The first major teachers of esraj there were Asesh Chandra Bandopadhyay and Gaurhari Kabiraj, both of whom hailed from Bishnupur. This boosted Bishnupur’s reputation as a centre of learning the esraj, while Gaya’s reputation dwindled over the next few decades due to reasons mentioned before. Therefore, Gaya became a key player in the development of the next era of the esraj.
The esraj gained its fame and reputation possibly because the Indian classical music scene was undergoing a shift during the late nineteenth century. As communication increased, so did people’s access to music and entertainment. This is where music required to take new shapes owing to the changing sociopolitical scenario and changes in the taste of people towards music. Also, learning older musical instruments without the presence of any gurus or experts in them was a difficult task in Gaya. That is why, thanks to patrons, the esraj emerged as a musical instrument of the new age, a process facilitated by the so-called Holy Trinity of Kanhaiyalal, Hanumandas, and Dubey. Gaya also fostered the development of many other classical musical gharanas, instruments such as the European harmonium, and was home of several other artists of various forms of Indian classical music. But the main contribution of this great city, to the world, is the esraj.
This research paper was wonderful to read. It was enlightening to learn about a part of Gaya's musical past and the effect that it has had on India to this day. The esraj is an amazing instrument and its uses can be seen throughout India to this day in both classical as well as modern music. When looking at videos of the esraj being played, I often find myself being fascinated as to how players are able to adapt with the instrument in order to tie it in with modern or western music. Seeing the impact of this instrument in Gaya society is amazing and I hope to continue to learn about such fascinating instruments and the impact they have had on societies throughout the world.
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