Bhaskarbuwa Bakhale
Encyclopedia
Bhaskar Raghunath Bakhale (October 17, 1869 – April 8, 1922) (also known as Bhaskarrao or Bhaskarbua or Bhaskarbuwa) was a Hindustani classical vocalist, a composer, and a teacher.
family in Kathor, a village in Gujrat
, India
. His early training was in dhrupad
and kirtan
from Vishnubuwa Pingale in Vadodara
. The royal family of Vadodara arranged for musical lessons in the school run by its court musician Maula Baksha. He then became a child artist at Kirloskar Natak Mandali, a musical theatre
troupe of Annasaheb Kirloskar
where he had the ganda-bandhan ceremony with Bande Ali Khan, a Rudra Veena
performer from Kirana employed by the court of Indore
. Faiz Mohammed Khan of Gwalior gharana
taught him in Vadodara
1886–1897 and then recommended further training from Natthan Khan of Agra gharana
, a court musician at Jaipur
and Mysore, and the father of Vilayat Hussein Khan
. This apprenticeship continued in Mysore and Dharwad
till the demise of Natthan Khan in year 1901. In 1899, Natthan Khan recommended further training from Alladiya Khan, the founder of Jaipur-Atrauli gharana
and a court musician of Kolhapur. Starting year 1901, Bakhale learnt from Alladiya Khan, his brother Haider Khan, and his nephew Natthan Khan. His apprenticeship with Alladiya Khan continued interrupted until Bakhale's own death in 1922. Overcome with Bakhale's memories, Alladiya Khan broke down and abruptly ended his 1922 Mumbai
recital at the residence of Seth Vitthaldas; the recital was to celebrate the birthday of Seth Vitthaldas and was attended by Shahu Maharaj
, the king of Miraj
, the king of Dewas
, and other dignitaries.
Dilip Chandra Vedi has noted that, like Abdul Karim Khan
, Bakhale was influenced by the style of Rahimat Khan (1856–1922), the younger son of Haddu Khan of Gwalior Gharana
.
. Starting year 1901, he was based in Mumbai
and Pune
but performed throughout India
and Nepal
. He was given the honorary title "Deva Gandharva" (God Among Celestial Musicians). His notebook lists dhrupad
s and dhamar
s learnt by him but he rarely performed those in public. His typical recital comprised khyal
raga
s and an assortment of dadra
, tappa
, thumri
, bhajan
, songs from Marathi stage plays, and traditional Marathi light classical forms. He also had a successful career as the music director of Kirloskar Natak Mandali and, afterwards, of Gandharva Natak Mandali. Govindrao Tembe
benefited from Bakhale's advisement in composing music for the stage play Sangeet Manapman (1911). Bakhale then composed music for new Marathi
musical theatre
stage plays such as Sangeet Vidyaharan (1913), Sangeet Swayamwar (1916), and Sangeet Draupadi
(1920) by adopting compositions from classical Hindustani music. These compositions continue to be performed on stage and in Hindustani classical recitals. Several musicians, including Kumar Gandharva
, Vasantrao Deshpande
, and Anand Bhate, have released recordings presenting their interpretations of Bal Gandharva
's renditions of these compositions. Bakhale taught and mentored Bal Gandharva from year 1906 until his own death, and also brought Ahmed Jan Thirakwa
to Gandharva Natak Mandali as its tabla
maestro. In year 1911, Bakhale started Bharat Gayan Samaj, an institute to teach music in Pune
; the institute had its centenary in year 2011.
, Tarabai Shirodkar, Bapurao Ketkar, and Master Krishnarao Phulambrikar; among these, Bal Gandharva received training specifically for stage songs (semi/light clasical) only and not for classical vocal. He also taught others including Dattatreya Bagalkotkar, Narahar Patankar, Gundopant Walawalkar, Ganapat Purohit, Harishchandra Bali, Bhai Lal Amritsari, and Dilip Chandra Vedi. He also taught Ganesh Ramachandra Behare, a disciple of Abdul Karim Khan, for one year. Govindrao Tembe, who was his close associate starting 1901, had no interest in career as a vocalist and, instead, adopted Bakhale's teachings for harmonium
playing. Bakhale taught Kesarbai Kerkar for 5 months in year 1914 and occasionally assisted Alladiya Khan in teaching her after she became Alladiya Khan's student in year 1921. He also taught Vilayat Hussein Khan
on a limited basis. Among these, Govindrao Tembe had a 50 year long career as a harmonium player, as a music composer for stage plays and films, as an author of 5 books and several articles on music and musicians, and as a member of the central audition board of All India Radio
. Bal Gandharva, Master Krishnarao, Vilayat Hussein Khan, and Kesarbai Kerkar had long careers as musicians and eventually became recipients of Padma Bhushan
and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
instituted by the Government of India
. Around year 1920, Tarabai, held in high regards by many including Kesarbai Kerkar, renounced singing and retired to private life at a young age of 30; starting 1946, she made a few live recordings for All India Radio
before passing away in 1949. Dilip Chandra Vedi became a disciple of Faiyaz Khan
of Agra gharana
after Bakhale's death and had a long career as a vocalist and as an instructor of music at Bharatiya Kala Kendra, New Delhi
.
systems. Since the turn of the 17th century, Hindustani classical music had become a stronghold of Muslim
musicians and Balakrishnabuwa Ichalkaranjikar
(1840–1926) was one of the few Hindu
vocalists to earn fame at it in the 19th century. He toured and taught extensively in the states of Maharashtra
, Gujrat
, and Karnataka
. The next generation of Hindu musicians from these states included Bakhale, Vishnu Digambar Paluskar
, Ramakrishna Vaze, and Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande
who did much to liberate the teaching and dissemination of classical music and to create an honorable social status for professional musicians. Unlike Paluskar and Bhatkhande, Bakhale introduced no radical reforms in the teaching methodology or in organizational aspects of this movement. However, his personal concerts, rapport with other musicians, and compositions for stage plays --- rendered popular by Bal Gandharva, Keshav Bhosale, Dinanath Mangeshkar
, and others --- was a major factor in cultivating a taste for classical and semi-classical music in Marathi speaking population of India. B. R. Deodhar has observed that this contribution is one of the reasons why western India developed and remained as a major force in classical Indian music starting the turn of the 19th century. Bakhale was universally regarded an ideal and perfectly balanced vocalist but
his creative contribution to Hindustani classical music itself is suspect since he composed no new Raga
and apparently introduced no major technical innovation either.
Bakhale has left no recorded legacy. Gramophone Company
had unsuccessfully arranged for two sets of his recordings in year 1911.
No trace of his style or musical approach exists today apart from what can be discerned from his semi-classical
compositions for stage plays. His manuscript on all Hindustani classical compositions learnt by him, including the full repertoire of Faiz Mohammed Khan of Gwalior gharana
, was in preparation at the time of his death. Shaila Datar, a musician married to his grandson Sudhir, has since completed this project and has released the book. Bharat Gayan Samaj, set up by Bakhale in Pune
, organizes musical recitals in his memory and observes his anniversaries. Kalyan Gayan Samaj, set up in Mumbai
in year 1926 as a homage to Bakhale, is active in music circles and organizes a conference titled "Deva Gandharva Mahotsav" annually. Pracheen Kala Kendra in Chandigarh
holds a conference titled "All India Bhaskar Rao Nritya and Sangeet Sammelan" annually. Pune University annually confers a Pt. Bhaskarbuwa Bakhale Award on the student standing first in its Bachelor of Arts
program in the music
discipline. Mumbai University annually confers a similar award on the student standing first in its Master of Arts
program in the music discipline.
Education
Bhaskar Bakhale was born in an impoverished brahminBrahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
family in Kathor, a village in Gujrat
Gujrat
Gujrat is a city in Pakistan. It is the capital of Gujrat District and the Gujrat Tehsil subdivision in the Punjab Province. People living in Gujrat refer to themselves as Gujratis, which sometimes leads to confusion with people from the Indian state of Gujarat which adjoins Pakistan...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. His early training was in dhrupad
Dhrupad
Dhrupad is a vocal genre in Hindustani classical music, said to be the oldest still in use in that musical tradition. Its name is derived from the words "dhruva" and "pada"...
and kirtan
Kirtan
Kirtan or Kirtana is call-and-response chanting or "responsory" performed in India's devotional traditions. A person performing kirtan is known as a kirtankar. Kirtan practice involves chanting hymns or mantras to the accompaniment of instruments such as the harmonium, tablas, the two-headed...
from Vishnubuwa Pingale in Vadodara
Vadodara
Vadodara formerly known as Baroda is the third most populated city in the Indian State of Gujarat . It is one of the four cities with the population of over 1 million...
. The royal family of Vadodara arranged for musical lessons in the school run by its court musician Maula Baksha. He then became a child artist at Kirloskar Natak Mandali, a musical theatre
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
troupe of Annasaheb Kirloskar
Annasaheb Kirloskar
Balwant Pandurang Kirloskar , popularly known as Annasaheb Kirloskar, was a Marathi playwright from Maharashtra, India.Kirloskar was born on March 31, 1843 in Gurlhosur in Belgaum district....
where he had the ganda-bandhan ceremony with Bande Ali Khan, a Rudra Veena
Rudra veena
See also veenaThe rudra veena is a large plucked string instrument used in Hindustani classical music. It is an ancient instrument rarely played today...
performer from Kirana employed by the court of Indore
Indore
Indore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...
. Faiz Mohammed Khan of Gwalior gharana
Gwalior gharana
The Gwalior Gharana is one of the oldest Khyal Gharanas. The rise of the Gwalior Gharana started with the reign of the great Mughal emperor Akbar...
taught him in Vadodara
Vadodara
Vadodara formerly known as Baroda is the third most populated city in the Indian State of Gujarat . It is one of the four cities with the population of over 1 million...
1886–1897 and then recommended further training from Natthan Khan of Agra gharana
Agra gharana
Agra Gharana is a tradition of Hindustani Classical Vocal Music descended from the Nauhar Bani. So far, Nauhar Bani has been traced back to around 1300 AD, during the reign of Emperor Allauddin Khilji of Delhi....
, a court musician at Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
and Mysore, and the father of Vilayat Hussein Khan
Vilayat Hussein Khan
Vilayat Hussain Khan was one of the greatest figures of Agra Gharana, who excelled both as singer and teacher. His father, Natthan Khan, was himself a legendary singer, and a noted guru. Vilayat Hussain Khan's elder brothers were also noted singers and taught him after their father's early death...
. This apprenticeship continued in Mysore and Dharwad
Dharwad
Dharwad, also known as Dharwar, is a city and a DISTRICT PLACE in India's Karnataka state.Dharwad is the administrative seat of the Dharwad District. The municipality of Hubli-Dharwad covers an area of 200.23 km²...
till the demise of Natthan Khan in year 1901. In 1899, Natthan Khan recommended further training from Alladiya Khan, the founder of Jaipur-Atrauli gharana
Jaipur-Atrauli gharana
The Jaipur-Atrauli gharana is a Khayal-based stylized singing family-hood , founded by Utd. Alladiya Khan in the late 19th century...
and a court musician of Kolhapur. Starting year 1901, Bakhale learnt from Alladiya Khan, his brother Haider Khan, and his nephew Natthan Khan. His apprenticeship with Alladiya Khan continued interrupted until Bakhale's own death in 1922. Overcome with Bakhale's memories, Alladiya Khan broke down and abruptly ended his 1922 Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
recital at the residence of Seth Vitthaldas; the recital was to celebrate the birthday of Seth Vitthaldas and was attended by Shahu Maharaj
Shahu Maharaj
Shahu IV was the first Maharaja of the Indian princely state of Kolhapur between 1894 and 1922...
, the king of Miraj
Miraj
Miraj , is an historic town in southern Maharashtra, India. The history of the town dates back to the early 10th century, and the town is known for its rich tradition of Hindustani classical music and for religious harmony. It served as a stronghold and a strategic bastion because of its location...
, the king of Dewas
Dewas
Dewas is an ancient town situated on the Malwa plateau in the West-central part of Indian state called Madhya Pradesh, about 160 km south west from state capital, Bhopal. It is the administrative center of the Dewas District, and was formerly the seat of two princely states during the British...
, and other dignitaries.
Dilip Chandra Vedi has noted that, like Abdul Karim Khan
Abdul Karim Khan
Ustad Abdul Karim Khan , was an Indian classical singer of the Kairana gharana .-Early life and background:...
, Bakhale was influenced by the style of Rahimat Khan (1856–1922), the younger son of Haddu Khan of Gwalior Gharana
Gwalior gharana
The Gwalior Gharana is one of the oldest Khyal Gharanas. The rise of the Gwalior Gharana started with the reign of the great Mughal emperor Akbar...
.
Career
During 1883–1885, Bakhale performed as a child artist in the stage plays of Kirloskar Natak Mandali where Bhaurao Kolhatkar, Moroba Wagholikar, and Balakoba Natekar earned much fame as singers of folksy and light classical stage songs. After completing his training in classical music, Bakhale returned as a classical vocalist in year 1899 or so. During 1897–1901, he served as a professor of music at a training college in DharwadDharwad
Dharwad, also known as Dharwar, is a city and a DISTRICT PLACE in India's Karnataka state.Dharwad is the administrative seat of the Dharwad District. The municipality of Hubli-Dharwad covers an area of 200.23 km²...
. Starting year 1901, he was based in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
but performed throughout India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. He was given the honorary title "Deva Gandharva" (God Among Celestial Musicians). His notebook lists dhrupad
Dhrupad
Dhrupad is a vocal genre in Hindustani classical music, said to be the oldest still in use in that musical tradition. Its name is derived from the words "dhruva" and "pada"...
s and dhamar
Dhamar (music)
A dhrupad set to the 14-beat time signature dhamar tal is called a dhamar. It is seen as a light musical form, and associated with the Holi Spring Festival of colours....
s learnt by him but he rarely performed those in public. His typical recital comprised khyal
Khyal
Khyal is the modern genre of classical singing in North India. Its name comes from an Arabic word meaning "imagination". It is thought to have developed out of the qawwali singing style. It appeared more recently than dhrupad, is a more free and flexible form, and it provides greater scope for...
raga
Raga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
s and an assortment of dadra
Dadra
Dadra refers to two separate but originally linked concepts in Hindustani classical music.-Dadra tala:This is a Hindustani classical tala , consisting of six beats in two equal divisions of three. The most commonly accepted theka or basic pattern for this tala is dha dhi na, dha tu na...
, tappa
Tappa
Tappa is a city and a municipal council in Sangrur district in the Indian state of Punjab.-Demographics: India census, Tappa had a population of 18,887. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Tappa has an average literacy rate of 57%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male...
, thumri
Thumri
Thumri is a common genre of semi-classical Indian music.The text is romantic or devotional in nature, and usually revolves around a girl's love for Krishna. The lyrics are usually in Uttar Pradesh dialects of Hindi called Poorbi and Brij Bhasha...
, bhajan
Bhajan
A Bhajan is any type of Indian devotional song. It has no fixed form: it may be as simple as a mantra or kirtan or as sophisticated as the dhrupad or kriti with music based on classical ragas and talas. It is normally lyrical, expressing love for the Divine...
, songs from Marathi stage plays, and traditional Marathi light classical forms. He also had a successful career as the music director of Kirloskar Natak Mandali and, afterwards, of Gandharva Natak Mandali. Govindrao Tembe
Govindrao Tembe
Govind Sadashiv Tembe, popularly known as Govindrao Tembe was a harmonium player, stage actor, and music composer....
benefited from Bakhale's advisement in composing music for the stage play Sangeet Manapman (1911). Bakhale then composed music for new Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
musical theatre
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
stage plays such as Sangeet Vidyaharan (1913), Sangeet Swayamwar (1916), and Sangeet Draupadi
Draupadi
In the epic Mahābhārata, Draupadi, also known as ' is the "emerged" daughter of King Drupada of Panchāla and the wife of the five Pandavas. When Yudhisthira becomes the king of Hastinapura at the end of the war, Draupadi becomes the queen of Indraprastha...
(1920) by adopting compositions from classical Hindustani music. These compositions continue to be performed on stage and in Hindustani classical recitals. Several musicians, including Kumar Gandharva
Kumar Gandharva
Kumar Gandharva or Shivaputra Siddharamayya Komkallimath was a Hindustani classical singer, famous for his unique vocal style, refusal to be bound by the tradition of any gharana, and his innovative genius...
, Vasantrao Deshpande
Vasantrao Deshpande
Vasantrao Deshpande was a renowned Hindustani classical vocalist who was also a brilliant performer of Natya Sangeet. He had a unique style of singing which is still loved by many ardent fans.-Early life and background:...
, and Anand Bhate, have released recordings presenting their interpretations of Bal Gandharva
Bal Gandharva
Narayan Shripad Rajhans , better known as Bal Gandharva was one of the greatest Marathi singers and stage actors. He was famous for his roles of female characters in Marathi plays, since women were not allowed to act on stage during his time....
's renditions of these compositions. Bakhale taught and mentored Bal Gandharva from year 1906 until his own death, and also brought Ahmed Jan Thirakwa
Ahmed Jan Thirakwa
Ahmed Jan Thirakwa Khan was an Indian tabla player, commonly considered the preeminent soloist among tabla players of the 20th century, and among the most influential percussionists in the history of Indian classical music...
to Gandharva Natak Mandali as its tabla
Tabla
The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
maestro. In year 1911, Bakhale started Bharat Gayan Samaj, an institute to teach music in Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
; the institute had its centenary in year 2011.
Disciples
Disciples to receive Bakhale's full formal training were Bal GandharvaBal Gandharva
Narayan Shripad Rajhans , better known as Bal Gandharva was one of the greatest Marathi singers and stage actors. He was famous for his roles of female characters in Marathi plays, since women were not allowed to act on stage during his time....
, Tarabai Shirodkar, Bapurao Ketkar, and Master Krishnarao Phulambrikar; among these, Bal Gandharva received training specifically for stage songs (semi/light clasical) only and not for classical vocal. He also taught others including Dattatreya Bagalkotkar, Narahar Patankar, Gundopant Walawalkar, Ganapat Purohit, Harishchandra Bali, Bhai Lal Amritsari, and Dilip Chandra Vedi. He also taught Ganesh Ramachandra Behare, a disciple of Abdul Karim Khan, for one year. Govindrao Tembe, who was his close associate starting 1901, had no interest in career as a vocalist and, instead, adopted Bakhale's teachings for harmonium
Harmonium
A harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
playing. Bakhale taught Kesarbai Kerkar for 5 months in year 1914 and occasionally assisted Alladiya Khan in teaching her after she became Alladiya Khan's student in year 1921. He also taught Vilayat Hussein Khan
Vilayat Hussein Khan
Vilayat Hussain Khan was one of the greatest figures of Agra Gharana, who excelled both as singer and teacher. His father, Natthan Khan, was himself a legendary singer, and a noted guru. Vilayat Hussain Khan's elder brothers were also noted singers and taught him after their father's early death...
on a limited basis. Among these, Govindrao Tembe had a 50 year long career as a harmonium player, as a music composer for stage plays and films, as an author of 5 books and several articles on music and musicians, and as a member of the central audition board of All India Radio
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
. Bal Gandharva, Master Krishnarao, Vilayat Hussein Khan, and Kesarbai Kerkar had long careers as musicians and eventually became recipients of Padma Bhushan
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists. The award consists since 2003 of Rs. 50,000, a citation, an angavastram , and a tamrapatra...
instituted by the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
. Around year 1920, Tarabai, held in high regards by many including Kesarbai Kerkar, renounced singing and retired to private life at a young age of 30; starting 1946, she made a few live recordings for All India Radio
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
before passing away in 1949. Dilip Chandra Vedi became a disciple of Faiyaz Khan
Faiyaz Khan
Ustad Faiyaz Khan is so far the best known exponent of Agra Gharana in Hindustani classical music. He was the master khayal vocalist of his time. Born at Sikandara near Agra in 1886 , he was the son of Shabr Hussain, who died three months before his birth...
of Agra gharana
Agra gharana
Agra Gharana is a tradition of Hindustani Classical Vocal Music descended from the Nauhar Bani. So far, Nauhar Bani has been traced back to around 1300 AD, during the reign of Emperor Allauddin Khilji of Delhi....
after Bakhale's death and had a long career as a vocalist and as an instructor of music at Bharatiya Kala Kendra, New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
.
Legacy
Bakhale was one of the first vocalists to receive traditional training from multiple gharanaGharana
In Hindustani music, a gharānā is a system of social organization linking musicians or dancers by lineage or apprenticeship, and by adherence to a particular musical style. A gharana also indicates a comprehensive musicological ideology. This ideology sometimes changes substantially from one...
systems. Since the turn of the 17th century, Hindustani classical music had become a stronghold of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
musicians and Balakrishnabuwa Ichalkaranjikar
Balakrishnabuwa Ichalkaranjikar
Balakrishnabuwa Ichalkaranjikar was an Indian vocalist of khayal singing.-Early life and background:Balakrishnabuwa Ichalkaranjikar was born in Maharashtra....
(1840–1926) was one of the few Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
vocalists to earn fame at it in the 19th century. He toured and taught extensively in the states of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, Gujrat
Gujrat
Gujrat is a city in Pakistan. It is the capital of Gujrat District and the Gujrat Tehsil subdivision in the Punjab Province. People living in Gujrat refer to themselves as Gujratis, which sometimes leads to confusion with people from the Indian state of Gujarat which adjoins Pakistan...
, and Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
. The next generation of Hindu musicians from these states included Bakhale, Vishnu Digambar Paluskar
Vishnu Digambar Paluskar
Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar was a Hindustani musician. He sung the original version of the bhajan Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram.-Early life and background:...
, Ramakrishna Vaze, and Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande
Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande
Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande was an Indian musicologist who wrote the first modern treatise on Hindustani Classical Music , an art which had been propagated earlier for a few centuries mostly through oral traditions...
who did much to liberate the teaching and dissemination of classical music and to create an honorable social status for professional musicians. Unlike Paluskar and Bhatkhande, Bakhale introduced no radical reforms in the teaching methodology or in organizational aspects of this movement. However, his personal concerts, rapport with other musicians, and compositions for stage plays --- rendered popular by Bal Gandharva, Keshav Bhosale, Dinanath Mangeshkar
Dinanath Mangeshkar
Dinanath Mangeshkar was a well-known Marathi theatre actor, a renowned Natya Sangeet musician and an exceptional Hindustani classical vocalist....
, and others --- was a major factor in cultivating a taste for classical and semi-classical music in Marathi speaking population of India. B. R. Deodhar has observed that this contribution is one of the reasons why western India developed and remained as a major force in classical Indian music starting the turn of the 19th century. Bakhale was universally regarded an ideal and perfectly balanced vocalist but
his creative contribution to Hindustani classical music itself is suspect since he composed no new Raga
Raga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
and apparently introduced no major technical innovation either.
Bakhale has left no recorded legacy. Gramophone Company
Gramophone Company
The Gramophone Company, based in the United Kingdom, was one of the early recording companies, and was the parent organization for the famous "His Master's Voice" label...
had unsuccessfully arranged for two sets of his recordings in year 1911.
No trace of his style or musical approach exists today apart from what can be discerned from his semi-classical
Semi-classical music
In Pakistan, semi-classical music was derived from classical music combined with Pakistani film music and was specifically created for TV viewers. This generally refers to the music produced by Pakistan Television from 1964 to the late 1980s...
compositions for stage plays. His manuscript on all Hindustani classical compositions learnt by him, including the full repertoire of Faiz Mohammed Khan of Gwalior gharana
Gwalior gharana
The Gwalior Gharana is one of the oldest Khyal Gharanas. The rise of the Gwalior Gharana started with the reign of the great Mughal emperor Akbar...
, was in preparation at the time of his death. Shaila Datar, a musician married to his grandson Sudhir, has since completed this project and has released the book. Bharat Gayan Samaj, set up by Bakhale in Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
, organizes musical recitals in his memory and observes his anniversaries. Kalyan Gayan Samaj, set up in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
in year 1926 as a homage to Bakhale, is active in music circles and organizes a conference titled "Deva Gandharva Mahotsav" annually. Pracheen Kala Kendra in Chandigarh
Chandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
holds a conference titled "All India Bhaskar Rao Nritya and Sangeet Sammelan" annually. Pune University annually confers a Pt. Bhaskarbuwa Bakhale Award on the student standing first in its Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
program in the music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
discipline. Mumbai University annually confers a similar award on the student standing first in its Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
program in the music discipline.
External links
- http://audiofarm.org/audiofiles/6497 (audio files of Bal Gandharva, Kesarbai Kerkar, and Master Krishnarao Phulambrikar)
- http://web.me.com/wvdm/Meersahebs_noblog_on_music/Articles/Entries/2007/11/13_Dilip_Chandra_Vedi.html (audio files of Dilip Chandra Vedi)
- http://www.sawf.org/library/?d=page&parent=57&pid=sp181 (more audio files of Dilip Chandra Vedi)
- http://www.parrikar.org/raga-central/bhairavi-page2/ (audio file of Govindrao Tembe playing Bhairavi on harmonium)
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TOvh6Ec2H0 (video file of the musical Sangeet Swayamvar)
- http://courses.nus.edu.sg/course/ellpatke/Miscellany/bal%20gandharva.htm (list of Bal Gandharva's recordings)
- http://www.cs.washington.edu/homes/mausam/bakhle.html (V.H. Deshpande's article on Bakhale)
- http://www.pracheenkalakendra.org/activities_bhaskar.php
- http://www.punebharatgayansamaj.org/
- http://www.kalyangayansamaj.org/dmaboutus_eng.html
- http://www.bookganga.com/eBooks/Book/4951430475352089766.htm
- http://shailasudhirdatar.com/profile.html
- http://ulhaskashalkar.tripod.com/krishnar.htm
- http://www.parrikar.org/vpl/profiles/tembe_profile.pdf (V.H. Deshpande's obituary of Govindrao Tembe)