Sunday, August 06, 2006

S.D. Batish Condolances Log

Dear Batish Family,

Please accept my heartfelt condolences on the demise of Shri Shiv Dayal Batish, may his soul rest in peace. May Lord also give strength to the family members to bear the loss.

In sympathy

Naresh Gajjar
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Jul 29
Ashwin-ji:

My heart-felt condolences to you and your family
regarding the loss of your father. I am sure you
will keep his musical legacy alive with your music.

Prof. Ramavarapu S. Sreenivas
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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Friday, August 04, 2006

Batish Family Web Sites

The Batish Institute has different web sites that specialize in different topics. www.ragmala.com: Our broadcasting arm. Media files are usually available at this server. www.batish.com: this is our home site that feeds all the others. It is probably the most extensive and includes a catalog of our releases. www.raganet.com: This is the educational magazine. It contains lots of lessons on Indian music and history and theory of Indian music etc. Great educational tool. www.sdbatish.com: Dedicated site that covers in dept information of our founder Pandit Shiv Dayal Batish www.sitarpower.com: This is a dedicated site for Shri Ashwin Batish our Co founder and son of Pandit Shiv Dayal Batish. www.gurushishya.com: This is our free resource for the student of Indian music. It spans the globe and lists all the teachers of Indian music. The idea is to find some one in your area so that you can continue to study the Indian music tradition without flying all around the globe seeking a guru. www.midipandit.com: Want to learn more about a raga? Well this is soon going to do just that. Dial in a raga and you can access all its details and learn it via the net!

Thursday, August 03, 2006

S. D. Batish - Founder, The Batish Institute of Indian Music and FIne Arts

This blog is dedicated to our founder Pandit Shiv Dayal Batish (1914-2006).

S. D. Batish has been a stalwart on the Indian music scene since 1936. His songs have been broadcast from All India Radio nationwide. His old movies are regularly shown on Indian TV. He is a true master of the various vocal and instrumental styles of North Indian music, including Bhajans, Geet, Thumri, Ghazals, Film Sangeet, etc. Some of his outstanding films are Betab, Bahu Beti, Toofan, Harjeet, Tipu Sultan, Ham Bhi Kuch Kam Nahin, and Amar Keertan. His songs have been sung by such top artists as Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle, Talat Mahmood, Mohamad Rafi, Sudha Malhotra, Manna Dey, and Geeta Dutt. Some of his all time hit songs are, Pagadi Sambhal Jatta, Khamosh Nigahen, and Aakhen Kehe Gayi Dil Ki Baat.

"In England he was a frequent artist at the BBC world music program and worked on the sound track in the Beatles film Help. George Harrison would frequently call him at his home and play songs. I know because I answered the phone," says Ashwin Batish. "He would send his limo to pick him up as we looked out the window in awe. He also taught George's then wife Patti Harrison how to play the Indian stringed instrument the dilruba. He instructed Mr. Michael York of Logan's Run fame how to play the sitar for his role in the movie Guru."

In 1970 Pandit Shiv Dayal Batish moved to California, USA to teach music at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He loved this area and decided to make it his home. He wrote some of his greatest works here. Books to teach North Indian music, compositions on over 2200 Carnatic ragas and over 700 North Indian ragas, Instructional videos to teach the harmonium, vichitra veena, dilruba are just a few of the releases. He and his son Shri Ashwin Batish, also formed the Batish Institute of Indian music and Fine Arts - an educational Institute to teach Panditji's music and to further the cause of Indian music and culture in the World.
You care welcome to visit his personal web site at www.sdbatish.com to learn more of this legendary music maestro.