The greatest singer Tansen
Tansen was musician in court of Emperor Akbar. Very often he sang for the emperor alone, ragas that would gently put him to sleep at night, or awaken him in the morning.
It is said that when Tansen sang, the birds and beasts came to hear him.
Once while Akbar was out hunting in the forest, he spotted a white elephant. He wanted it for himself, so it was captured. But it was wild and fierce, and ready to trample anyone who came near him. As it could not be trained, Akbar sent for Tansen. Tansen went near the elephant and began to sing softly. Gradually the elephant became calm, and the trainers could now manage him. Soon Akbar was able to ride him too.
Tansen’s signing was so powerful that when he song the Magh raga, rain clouds would opera in the sky. And it would begin to pour.
It is said, that once Akbar commanded Tansen to sing the Deepak raga. This raga was dangerous, for if it was sung perfectly, it could set things on fire. It could even burn the singer’s body to ashes.
Tansen asked for some time to prepare himself.
In two weeks he was ready to sing before the emperor. That evening, so the story goes, the courtyard was packed with people. They had come from far and near, for they had heard of the great performance that was to take place.
Until, lamps were placed on the walls. As Akbar sat n the throne, Tansen began to sing. A cool breeze blew, but as Tansen sang on, the air stated getting warmer. People began perspiring and fanning themselves. The leaves dried on the trees, and the flowers in the garden wilted. Birds flew away from their nests. Soon it became so hot, that the people could not sit any longer. They got up and fled.
As Tansen reached the end of the raga, the lamps on the walls lit up on their own. Tansen’s body too seemed to be burning1 he fell ill, and it was many months before he recovered.
This, it is said, happened almost four hundreds years ago. But Tansen is remembered even today. A music festival is held every year near his tomb at Gwalior. And singers believe that their voice will improve, if they touch the tomb and eat a leaf of the tamarind tree that grows there.
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