Gunupur, Odisha to a family which patronised art and culture. he came to Andhra Pradesh to learn Carnatic Music under the tutelage of Pandit Muddu Papa Rao and ever since his childhood, he learnt the Ashtapadis (Geeta Govindam) from his father, Pandit Nilamani Panigrahi, who was a Sanskrit Scholar. He also learnt Hindustani Music under Pandit DV Paluskar.
Pandit Panigrahi developed on the various folk song forms and brought in a structure to the art. His quintessential Oddissi therefore is a confluence of Hindustani and Carnatic Classical music forms as well as folk songs, perfectly blended.
No doubt, as we all know his forte was classical music - but it was not his limitation either. Pandit Panigrahi was introduced to playback singing by Dada Saheb Phalke awardee Shri L V Prasad, and after that there was no looking back. Along with his classical music, Pandiji continued his recitals of Geeta Govind, and lent his voice to heroes like NTR, MGR, Nageswar Rao in South Indian languages. In 1952, Panditji, during the inauguration of Madras Music Academy by Chakrabarty Rajagopalachari, TT Krishnamachari and M S Subbulakshmi presented Geeta Govind, following which the great MS gave him the moniker, Son of Jaydev. While being on the peak of career in play back singing and as an performer of classical music recitals in Chennai, he relocated to Bhubaneswar. He chose his love for his wife and family over the personal laurels in his own career to make this move; which looking back, was a boon for the Odia film and music industry.
Pandit Panigrahi was the first Indian singer-composer to have received Grand Prix - the highest French honor for performing art for his composition of Jayadev’s Geeta Govindam, in the year 1982.
He has been presented with many accolades and recognition like, the Padmashree, the Central Sangeet Academy Award and many more from reputed institutions from all over the world.
Pandit Panigrahi left this mortal world on 25th August 2013; leaving behind a vacuum, which can never be filled. But echo of his voice still wafts through from heaven and enlivens us. His compositions, his songs, and his renderings of music with Odissi dance will always enrich the culture and lives of people of Odisha, and the world. Panditji will always be in the hearts of people as notes of music - filling it with soul as his songs did.
From popular to purely classical formats - he sang all genres. He also sang in the popular Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada movies which include Ilavelupu and Jayabheri. He also sang for few Oriya and Kannada movies. He made a lifetime contribution of promoting, propagating and popularizing the life and works of Jayadeva and the cult of Lord Jagannath. After the demise of his wife, soul-mate and co-artist - Padmashri Sanjukta Panigrahi; the Prima Donna of Odissi dance, and one of the key figures in making this dance form a classical dance, he was associated with the Nrityagram and gave music for many of their productions.
A voice like Pandit Panigrahi is said to be born every once in a century. Even after seven years have passed since his demise, the void left by this incredible man is unmistakably huge.
- Baboo Panigrahi
