It felt profoundly fitting that the legendary Pt. Chhannulal Mishra departed on Dussehra, leaving behind a timeless legacy deeply intertwined with Lord Ram. His expansive body of work included the profound four-volume Sundarkand, the touching Ram Vivaha, and countless captivating storytelling sessions as a kathaakar. Notably, his album Ram Raga features him soulfully chanting ‘Raja Ram’ for over an hour, a truly moving testament to his unwavering devotion. Pt. Chhannulal was a unique artist whose musical genius effortlessly transcended the conventional confines of classical ragas.
Born on August 3, 1936, in Hariharpur, Azamgarh—a village famously known for its rich musical heritage, almost exclusively populated by musicians—Chhannulal began his vocal training at a very young age. His connection to Benaras’s thriving classical music scene was solidified through his marriage to Manorama, daughter of the esteemed Benaras gharana tabla maestro, Pt. Anokhelal Mishra. Further enriching his artistry, he also received training from the Kirana gharana vocalist Ustad Abdul Ghani Khan, a master known more for his profound knowledge than his public performances. Ustad Mashkur Ali Khan, another distinguished Kirana gharana musician, recounts that Pt. Chhannulal Mishra also sought guidance from Ustad Ghani Khan’s son, Ahmed. This diverse gharana exposure undoubtedly shaped the profound depth and versatility characteristic of his music.
Pt. Chhannulal’s artistic journey was significantly shaped by the eminent musicologist and scholar Thakur Jaideva Singh, who had settled in Benaras. This profound association likely deepened his appreciation for the inherent connection between music and spiritual devotion. For Pt. Chhannulal, bhakti, or devotion, wasn’t just a recurring motif; it was the fundamental soul of his entire musical expression.
Despite his widespread popularity and deep musical understanding within Benaras, national and international recognition arrived somewhat later for Pt. Chhannulal. He dedicated his life to teaching; a testament to his generous spirit is a humorous anecdote: when asked about a singer claiming to be his disciple, Panditji simply chuckled, remarking, “If it helps her career to call herself my sishya, why should I stand in her way?” His notable students included Pt. Veerbhadra Mishra, the revered mahant of Benaras’s Sankat Mochan Temple.
The early 2000s marked a new chapter in his career when, already in his sixties, his seminal recordings with the Devi Foundation introduced him to a much broader audience. His debut album with them, Anjali (2001), was an instant triumph, launched in Mumbai by none other than Amitabh Bachchan and in Delhi by then-Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. This success propelled him to become a regular presence at nearly every major music festival across the nation. Yet, he never lost his commitment to performing in intimate baithaks (private gatherings), and even contributed his vocals to a handful of films. Sadly, Jai Sinha of the Devi Foundation expressed regret that Pt. Chhannulal’s increasingly packed schedule prevented the completion of their ambitious project: recording the entirety of the Ramcharitmanas. ‘It’s an immense loss,’ Sinha mourned, ‘as no one possessed his unique ability to render it truly.’
Pt. Chhannulal’s captivating stage presence, his natural ability to connect with audiences, and his endearing sense of humor made him a beloved performer. He effortlessly charmed all types of listeners, from seasoned connoisseurs to those new to classical music, engaging everyone with equal warmth and ease. His distinctive, resonant voice, refined over decades of rigorous riyaaz (practice) into a molten mellowness, drew crowds wherever he performed, often accompanied by his talented son, Ram Kumar Mishra, on the tabla.
While widely celebrated as a bhajan singer, a role significantly amplified by his Devi Foundation recordings, this renown often overshadowed the profound depth of his classical training. Beyond his devotional songs, Pt. Chhannulal was also a distinguished thumri exponent, masterfully navigating both the Benaras and Gaya styles. His extensive repertoire featured unique Horis, including rare compositions dedicated to Lord Shiva, such as ‘Khelen masaane mein Holi, Digambar’ (let’s play Holi in the cremation ground). Crucially, he embraced a diverse array of folk songs, free from the typical aversion classical musicians sometimes show towards non-classical genres. For him, music was fundamentally a powerful means of communication, and he believed no genre was ever too humble to serve that noble purpose.
Though his formal accolades arrived gradually, they were truly significant. He first received recognition from the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2000, at the age of 64. A decade later, in 2010, he was honored with both the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi award and the Padma Bhushan. Further distinctions followed with the Akademi Fellowship in 2019, and then the exalted Padma Vibhushan in 2020. With his departure, Indian classical music mourns the loss of an irreplaceable voice – that of a humble, ever-smiling artist whose warmth touched all.