Did You Know An Indian Song Was Played On NASA's Voyager 1 During Its Journey To Saturn In 1977

The repeated success of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is encouraging the Indians to cover news distances, even surpassing America's National Aeronautics and Space Administration aka NASA. Though ISRO has already left NASA surprised on several occasions lately, it may take another century for ISRO to surpass the giant.

But much before ISRO¡¯s success, an Indian raga 'Jaat Kahan Ho Akeli Gori' (Where are you going alone, girl) had mesmerized NASA so much that it included this masterpiece of Indian Classical music in 'Sounds Of Earth', an album of songs played in NASA's Voyager 1, a man-less space shuttle launched in 1977.

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And the sound of this raga, along with several others collected in 12-inch gold-plated copper disc that aims to encapsulate 5,000 years of human culture has been echoing across 13 billion miles, the Voyager 1 has travelled since 1977.

This poignant piece in raga Bhairavi was composed by Kesarbai Kerkar, the legendary singer of Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana. Let¡¯s know more about 'Jaat Kahan Ho Akeli Gori', it¡¯s composer Kesarbai Kerker and Voyager 1.

Of Voyager 1 and its voyage

In 2012, NASA¡¯s space probe Voyager 1 which travelled at more than 40,000 miles per hour, became the first man-made object to enter interstellar space, leaving behind the solar system, which marked mankind¡¯s entry into interstellar age.

Voyager 1 was launched on September 5, 1977, to probe Saturn and Jupiter and the once in 176 years planetary alignment allowed this nuclear-powered spacecraft to travel beyond the four outer planets of the solar system.

Since 1977, it has travelled a massive 13 billion miles and it¡¯s humanity¡¯s most distant space presence in space, sending back unprecedented and mesmerising images and data from the points known.

How ¡®Jaat Kahan Ho¡¯ came onboard

An American astronomer Carl Sagan compiled a collection of songs in an album called ¡®Sounds Of Earth¡¯ to echo through the outer space, billion of miles from earth. The album aimed to encapsulate the 5000-year-old culture of civilised humanity complied in a 12-inch gold platted copper disc. The disc had many songs, most of the music of Beethoven, Bach and Mozart. ¡®Jaat Kahan Ho.¡¯ A celestial masterpiece from Kesarbai Kerkar, was the only song from India on the album.

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A producer of the Voyager record, Timothy Ferris, once wrote about the Indian contribution to the mission in Murmurs of Earth, a 1978 book about the record. He notes: ¡°One of my favourite musical transitions on the Voyager record comes when ¡®Flowing Stream¡¯ ends and we are transported, quick as a curtsy, across the Himalayas to the north of India and from the sound of one musical genius, Kuan Ping-hu to another, Surshri Kesar Bai Kerkar. This raga is formally designated for morning performance, but its popularity has led to its use as a closing number, a kind of encore, for concerts day and night.¡±

Now let¡¯s know about Kesarbai

Kesarbai was born in Goa in 1893 in a hilly village of Keri. She was revered by both the masses as well as classes as she was awarded the title of Surshri (Queen of Music) in 1938 by none other than Rabindranath Tagore on behalf of Sangeet Pravin Sangitanuragi Sajjan Saman Samiti of the then Calcutta.

Kesarbai during her childhood days was trained by maestros like Abdul Karim Khan of Kirana gharana, Ramakrishnabuva Vaze of Gwalior gharana, Barkatulla Khan of Senia gharana and Bhaskarbua Bakhle of Jaipur-Atrauli gharana.

Voyager's Golden Record- Jaat Kahan Ho by Surshri Kesar Bai Kerkar (1) from Bugiandassociates on Vimeo.

But their teaching couldn¡¯t quench the thirst of Kesarbai for more knowledge and she always remained in pursuit of a teacher who could take her to the deepest depths of Hindustani Classical music. Her search ended when she became the disciple of legendary Alladiya Khan in 1920.

Popularly known as Gauri-Shankar, (Mount Everest of Indian Classical music) and Gaan Samrat, Khan had founded the Jaipur Atrauli Gharana and is known for many rare ragas that he created.

When Khan rejected Kesarbai

Initially, Kesarbai was unable to master the Gayaki of Khan during the trial of three months which made Khan irked and he refused to accept her as her disciple. But Kesarbai was adamant to learn from Khan and at her behest, the ruler of Kolhapur, Shahu Maharaj intervened and requested Khan to teach her.

Khan, therefore, accepted Kesarbai as her disciple.

Kesarbai trained under Khan for 25 years and performed across the country. Her immense success as a khyal singer, along with that of Hirabai Barodekar, Gangubai Hangal and Mogubai Kurdikar (mother of Kishori Amonkar) paved the way for the next generation of female vocalists.

Kesarbai received many awards

In 1953, Kesarbai received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the highest Indian recognition given to practising artists. In 1969, She was honoured with Padma Bhushan while in the same year, the Maharashtra government conferred upon her the title of Rajya Gayika.

Kesarbai passed away in 1977, the year Voyager was launched.