ISSN 2277-7067

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VIDUSHI MALABIKA KANAN- A VERSATILE ARTIST OF KIRANA GHARANA.

Dr. Tajinder Pal Singh,

Assistant Professor, P.G Department of Music Vocal, G.S.S.D.G.S Khalsa College, Patiala.
Introduction
Since childhood, I was inclined towards Indian classical music and those musicians who represents a gharana
have always motivated me to work harder on the subject. One such artist from Kirana Gharana named Vidushi
Malabika Kanan left a deep impression on my mind. Although finding a write-up on her was a big challenge for
me because apart from a few audio recordings there is no such material that is available to better understand her
contribution in the field of art.
My Guru Prof. Vidushi Krishna Bisht, an accomplished scholar and musician along with the family members,
friends and disciples of Vidushi Malabika Kanan became a source of information to write this paper on her.
Another point to be highlighted here is that she was among those musicians who with the passage of time are
not been remembered by the young musicians unintentionally. This paper will highlight one such lost gem of
Indian Classical music representing the Kirana school of music. It is a first and foremost attempt to help the
scholars and musicians to acquire new knowledge related to her life and art that would also direct the musical
connoisseurs to pursue this topic for further research.
Family and musical background
She was born on December 27, 1930 at Lucknow in a renowned Bengali family of musicians as her father
Prof. R.L Roy was a zamindar of Bhagalpur, Bihar. Later, the family got settled in Kolkata. All the family
members could speak Hindi very well. Mr. Roy had attended a missionary school of the British with the
reason his fluency in English was quite high. He himself was a great musicologist and the first dean of the
Faculty of Music and Fine Arts, University of Delhi. Due to this musical atmosphere at home, all the members
of the family were deep into music. Vidushi Malabika Kanan was the first child of her parents followed by a
brother named Ranjan Kumar Roy and a sister named Manjulika. Mr. Ranjan graduated in some other
subject (economics) but he was well trained in Tabla while Manjulika used to sing from Akashwani in
Kolkata. From these facts it can be understood that Vidushi Malabika Kanan had a refined musical background.
Her musical taleem was started when she was barely four years old. Her first guru was, evidently, her father,
Prof R.L Roy. She received systematic training from him in Dhrupad, Dhamar and Khayal for a number of
years. Travelling to many parts of the country in her father’s company, Malabika had the advantage of learning
both the practical and theoretical aspects from him. At 16, she became a regular broadcaster on AIR and started
participating in several prestigious national conferences and Radio Sangeet Sammelans.

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Musical association with her father (Prof R.L. Roy)

A lady of refined sensibilities, Vidushi Malabika Kanan was very pretty, graceful and had a very high aesthetic
sense like her father who would choose the best quality items available. She was a very well groomed person
and would wear floral printed beautiful saris along with beautiful expensive jewelries. Moreover, her make-up
always had a perfect touch. Likewise, her music was also highly aesthetic and authentic. Prof Mrs. Bisht
remembers her as an artist who do not have a word "Besura" (un-tuned) in her dictionary; According to her she
never heard her going out of tune and this unique factor was learnt by her from her father Prof R.L Roy who
was a man of polished musical thought process. Apart from his music his behavior was very aristocratic since
he belonged to a high class family that could be the reason he never allowed his daughter to sing just for the
sake of money or for higher grade. A man of principles and accuracy, he even did not permit her to sing taans
in a higher speed. According to late Mrs. Poornima Choudhary, "Malabika Kanan got her A grade after quite a
long time only because she never took taan portion at a high speed although she repeatedly pleaded for the same
but allowed her later.
Her taans were systematic, crystal clear and full of varieties. For example, Raga Darbari which is considered to
be as one of the most dominant raga, usually sung by a heavy masculine voice, was sung by her with such an
accuracy and fluent taans that the audience got completely mesmerized. The great legendary flautist Mali
(T.R Mahalingam1, 1926-1986) was present at that function, got so impressed that he rewarded her with a
cheque of heavy amount. The different patterns of Sargam which she used to deliver during her performances
were actually taught by none other than her father Mr. Roy. Her scale for vocal renditions was 5th Black note 2
which is naturally suited to her soft and soothing voice. Her father never permitted her to add too much of
Gamak in her Gayaki as her voice was more suitable for Khyal and Thumri.
Malabika Kanan had already started performing years before she got married. Prof Krishna Bisht remembers
hearing her national programme in the 1950s as Malabika Roy. After her marriage with Pandit Arcort Kanan 3,
there were a certain level of maturity that can be observed in her gayakee, the reason could be their musical
association. They have shared many things about common their passion that was music. They learnt a lot from
each other, subsequently her music gained new dimensions, assimilating many features from the Kirana style.
She was also initiated into thumri under his able guidance which she used to sing with full of emotions and
melody. Even on few occasions she had to perform this genre on public demand.
Analysis of her Gayakee
Indian classical music is completely based on ragas and their improvisations. Ragas themselves can be
defined as a musical theme created by choosing a specific set of notes from within an octave. The idea
of raga is actually quite fundamental to all music. Improvisation of a raga connotes the elaboration of

1 Tiruvidaimarudur Ramaswamy Mahalingam (Nov 6, 1926 – May 31, 1986) also known as Mali, was a flautist who
revolutionised the style of flute-playing in Carnatic music.
2 B- flat
3 Pandit A.T Kanan, her husband and an established artist in Indian Classical Music.

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a raga without repetitions. It is a well known fact that there are different styles or schools of music
which are known as gharanas. A gharana indicates a comprehensive musicological ideology. This
ideology sometimes changes substantially from one gharana to another. It directly affects the thinking,
teaching, performance and appreciation of music and the same can be felt in the gayakee of Vidushi
Malabika Kanan. She had her taleem from the gems of Kirana Gharana. Her gayakee was enriched with all
those unique and astonishing elements and her record of raga chayya-nat which is quite well-known is best
suited as an example.
She had very good curves in her voice which are termed as meend and that was another specialty of her voice.
She was usually restricted from adding heavy musical ornamentations. It was believed by her father that to
maintain the natural essence in an individual's voice one must sing effortlessly so that it may be more appealing
and pleasing to the audience.
Malabika Kanan had expertise in taking complex sargam patterns and her pronunciation was also equally
clear and beautiful, The way she used the bol banav (elaboration of lyrics) while performing was also
appreciated among the audience. Her knowledge of Apra-chalit ragas music was quite high too as she got this
rare opportunity to learn both from her father and husband which have benefitted her with many ways in music,
for example she had in-depth knowledge of unpopular ragas such as Raga Heim and Raga Kheim. This
explains how Malabika knew many of these rare ragas also, which her disciples have also learnt from
her. She sung a rare raga named Suhaag. According to Prof Krishna Bisht, Malabika Kanan is the
only artist from whom she has heard Raga Suhaag. Her gayakee can be considered unique because she
maintains both the traditional purity of the khayal form and the aesthetic beauty of a raga. She has a rich
repertoire of current as well as rare ragas and “bandishes”. Malabika sings bhajans with equal ease. Her
favorite Ragas includes Raga Chayanat, Gaud Malhar, Des, Darbari Kandha, Jaunpuri, Ramkali, Hemnat etc.
Vidushi Malabika ji - As a committed Guru
Malabika ji was a lovable and charming person with such a positive attitude that made her behave well with
everyone and she treated all the near and dear ones with utmost respect, while on the other side she was a
sincere teacher and can also be acknowledged as a committed guru. Vidushi Sumitra Guha, Late Purnima
Chaudhary Pt. Sanjoy Banerjee etc. are established artists in the field of Indian Classical Music who are her
disciples. She has taught many of the students at ITC-SRA. She along with her husband were appointed there as
Guru till their last breath. She was full of qualities and was an artist par excellence. She never raised her
voice while talking to anyone. She was quite sweet in her talks and maintained the same pace while her
performances. Even if there would be an unknown person or student to play the tanpura as an
accompaniment with her on the stage , she would go on stage along with the person and would give a
chance to perform with her as vocal support. This positive approach of her clearly mentions the same attitude
like her husband Pt. A. Kanan and her father Prof R. L Roy. She possessed all the qualities of a ideal teacher
like her father as she would often travel to Delhi to attend his classes at Faculty of Music and Fine Arts. Prof
R.L Roy was Dean at Faculty of Music and Fine Arts. The reason of visiting him at his office was to learn the

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qualities of an ideal teacher while he used to deliver the lectures in class. Undoubtedly, her father Prof R.L Roy
was a very honest man, and all his qualities were transmitted to his daughter Malabika.
Awards and Achievements
Malabika Ji got many laurels and awards, including the prestigious National Sangeet Natak Akademi
Award, New Delhi. A recipient of this Award in 2000, she stands tall among exponents of Khayal of her age.
She also received the ITC-SRA Award in 1995, for her contribution in the field of Hindustani classical music.
In her times Vidushi Malabika Kanan was quite a known figure in Kolkata, people used to acknowledge her not
only just for her music but also because of her dignified image. It's not only the musicians but the instrument
makers also respected her with same zeal and consideration. They used to enquire her and her husband about
the tuning or pitch accuracy of the their unsold instruments. One such reference as a testimonial can be seen at
the famous musical instruments shop, "Calcutta Musical Depot" at Kolkata, the owner has got a testimonial
written by Vidushi Malabika Kanan which is considered as a mark of respect and gratitude for her by the proud
owner of that shop.
Translated English Testimonial:
Mr Kishore Roy has been tuning and making our harmoniums since the past 5 years and we are
really very much using his hand–made harmoniums since then. “Calcutta Musical Depot”, in fact, his
showroom is situated at Bhawanipore. I myself have attended many classy programs using harmoniums
made by him. To the best of my knowledge, he is one of the greatest harmonium makers of this age
and especially the art of his tuning is incomparable. There are very few people like us who bother
about music and tune but he has completely satisfied such emotions by heart. I bless him that he
might progress fast in his work and establish himself as an accomplished personality. I pray to the
Almighty God that He may shower His gift of blessing on him.

ITC Sangeet Research Academy comments on the Gayakee of Malabika Kanan.

An extremely tuneful voice, a rich, systematic and dignified style in the slow Khayals and alaaps and ease and
variety in taans are some of the qualities that has made Malabika an outstanding musician. Her voice has
sweetness, timbre, accuracy, pliability, a wide range and ‘taiyari’.’

An affable and pleasing personality, Malabika has always cherished a soft corner for Lucknow where she was
born. She was on the Expert Committee of ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata , till a few years
back. Malabika Kanan leaved on February 17, 2009 4.

4 http://www.itcsra.org/sra_news_views/obituary/malabika_kanan.html

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