Pt Debasish Bhattacharya was just three when the doctor advised him to not put too much pressure on his larynx by following the footsteps of his parents, both of whom were trained extensively in Hindustani Classical vocals of Patiala and Gwalior gharana. He might not have been allowed to sing, but that couldn’t take out the love for music he was born with. Only a few months later when Debasish’s father was gifted a classical guitar by a colleague, it opened a new pathway for him that would eventually become his passion and profession both. He grew up to not only establish and popularise the Hindustani Slide Guitar, but invented four stringed instruments namely the Chaturangui, Gandharvi, Anandi and Pushpa Veena. We speak to the maestro to know about his pursuits, instruments and his latest album The Sound of The Soul.
How challenging was it to establish a completely new instrumental genre over the years?
Instrumental music has always existed as a complementation to vocal music, however over centuries some instruments like the Sitar, Sarod, Veena and Flute have broken barriers to establish themselves individually on stage. It is undeniable that each of these instruments have centuries of history, and the hard work of numerous maestros that has brought them where they are today. Hindustani Slide Guitar on the other hand was born through me and the struggle I had to go through to establish the instrument as a popular one is the only struggle I can speak for. Today, after decades of hard work and dedication I see generations after me stepping in to pursue the Hindustani Slide Guitar, and I hope they wouldn’t have to go through as many challenges as I have had to.
How was it received by the audiences when you first brought it to limelight in the 70s?
People in our country are quite rigid when it comes to accepting new things in any field, not just music. I have had to face both positive and negative reactions initially. While some applauded me for pursuing Hindustani Classical Music on guitar, there were a few who frowned upon the merger of western and Indian culture. Many asked me why it was necessary to pursue classical music on the guitar, or not just play guitar as it is.
You have invented four instruments in your lifetime. Take us through them.
My first ever brainchild is the Chaturungui that was established in 1978. It was a modern take on the Indian classical guitar, where I added resonating strings in the ends and rhythmic strings in the front to make it an instrument with 24 strings. Next was the 14 stringed Gandharvi that has a completely different tonality and sustenance than the Chaturungui. A small guitar-like instrument similar to the ukulele was invented right after the birth of my daughter, hence I named it after her Anandi. It is a four stringed ukulele slide guitar. The fourth one is the Pushpa Veena, made with a leather base that was introduced four years back.
You played with the legendary Shakti ensemble. How was the experience?
Shakti was a first of its kind ensemble where the West and East merged successfully through the hands of T H Vinayakram, L Shankar, John McLaughlin and Ustad Zakir Hussain. The shakti or energies of four different instruments merged together to give birth to what is being celebrated beyond generations today. I played with them in 2001 for their Saturday Night in Bombay live album and it was a unique opportunity that has left a permanent impact on me.
Tell us about your latest album and upcoming shows?
I have just released an album named The Sound of The Soul, and the album has been named by John McLaughlin himself with a liner note from him. I have just returned from the La Folle Journee classical music festival annually held in Nantes, France and will soon be stepping out on my USA Tour 2023.