Pt. Rajan Mishra’s bond with Benaras

How the river and the ancient city defined his art

Pt. Rajan Mishra’s music had a universal appeal but his heart belonged to Benaras. He enjoyed performing at renowned global venues but longed to return to his ancestral home in Kabir Chaura. ‘Swarangan, Padma Bhushan Rajan Sajan Mishra’ reads the black marble name plate outside the brothers’ large renovated house in one of the many narrow lanes of the Kalakar Colony. Though the brothers are not the only musicians and the only Mishras living here, they definitely are the star attraction of the colony that birthed the Benaras gharana. The stalwarts, who took the gharana to great heights, established their gurukul here, which has groomed several musicians, who have in turn further explored the gharana’s distinct gayaki.