Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar has been singing solo since the death of his father and has changed the tradition of jugalbandi (duet) that has been prevalent since many years. His Dhrupad forte involves tremendous voice modulation with strict rules of expression, says Suman Doonga
Ustad F Wasifuddin Dagar represents the 20th generation of dedicated Dagarvani Dhrupad singers. His rendition of Dhrupad is a unique blend of his uncle’s training, his father Ustad N Faiyazuddin Dagar’s quality of voice and temperament along with his in-depth knowledge of the Dhrupad tradition. His innovative alaap notes are spacious and colourful, ranging across the three octaves delineating the personality of the raga in great clarity. His gamaks are fast and sonorous yet retain the softness of the raga inherent inDhrupad renditions.
Born on April 22, 1968 in Delhi, Wasif was committed to the cause of popularising and spreading Dhrupad, carrying forward the legacy of the Dagar brothers all over the world. This is a unique and meticulous form of classical vocal music in India. It’s one of the most ancient styles of Hindustani classical music that has survived till today in its original form. The nature of Dhrupad music is spiritual; it doesn’t merely entertain listeners but induces the feeling of peace and contemplation. Dhrupad is derived from Dhruva, the steadfast evening star in the sky that moves through our galaxy.
The spiritual, pure and calm nature of this genre of music belongs to a line of celebrated musicians. It can be traced back to legendry Swami Haridas, theguru of the famous singer Tansen in the 16th century, with whom the lineage of Dagars began.
Fondly known as Aaftaab, Wasif has been singing solo since the death of his father and has changed the tradition of jugalbandi (duet) that has been prevalent since many years. He sings Dhrupad in Dagarvani tradition, one of the most difficult and delicate forms of singing for his forte involves tremendous voice modulation with strict rules of expression which frees one from stresses of daily lives and helps glide from the present moment to blissful eternity.
Wasif is known for his philosophical poetic style among his disciples. He strongly believes that music brings inner peace to people; that it elevates them to a state of harmony within them and the forces outside. With continuous practice of many years, he has developed precise variations and improvisations of modulating volume and sound control to present many styles of the same musical phrase.
For Wasif, sincerity and honesty towards the music and the guru is quintessential because he believes that it helps one reach closer to God. The composite effect of the Dhrupad rendition remains traditional. Wasif is known for his lecture demonstrations, illustrating old Vedic technicalities using comparisons from daily life. One should not be fooled by his serious demeanour, rather he is very approachable and humourous.
Wasif also performs extensively on Indian television, radio, music festivals and concerts. He has performed for UNESCO in France and travelled to many countries including Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and Hungary. He has also performed in America for the UN Peace Summit. Among several of his very successful concert tours, his most popular was part of the world festival of Sacred Music of the Dalai lama in 2001.
Usually dressed in pastel kurta pyjama and pashmina shawl, he is most likely to be found in his room singing, meditating and experimenting with his style. like all Dagars, he believes that our mind is a restless beast that can only be calmed by music. Wasif is deeply inspired by the renowned tabla player, Ustad Zakir Hussain’s energy, his electrifying performances and the charismatic personality he carries.
The artist is always surrounded by books of ancient music at home, possesses a large collection of idols of Goddess Saraswati and shares a fondness for Vivekananda’s philosophy of Sufism. He is an amazing artist and has written numerous books in both Arabic and Urdu.
With the growing use of technology, Wasif believes that the attention span of peoples are shrinking as everything is getting compressed and music’s sublimity needs to relax and calm our brains. For him, sitting still and focusing on tanpura is a speechless experience that helps him reach the state of trance.
For Wasif, music has swar (notes) and laya (rhythm) which not only brings peace and joy to the human but also water and plants. His skills are not just limited to to music, he is a great artist of calligraphy as well, which has enhanced his visual sense. He loves Charlie Chaplin. In Hindi cinema, he prefers classics by Bimal Roy. A fan of comedy, his favourites are Chupke Chupke, Golmaal and Jaane Bhi Do Yaro. Driving is another passion and he is a big car enthusiast.
Dagarbani even inspired the IITian Padam Shree awardee, Dr Kiran Seth, in 1977 while returning from US. It was a fluke that led Kiran to a Dhrupad concert by Ustads Aminuddin and Fariduddin Dagar at the Brooklyn Academy in New York. But when he come out of the concert, he was a transformed man. Following this, Kiran became enthusiastic about spreading Hindustani classical music among the younger audience. That concert was a catalyst for what became Kiran’s dream: Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Among Youth (SPIC MACAY).