Baiju Bawra - A Legend On Baiju

A Legend On Baiju

A legend goes as follows. Gopal Nayak was a beloved student of Baiju. After Gopal Nayak and his wife (Prabha) deserted Baiju to seek a performing career elsewhere, Baiju lost his senses. From this point onwards, he was known as Baiju Bawra (crazy Baiju). The king of Kashmir employed Gopal Nayak as a court musician; Gopal Nayak claimed that he was a self-taught musician. On learning this, Baiju reached that city in tattered clothes. His crazed appearance and singing caused a sensation but Gopal Nayak refused to recognize his guru after that Baiju with depressed mood went to the temple and sung a song.People heard their song and told the king. The king called him to court and then contest was arranged between Baiju and Gopal Nayak at the royal court. Baiju was to sing first and Gopal Nayak was to respond. Baiju sang raga BhimpalasiAnd that song has melted stone after that Gopal Nayak sang but could not win .According to the condition Gopal Nayak's head had to be cut but Baiju saved Gopal Nayak but Gopal Nayak's full of foolish king had cut off its head. Gopal Nayak's body was cremated by his daughter Meera on the bank of river Satluj. When the bones in Gopal's body were thrown in the river following the cremation, they sank. According to a legend, Gopal's widow then asked Baiju to retrieve her husband's bones. Responding, Baiju taught a new version of Malhar to her daughter, Meera, and after a week's training, Meera sang that raga on the bank of Satluj in front of a crowd. As soon as she finished the Dhrupad, her father's bones emerged on the bank out of the river. From that time on, that raga is known as Meera ki Malhar. After this incident, Baiju with unhappy mind ,went to Chanderi.