Mogubai Kurdikar
Encyclopedia
Mogubai Kurdikar (July 15, 1904 – February 10, 2001) was a renowned Hindustani classical music
vocalist of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana
.
community in the village of Kurdi
in the then Portuguese Goa
. When she was ten years old, her mother, Jayashreebāi, took her to the temple at Zambavli, and arranged for a wandering holyman to teach music to Mogu for a while. Later she took Mogu to a traveling theater company, the Chandreshwar Bhootnāth Sangeet Mandali, and the company took Mogu in as an actress.
While Mogu was with Chandreshwar Bhootnath Mandali, her mother died. A legend says that on her deathbed the mother told Mogu that her soul would not rest in peace until Mogu became a famous singer. The theater company soon went bankrupt, and the rival Sātārkar Stree Sangeet Mandali hired Mogu. She played commendably the parts such as of Kinkini in the play, Punyaprabhāv, and of the heroine Subhadrā in the play with the same name, Subhadrā. A conflict arose, however, between Mogu and one of the senior women in the theater company, who then expelled Mogu from the company. Mogu moved to Sāngli
, and took some music lessons from Ināyat Khān of the Rāmpur-Sahaswan gharānā
. For some reason, however, he too soon decided to terminate giving her further lessons.
for medical treatment, and on his way to and from his doctor's, he walked by Mogu's residence, where he would hear her practice what she had learnt from Inayat Khan
. One day he stopped, introduced himself and offered to teach her. Young Mogu of course agreed, but despite Alladiya's fame, she had not heard of him – it was not until some time later, when she observed dignitaries bow down to him, that she fully realised his standing.
After some eighteen months, Alladiya Khan moved to Bombay (now Mumbai
) , and Mogu followed. Thus begun a time of intrigue in Bombay's high-society and classical music circles.
For Alladiya was supported in Bombay by wealthy patrons in exchange for music teaching, and they would not let him take other students. In desperation, Mogu turned to Bashir Khan of the Agra gharana
, who agreed to teach her if she would perform the formal gandha-bandan (thread-tying) ceremony of guru-shishya discipleship with fellow Agra ustad Vilayat Hussein Khan
. This came to happen, and Alladiya heard of it. He demanded that she stop the discipleship and instead go to his brother, Hyder Khan. But as the Agra ustads had a lot of clout, Mogu hesitated, and solicited a promise that Alladiya would teach her himself in the future if Hyder ever failed to do so. A deal was worked out, Hyder taught her for a while, but Alladiya's rich and powerful students were putting a lot of pressure on him to put a stop to it, increasingly jealous of her progress. About 1930, Alladiya felt forced to persuade his brother to stop teaching and leave town, but came clean to the heartbroken Mogu about what had happened, essentially breaking his promise.
At this stage in her career, Mogu could likely have supported herself as a performer. But she chose not to. Not content with the prospect of being just another name on the scene, she wanted to become the best, the foremost representative of a tradition (as she has observed in Alladiya Khan). She gave birth to a daughter, Kishori
, and kept practicing on her own, until one day Alladiya came back to her. They performed the gandha-bandan, and he now kept teaching her to the end of his life. She became one of the topmost singers in North India, even hailed as "the queen" by Alladiya in public. She received the Sangeet Natak Akademi
Award in 1968 and the Sangeet Research Academy Award in 1980, and was decorated with the Padma Bhushan
, India's third highest civilian honour for service to the nation, in 1974.
, Kamal Tambe, Wamanrao Deshpande, Suhasini Mulgaonkar, Babanrao Haldankar
, Arun Dravid
, and her own daughter, Kishori Amonkar
(in a rare instance both daughter and mother have been honored with the Padma Bhushan award for their musical contributions.) Some of Mogubai's recordings have been reissued as a volume of RPG Music's Vintage 78 RPM Recordings on CD series (CDNF150596).
This was at a time when it was difficult for classical musicians, in however high esteem, to support themselves. The subcontinent's many royal courts had supported the music for centuries, but there was no large middle class and no widespread public appreciation; now the courts were on the remove, and the budding recording industry did not have anything like today's large commercial base.
Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...
vocalist of the 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...
.
Early years and background
Mogu Kurdikar was born in a Gomantak Maratha SamajGomantak Maratha Samaj
Gomantak Maratha Samaj is a Konkani speaking community found in Indian state of Goa.They are known as Naik Maratha Samaj and Nutan Maratha Samaj Karwar in Karnataka and Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra respectively.-Origin:...
community in the village of Kurdi
Curdi
Kurdi or Curdi is a census town in Sanguem taluka, South Goa district in the state of Goa, IndiaCurdi is also coincidentally the Italian word for the Kurds -References:...
in the then Portuguese Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
. When she was ten years old, her mother, Jayashreebāi, took her to the temple at Zambavli, and arranged for a wandering holyman to teach music to Mogu for a while. Later she took Mogu to a traveling theater company, the Chandreshwar Bhootnāth Sangeet Mandali, and the company took Mogu in as an actress.
While Mogu was with Chandreshwar Bhootnath Mandali, her mother died. A legend says that on her deathbed the mother told Mogu that her soul would not rest in peace until Mogu became a famous singer. The theater company soon went bankrupt, and the rival Sātārkar Stree Sangeet Mandali hired Mogu. She played commendably the parts such as of Kinkini in the play, Punyaprabhāv, and of the heroine Subhadrā in the play with the same name, Subhadrā. A conflict arose, however, between Mogu and one of the senior women in the theater company, who then expelled Mogu from the company. Mogu moved to Sāngli
Sangli
Sangli is a city in the state of Maharashtra of India. Sangli is known as the Turmeric city for its vast production of Turmeric. Sangli is situated on the banks of river Krishna and is the largest market place for Turmeric in Asia and houses many sugar factories, which it is also noted for...
, and took some music lessons from Ināyat Khān of the Rāmpur-Sahaswan gharānā
Rampur-Sahaswan gharana
Rampur-Sahaswan gharana is a gharana of Hindustani classical music centered in the North-Uttar Pradesh towns of Rampur and Sahaswan...
. For some reason, however, he too soon decided to terminate giving her further lessons.
Alladiya Khan and the power struggle in Bombay
At this time, vocalist legend Gaansamrat Alladiya Khan Saheb was in SangliSangli
Sangli is a city in the state of Maharashtra of India. Sangli is known as the Turmeric city for its vast production of Turmeric. Sangli is situated on the banks of river Krishna and is the largest market place for Turmeric in Asia and houses many sugar factories, which it is also noted for...
for medical treatment, and on his way to and from his doctor's, he walked by Mogu's residence, where he would hear her practice what she had learnt from Inayat Khan
Inayat Khan
Inayat Khan was an exemplar of Universal Sufism and founder of the "Sufi Order in the West" in 1914 . Later, in 1923, the Sufi Order of the London period was dissolved into a new organization formed under Swiss law and called the "International Sufi Movement"...
. One day he stopped, introduced himself and offered to teach her. Young Mogu of course agreed, but despite Alladiya's fame, she had not heard of him – it was not until some time later, when she observed dignitaries bow down to him, that she fully realised his standing.
After some eighteen months, Alladiya Khan moved to Bombay (now 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 Mogu followed. Thus begun a time of intrigue in Bombay's high-society and classical music circles.
For Alladiya was supported in Bombay by wealthy patrons in exchange for music teaching, and they would not let him take other students. In desperation, Mogu turned to Bashir Khan of the 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....
, who agreed to teach her if she would perform the formal gandha-bandan (thread-tying) ceremony of guru-shishya discipleship with fellow Agra ustad 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 came to happen, and Alladiya heard of it. He demanded that she stop the discipleship and instead go to his brother, Hyder Khan. But as the Agra ustads had a lot of clout, Mogu hesitated, and solicited a promise that Alladiya would teach her himself in the future if Hyder ever failed to do so. A deal was worked out, Hyder taught her for a while, but Alladiya's rich and powerful students were putting a lot of pressure on him to put a stop to it, increasingly jealous of her progress. About 1930, Alladiya felt forced to persuade his brother to stop teaching and leave town, but came clean to the heartbroken Mogu about what had happened, essentially breaking his promise.
At this stage in her career, Mogu could likely have supported herself as a performer. But she chose not to. Not content with the prospect of being just another name on the scene, she wanted to become the best, the foremost representative of a tradition (as she has observed in Alladiya Khan). She gave birth to a daughter, Kishori
Kishori Amonkar
Kishori AmonkarN- is an Indian singer who performs in the classical genre khyal and the light classical genres thumri and bhajan. Amonkar trained under her mother, classical singer Mogubai Kurdikar of the Jaipur gharana , but experimented with a variety of vocal styles in her career...
, and kept practicing on her own, until one day Alladiya came back to her. They performed the gandha-bandan, and he now kept teaching her to the end of his life. She became one of the topmost singers in North India, even hailed as "the queen" by Alladiya in public. She received the Sangeet Natak Akademi
Sangeet Natak Akademi
Sangeet Natak Akademi is the national level academy for performing arts set up by the Government of India.-History:...
Award in 1968 and the Sangeet Research Academy Award in 1980, and was decorated with the 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:...
, India's third highest civilian honour for service to the nation, in 1974.
Legacy
Mogubai trained students such as Kaushalya Manjeshwar, Padma TalwalkarPadma Talwalkar
Padma Talwalkar is an Indian classical vocalist.-Early life:Padma Talwalkar was born in Mumbai, India. She received training in Khyal gayaki in three main styles or gharanas: Gwalior, Kirana and Jaipur....
, Kamal Tambe, Wamanrao Deshpande, Suhasini Mulgaonkar, Babanrao Haldankar
Babanrao Haldankar
Babanrao Haldankar is the son of Sawlaram Haldankar and an Indian classical singer, composer, and music teacher. He has won awards and is an Adjunct Professor of Indian Music at the University of Mumbai.-References:...
, Arun Dravid
Arun Dravid
Arun Dravid is a Hindustani Classical Music singer of the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana tradition. He is also a technocrat with a high profile professional career.-Early life and background:...
, and her own daughter, Kishori Amonkar
Kishori Amonkar
Kishori AmonkarN- is an Indian singer who performs in the classical genre khyal and the light classical genres thumri and bhajan. Amonkar trained under her mother, classical singer Mogubai Kurdikar of the Jaipur gharana , but experimented with a variety of vocal styles in her career...
(in a rare instance both daughter and mother have been honored with the Padma Bhushan award for their musical contributions.) Some of Mogubai's recordings have been reissued as a volume of RPG Music's Vintage 78 RPM Recordings on CD series (CDNF150596).
Footnotes
Gopalkrishna Bhobe: Kalaatm Gomantak ("Talented Goa")This was at a time when it was difficult for classical musicians, in however high esteem, to support themselves. The subcontinent's many royal courts had supported the music for centuries, but there was no large middle class and no widespread public appreciation; now the courts were on the remove, and the budding recording industry did not have anything like today's large commercial base.