By EuAsiaNews,
Warsaw : After the publication of a number of books on Urdu poetry in Polish in the last four years, now a book on legendary Indian classical singer Tansen has hit the stalls in Poland’s capital.
Tansen regarded as one of the greatest classical singers of medieval times during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar prompted Janusz Krzyzowski, a well-known Polish Indologist to write a book on him.
It was Tansen who composed many new ragas which till this day are being sung. His son, Bilas Khan, also carried his work further, and Sarod maestro Ali Akbar Khan comes from Tansen’s family.
Krzyzowski painstakingly researched on this subject for the past four years.
“While writing a book on Indian music few years ago I had developed a passion to write a book on Tansen.
Finally I achieved my mission. Part of the credit goes to Anil Wadhwa, a former Indian ambassador to Poland,
who helped me to visit Gwalior to attend the annual Tansen festival with a grant from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR),” said Krzyzowski.
“The interaction with many Indian classical singers and musicologists helped me to shape a picture of Tansen in my mind. I was equally fascinated by watching K.L. Saighal film of Tansen which was produced in the late 1930s. The way Saighal potrayed Tansen with his singing and acting was remarkable, “ added Krzyzowski.
“The publication of this book is a great achievement for Indophiles in Poland who hitherto have been hooked to Bollywood music and films only. Gradually the profile of India is shaping well in Polish psyche. The spread of Indian classical music and dances is a reality now ” commented J. J. Singh, president of the India-Polish Chamber of Commerce and Industries (IPCCI).
Incidentally, this body has financed the book’s publication.