We give below an excellent article written by Gajananbuwa's disciple Dr Ashok Ranade. Dr Ashok was a polymath: musicologist, scholar, researcher, author, music composer, classical vocalist, teacher and essayist. Bijubhai as we used to address him started learning music from his Guru Gajananbuwa at a tender age of ten. According to Biju's own admission Buwa treated him as his son. Despite being so close to Buwa Biju's article is objective and explains succinctly Buwa as a vocalist,a violinist and a Guru.The article appeared in the annual magazine 'RIYAZ' published by the Shivanand Sangeet Pratishtan'.
-- Dattaji and Bacchubhai.
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We give below some relevant, interesting and revealing comments made by Gajananbuwa’s noted disciple Padmashree Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar. These comments give some insight in Gajananbuwa’s Gayaki. The comments are extracted from an article written by Meena Banerjee of Kolkata. The original article appeared in Gajananbuwa’s Birth Centenary issue of the Magazine ‘Riyaz’ published by Swami Shivanand Pratishtan of Dombivali near Mumbai, India.
- Dattaji and Bacchubhai.
Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar says
As a Guru, Gajananbuwa was peerless. He demanded total dedication to one’s art and despised any sort of compromise. Just as learning was his mission, dissemination of the acquired wealth of knowledge also was another mission of his life.”
“Though he tasted his first success as a violinist, Guruji held vocalism above instrument playing.
There came a phase when, much late in his life, he had stopped giving violin recitals. After a long gap on persistent request by organisers he agreed to play; but only on one condition: he should be given a fortnight’s time to prepare for the recital. He went back to his rigorous playing practice sessions and gave a wonderful performance!
But his smooth success as a violinist never deterred him from pursuing vocal music. Guruji diligently performed daily riyaaz of the elementary Sa-Re-Ga-Ma- till his last days. His was an exemplary life.”
Referring to Buwa’s voice, Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar says
“It is true he did not have a great voice - the kind that wins a listener straight away; he did not have the honeyed voice like Pandit D V Paluskar or Pandit Kumar Gandharva, but despite its rather crusty timber it was very Sureela and extremely tuneful. With relentless riyaz he infused such resonance and taasir (emotive appeal) that his singing attracted everyone. I went to train with him in 1975; he was in his mid60s then but even at that age he did his riyaz religiously.”
Talking about Buwa’s Gayaki, Ulhasji says
“His alap was neither very slow nor played with selected few notes for step by step elaboration like badhat of Kirana Gharana. Following the Gwalior tradition he would simply reveal the raga without much ado and adhere to its undiluted pure structure. Even in heavy ragas like Darbari he would use the full canvas of the raga right from the word go with movements that were layabaddha. Melody and Rhythm remained well knit throughout. Arrival at sam after small phrases added to the thrill. He rarely sought the help of the tihais though while playing violin he liked to do so. Sargams did not feature in his singing at all but while teaching he would expertly sing sargams to explain the note combinations of fast running tans for the benefit of his disciples to follow the patterns easily. Since he acquired raga-vidya from several gharanas and since gharna’s novel characteristics come to the fore by remaining focused only on some of the khyal-angas, he assembled each of these to highlight all the ashta-angas (eight elements) of khyal vocalism in his gayaki with superb ingenuity.”
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We give below some relevant, interesting and revealing comments made by Gajananbuwa’s noted disciple Padmashree Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar. These comments give some insight in Gajananbuwa’s Gayaki. The comments are extracted from an article written by Meena Banerjee of Kolkata. The original article appeared in Gajananbuwa’s Birth Centenary issue of the Magazine ‘Riyaz’ published by Swami Shivanand Pratishtan of Dombivali near Mumbai, India.
- Dattaji and Bacchubhai.
As a Guru, Gajananbuwa was peerless. He demanded total dedication to one’s art and despised any sort of compromise. Just as learning was his mission, dissemination of the acquired wealth of knowledge also was another mission of his life.”
“Though he tasted his first success as a violinist, Guruji held vocalism above instrument playing.
There came a phase when, much late in his life, he had stopped giving violin recitals. After a long gap on persistent request by organisers he agreed to play; but only on one condition: he should be given a fortnight’s time to prepare for the recital. He went back to his rigorous playing practice sessions and gave a wonderful performance!
But his smooth success as a violinist never deterred him from pursuing vocal music. Guruji diligently performed daily riyaaz of the elementary Sa-Re-Ga-Ma- till his last days. His was an exemplary life.”
Original Photo from Riyaz- The annual Magazine published by Shivanand Swami Sangeet Pratishthan
Photo- Painting by Dattaji.
>>Gajananbuwa Teaches his disciples
Some of Buwa's noted disciples