Annapurna Devi, the renowned, reclusive surbahar player, was born on this day. She was the daughter of classical music legend Ustad Allauddin Khan and the younger sister of eminent sarod player Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. She had been married to another celebrated musician, sitarist Ravi Shankar.
She was considered by some to be the greatest among her father’s disciples, including Ali Akbar and Ravi Shankar.
Annapurna Devi was born Roshanara Khan in Maihar in the then Central Provinces (now Madhya Pradesh). Her father taught her vocal music, the surbahar (bass sitar) and the sitar.
She had married at a very early age. In the 1950s, she and Ravi Shankar performed together at public concerts, and on several occasions she is said to have drawn more applause than her husband. This, and the fact that she was a purist, but Ravi Shankar wanted to experiment with classical music, apparently caused a rift between them. In the 1960s, when they were living in Bombay (now Mumbai), they separated. Annapurna Devi continued to live in Bombay, but became a recluse. She stopped performing in public, despite numerous invitations from within the country and abroad. She did not record her music. Despite that, she received several awards, including Padma Bhushan, Sangeet Natak Akademi award and Desikottama.
But she remained an extraordinary teacher to a very distinguished setof classical musicians, carrying on the legacy of her father. She and Ravi Shankar had one son, Shubhendra Shankar, also a sitar player, who would often accompany Ravi Shankar in his performances. He died in the US when he was only 50.
Annapurna Devi passed away in 2018.