'No one forced me': Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia's reply to Taslima Nasreen's X post

New Delhi: Renowned flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia has addressed recent criticism following his performance at Delhi’s Kamani Auditorium, responding to the concerns raised by writer Taslima Nasreen. In his statement, the maestro emphasised that he chose to perform voluntarily and that it is the encouragement and motivation from his listeners that inspire him to continue despite the physical challenges brought on by age.

This response came after Nasreen's poignant post on X, where she expressed heartbreak over witnessing Panditji’s visible struggle during the concert. She described how his hands trembled, the flute wouldn’t stay steady, and the immense effort to blow into the instrument failed to produce the soulful music his fans cherish. Nasreen blamed the event organisers for exposing the flautist to such physical and emotional hardship in public, suggesting it was a cruel decision that caused suffering not only to Panditji but also to the audience who shared in his agony.

Nasreen proposed that a more compassionate approach would have been to have Panditji seated on a beautifully adorned stage while playing his timeless recordings in the background, allowing the audience to remain enchanted by his music and moved by his presence without witnessing his struggle.

She recalled meeting him just months ago, speaking of his grace and warmth, and fondly reminisced about a past concert at the same venue with Shivkumar Sharma, highlighting the stark contrast to the recent performance.

The exchange between Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia and Taslima Nasreen has sparked wider conversations about respecting and supporting legendary artists as they age, balancing admiration with sensitivity to their physical limitations.