I have long loved the ghazals sung by the venerable Jagjit Singh. I've never missed an opportunity to see him when he was in town. I had been looking forward to hearing him in concert again. Today, while listening to Maye Ni Maye, Main Ek Shikra Yaar Banaya, to assuage my own sadness, I came across a comment: "RIP, Jagjit Singh ji" below the video. I quickly searched Google News and found the reports of the Maestro's death. Here's a piece written by Neha Thirani for the New York Times:
Delhi “turned some of us lonelier by the day. We fell in love, suffered in love, lost our near and dear ones, made careers, or what is perceived to be a career. Our hair went gray. Emotions lost their edge.
But on some balmy night, when there was no one else to go to, we would seek refuge in Jagjit Singh’s voice. Long ago, he sang these lines of Ghalib’s: “Maut se pehle aadmi, gam se nijaat paaye kyun…” (Before death, why does man want relief from sorrow). Sitting in a metro train, when I learnt about his death, I hoped that in death my friend would be rid of life’s sorrows.”
-- NY TIMES
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