The two books under review showcase the legacy of two music families in different ways. Quraishi’s book is rich in illustrations—it has drawn on the photo albums of the Dagar clan. Raghavendra Joshi’s book has some family photographs as well, but the text is central—a tribute to Bhimsen Joshi by his eldest son, it is a story of family hurt and neglect.
A book on the Dagar legacy has been long overdue. Delhi based vocalist Wasifuddin Dagar took the initiative and Humra Quraishi was roped in to assemble the text and the photos. The expansive focus of the book is on the Dagar clan but at the same time it is a Delhi centric book with many photographs of Wasifuddin and his immediate family and supporters. All the qualities that one has come to associate with the publishing house of Niyogi are here—excellent design and fine reproduction of old photographs. Quraishi’s good faith is never in doubt but her text is amateurish.