Thumri fell silent on Thursday (October 2, 2025) as Pandit Chhannulal Mishra, the most mellifluous exponent of the semi-classical art form, passed on due to age-related ailments . Rising from a modest background, Pandit Mishra found his voice on the ghats of Benaras, and his gravelly timbre represented the sacred confluence of the cosmic naad of Lord Shiva’s damru and the serenity of Ganga. The amalgamation of the Kirana and Benaras Gharana would scratch and soothe the soul with its seamless expression of the rigour of Hindustani classical music and the lyrical nuances of semi-classical forms.

Together with Ustad Bismillah Khan, Pandit Mishra represented the syncretic culture of Varanasi, where Lord Shiva and Ganga hold profound musical and cultural significance. He would occasionally d

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