The song was immortalised by the legendary Pandit Omkarnath Thakur. During the freedom struggle, Congress rallies would often start with his rendering of the song. After Independence, he did give many concerts. But he was not the same Omkarnath. Like a meteor he blazed across the sky and then quickly faded away. It was only before Independence that he was in full bloom. His early three-minute recordings testify to that.
I heard him in person first when I was nine. His voice was voluminous and incredibly clear. It had a distinctive metallic edge. It easily spanned three full octaves. Later, during college also, I heard him often. His Delhi audiences went ecstatic. But the earlier, unique Omkarnath appeared only in flashes. He interspersed his singing now with commentary. Earlier, that was unthinkable.
M.S. Subbulakshmi was to sing Meera Bai’s bhajans in North Indian mode for a film. She sought Omkarnath’s guidance. The late Mallikarjun Mansur, a great maestro himself, said in one interview: "Omkarnath and Nissar Hussain Khan, they were something special, unlike everybody else." Taught by Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, who founded the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya School of music, Omkarnath also learnt from other singers. From the mystic singer, Rehmat Ali Khan, he learnt the importance of silence. He used silence in his songs to give them a unique, haunting quality.
Omkarnath performed in Italy, too. Gigli, who succeeded Caruso as the world’s foremost tenor, heard him. He described Omkarnath as the greatest voice in the world. On August 15, 1947, at the stroke of midnight, while the world slept and before India woke to freedom, before Nehru announced his tryst with destiny, Omkarnath Thakur sang Vande Mataram in Parliament House. He literally heralded Independence. He followed this up with a khayal in Raag Malkauns. We huddled around the radio to listen to him.
He was conferred the Padma Shri award which he gratefully accepted. Later Subbulakshmi, Ravi Shankar and others got Bharat Ratnas. Omkarnath died forgotten in a Delhi hospital.
If the government cannot upgrade his award, can it not cancel it? To watch minions flaunt higher awards is nauseating. Today, we remember Vande Mataram. We forget Omkarnath.
(Puri can be reached at rajinderpuri2000@yahoo.com)
