Decades before India launched its first satellites, Kesarbai Kerkar, a master of Hindustani classical music from Goa, left a timeless mark by having her song travel through deep space aboard NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft.
- Kesarbai Kerkar was a key figure of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana and honored with the Padma Bhushan.
- Her recording was recommended by ethnomusicologist Robert E Brown for the Voyager Golden Record.
- Voyager 1 now carries her voice billions of miles away as the most distant human-made object.
What happened
Kesarbai Kerkar, born in a small village in Goa, became a distinguished Hindustani classical singer and a torchbearer of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana tradition. After years of rigorous training under maestros including Alladiya Khan, she mastered the intricacies of Indian classical music, earning prestigious awards such as the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Padma Bhushan.
When NASA curated the Golden Record to send aboard Voyager 1 in 1977 as a message to potential extraterrestrial listeners, the Indian music selection was Kesarbai's recording of Raag Bhairavi. This inclusion, recommended by ethnomusicologist Robert E Brown and overseen by Carl Sagan, ensured her voice represented India on this historic journey to the stars.
Why it feels good
Kesarbai Kerkar’s voice traveling through interstellar space is a powerful symbol of human cultural unity and artistic achievement. From a humble beginning in Goa to being immortalized in NASA's cosmic message, her story celebrates the universal power of music to transcend borders and connect humanity.
Knowing that long after her passing, her song continues to journey as part of humanity’s legacy brings a sense of pride and wonder. It reminds us that art, especially music, is a timeless language that can bridge vast distances and speak to the cosmos itself.
What to enjoy or watch next
Explore recordings of Kesarbai Kerkar’s performances to appreciate her mastery of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana style and experience the classical Indian music that NASA chose to share with the universe. Many archives and streaming platforms offer access to historic renditions of Raag Bhairavi.
Dive into documentaries or articles about the Voyager Golden Record mission, which highlights the diverse cultural and scientific treasures humanity decided to send into space. The story of Kesarbai Kerkar’s musical journey enriches the broader narrative of our global heritage traveling beyond Earth.