Kishori Amonkar

Kishori Amonkar is a noted Hindustani music performer who is known for singing khayal in the Jaipur gharana style. She is the daughter of the well-known vocalist, Smt. Mogubai Kurdikar, a distinguished disciple of the late Gayan Samrat Ustad Alladiya Khan Saheb.

Unsourced

• Music without emotion is like an empty shell. Technique is, of course, essential, but the emphasis should be on bhava or emotional expression. For this, the vocalist has to make a deep and thought study of the nava-rasas. Classical musicians generally ignore this aspect and pay no attention to rasa-siddhant. That is why our shastriya sangeet fails to appeal to listeners who always prefer music which appeals to the heart, rather than the intellect.

• Our music is the fifth Veda. The Vedas teach you brahma Vidya (translation: Sacred Knowledge). You cannot learn that from a machine. If you go on contemplating and meditating upon the divine art. I am sure you will reach the ultimate destination in your music – which is Brahman I am trying to reach that.

• People say that I look beautiful when I sing. Today I seem to have got an answer. When I sing, I want everything to be beautiful - my notes, ny rhythm and myself too. My desire is so intense that on the stage you have beauty personified, not Kishori looking beautiful.