Dnyan Ganga - Gangubai
In Hindutsani music the term "Gharana" is very sacred. It is a continuous flow of abundant resource from each of its followers. The contributors give their 'fair' share to its already rich tradition. The flow emerges full every time, but it never "overflows"! "Kirana Gharana" was established by Ustad Abdul Waheed Khan and Ustad Karim Khan. Here the word 'established' is not proper in this context because Ustad Kareem Khan was touched by a supreme reverberation of emotions, which made him a monk to attain 'Mukti" under the guise of a musician. His experience with this truth made him a founder of a style of singing with bliss. He stretched the cycle of twelve Matras to a very slow tempo, which transformed the Raga into an ocean. In his youth stalwarts in Hindutsani Gayaki lived and made "Khyal" a medium of celestial expression.
Those were the days of the singers with strong voice with mastery over "Laya". A fight with the Tabla accompanist (of course in the playful music) was always there in the performance. The Gharanas like Agra and Gwalior had a total impact of Dhrupad style in their repertoire. Ustad was given the seat of a court singer in Baroda by the Maharaj. At that time he equaled the style of powerful voice and the competitive spirit with other masters was always present in his music.
Once in the royal court he heard the great “Bhoo Gandharv” Rahimat Khan. His humble approach and the deepest presentation of the Raga made a lasting effect on the emotional temperament of the Ustad.
This was the moment when his style changed entirely and he devoted himself to a blissful and very sonorous Gayan. He tried to see God through his Swaras. This moment was supreme for his life and for his creation afterwards. This moment proved to be a seed that emerged as Gayaki with ‘never before’ qualities.
Soon the music lovers began running after him at the venue of his performance. His 'new' style proved to be the foundation of a new stream. Later, it reached the hearts of Sawai Gandharv (the Guru of Dr. Gangubai), Hirabai Badodekar, Sureshbabu Mane and many others. The resourceful qualities of all these greats established the strong foundation of “Kirana Gharana”. (Kirana is the name of the town where Ustad was born). Sawai Gandharv was a great Guru. He followed the Ustad in true spirit. With his own unique way he taught Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Pt. Firoz Dastur and Dr. Gangubai Hangal.
The Ragas taught were Todi in the morning, Multani in late afternoon and in the evening it was Puriya. This continued for one year. (Yes, only one Raga was taught for one year or more in those days!) Akka (as she was called by many) continued her learning from him since 1935. Before that she was musically groomed by her mother and then from Krishnammachr. She once sang before ustad Abdul Karim Khan also. She gave her initial performances in 1931 in Mumbai.
HMV recorded her in 32. The first AIR broadcast was in 35. Those were not the days of women liberation. She was to be accompanied by some elders to the Guru’s house. She could not travel to see the Guru’s performance away from Kundgol (the native place of the Guru).Pt. Bhimsenji or Ramdurg Venkanna used to accompany him on Tanpura. In the later period Gangubai began traveling with Guru and had the first hand experience of the concerts of him. It is very important for a Shishya to sit before the Guru to learn as well as to see him perform before the audiences. This experience taught her a lot.
Akka was a very simple lady. She never complained about any inconveniences in her life. She was humble, modest but proud of her tradition. She saw many ups and downs, had very discouraging moments, but she was never wavered from music. She always saw her own life from a distance. This insight towards life was given to her by the gift of music in her soul. She sang many Ragas like Puriya, Todi, Multani, Darbari, Malkans, Abhogi, Devgiri Bilawal, Marubihag, Yaman-Kalyan, Basant, Kedar and many more in her broadcasts and in her concerts. The essence of Kirana Gharana was always potent in her repertoire. She loved all.
She loved all upcoming singers who decorated themselves between two Tanpuras. Her contribution towards classical music was immense. The Sawai Gandharv music festival in Kundgol proved to be a place of worship for the beginners as well as for the established artistes. She was a nymph who held high a torch of knowledge and showed a path of a great tradition of unfathomable music of India.
