Ram Narayan

Ram Narayan (; born 25 December 1927), often referred to with the title Pandit, is an Indian musician who popularised the bowed instrument ''sarangi'' as a solo concert instrument in Hindustani classical music and became the first internationally successful ''sarangi'' player.

Narayan was born near Udaipur and learned to play the ''sarangi'' at an early age. He studied under ''sarangi'' players and singers and, as a teenager, worked as a music teacher and travelling musician. All India Radio, Lahore, hired Narayan as an accompanist for vocalists in 1944. He moved to Delhi following the partition of India in 1947, but wishing to go beyond accompaniment and frustrated with his supporting role, Narayan moved to Mumbai in 1949 to work in Indian cinema.

Narayan became a concert solo artist in 1956 and has since performed at the major music festivals of India. After ''sitar'' player Ravi Shankar successfully performed in Western countries, Narayan followed his example. He recorded solo albums and made his first international tour in 1964 to America and Europe with his older brother Chatur Lal, a ''tabla'' player who had toured with Shankar in the 1950s. Narayan taught Indian and foreign students and performed, frequently outside India, into the 2000s. He was awarded India's second highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan, in 2005.

Early life

Ram Narayan was born on 25 December 1927 in Amber village, near Udaipur in northwestern India.Sorrell 1980, p. 11 His great-great-grandfather, Bagaji Biyavat, was a singer from Amber, and he and Narayan's great-grandfather, Sagad Danji Biyavat, sang at the court of the Maharana of Udaipur. Narayan's grandfather, Har Lalji Biyavat, and father, Nathuji Biyavat, were farmers and singers, Nathuji played the bowed instrument ''dilruba'', and Narayan's mother was a music lover.Sorrell 1980, p. 13 Narayan's first language was Rajasthani and he learned Hindi and, later, English.Qureshi 2007, p. 108Qureshi 2007, p. 109 At an age of about six, he found a small ''sarangi'' left by the family's ''Ganga guru'', a genealogist, and was taught a fingering technique developed by his father.Sorrell 1980, p. 14Bor 1987, p. 149 Narayan's father taught him, but was worried about the difficulty of playing the ''sarangi'' and its association with courtesan music, which gave the instrument a low social status.Sorrell 2001, p. 637 After a year, Biyavat sought lessons for his son from ''sarangi'' player Mehboob Khan of Jaipur, but changed his mind when Khan told him Narayan would have to change his fingering technique. Narayan's father later encouraged him to leave school and devote himself to playing the ''sarangi''.

At about ten years of age, Narayan learned the basics of ''dhrupad'', the oldest genre of Hindustani classical music, by studying and imitating the practice of ''sarangi'' player Uday Lal of Udaipur, a student of ''dhrupad'' singers Allabande and Zakiruddin Dagar.Bor 1999, p. 180 After Uday Lal died of old age, Narayan met travelling singer Madhav Prasad, originally of Lucknow, who had performed at the court of Maihar.Bor 1987, p. 151Sorrell 1980, p. 15 With Prasad, Narayan enacted the ''ganda bandhan'', a traditional ceremony of acceptance between a teacher and his pupil, in which Narayan swore obedience in exchange for being maintained by Prasad.Sorrell 1980, p. 17 He served Prasad and was taught in ''khyal'', the predominant genre of Hindustani classical music, but returned to Udaipur after four years to teach music school. Prasad later visited Narayan and convinced him to resign his position and dedicate his time to improvement as a musician, although the idea of giving up a steady life was not well received by Narayan's family. He stayed with Prasad and travelled to several Indian states until Prasad fell ill and advised him to learn from singer Abdul Wahid Khan.Sorrell 1980, p. 16 Following Prasad's death in Lucknow, Narayan enacted the ''ganda bandhan'' with another teacher who gave him lessons, but soon left for Lahore and never performed the ritual again.

Career

Narayan travelled to Lahore in 1943 and auditioned for the local All India Radio (AIR) station as a singer, but the station's music producer, Jivan Lal Mattoo, noticed grooves in Narayan's fingernails: ''sarangis'' are played by pressing the fingernails sideways against three playing strings, which strains the nails. Mattoo instead employed Narayan as a ''sarangi'' player. Traditionally, the ''sarangi'' is supposed to play after the singer and imitate the vocal performance, and play in the space between phrases.Sorrell 1980, p. 21 Mattoo advised Narayan and helped him contact ''khyal'' singer Abdul Wahid Khans'' through singing lessons.Sorrell 1980, p. 19 Narayan was allowed sporadic solo performances on AIR and began to consider a solo career.Sorrell 1980, p. 20

After the partition of India in 1947, Narayan moved to Delhi and played at the local AIR station. His work for popular singers increased his repertoire and knowledge of styles.Neuhoff 2006, pp. 911–912 Narayan played with the classical singers Omkarnath Thakur, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan