Kishori Amonkar's house help says legendary singer was able to fulfil her wish in death
Kishore Amonkar
There were few visitors at Kishori Amonkar's residence last night following news of her demise. This morning, visitors were directed to Ravindra Natya Mandir, where her mortal remains would rest before heading to Shivaji Park Crematorium.
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Her house help, who lived with her, told mid-day that Amonkar had shown no signs of being unwell. She had even performed a few days ago in Delhi was planning another concert.
“Kishori tai always said she wanted to die while doing riyaz. She told me that she prayed for such a death. And, that's exactly what happened,” the woman said.
Kishori Amonkar
Around 8 pm on Monday, Amonkar did her riyaz and had a dinner of soup. She told her house help that she wished to lie down for a while. Around 9.30 pm, when the house help went to wake her up, she found her unresponsive. The woman came running down and told the security guard to call a doctor. Amonkar had passed away in her sleep.
Amonkar's son, Bhibas, said the family was shocked. “We are devastated. She was not sick. We took our mother to Ravindra Natya Mandir at 11 am. She will be there till 4 pm, so that people can pay their respects. She will be cremated at the Shivaji Park Crematorium.”
Kishori Amonkar's mortal remains were taken to Ravindra Natya Mandir at Prabhadevi, and will be there till 4 pm. Pic/ Suresh Karkera
Landmark dates
>> She won the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1985, Padma Bhushan in 1987, Padma Vibhushan in 2002 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 2009.
>> In 2016, she was one of seven recipients of the MS Subbulakshmi Award for classical music.
>> In 2010, she published a book in Marathi, titled Swaraartha Ramani, in which she elaborated her views on musical theory and practice.
>> She sang for two films, Drishti in 1990 and Geet Gaya Patharon Ne in 1964.
Personal life
Kishori Amonkar was born in Mumbai on April 10, 1932. Her father passed away when she was six. She and her two siblings were raised by their mother, classical vocalist Mogubai Kurdikar. After initial training by her, Kishori started receiving lessons in Hindustani classical music from Anjanibai Malpekar [of Bhendi Bazar gharana] in the early 1940s. She also trained under tutors from several gharanas, including Anwar Hussain Khan (Agra gharana), Sharadchandra Arolkar (Gwalior gharana) and Goa's stalwart Balkri-shnabuwa Parwatkar. Her career as a vocalist grew in the 1960s and '70s. Amonkar married a school teacher, Ravindra Amonkar, who died in 1992. The couple has two sons.
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