Where the sur, tala and laya meet, the jugalbandi of classical ragas wins the heart of Puneites. In spite of the change in their style of living, Punekars have not given up on their love for classical music.
Where the sur, tala and laya meet, the jugalbandi of classical ragas wins the heart of Puneites. In spite of the change in their style of living, Punekars have not given up on their love for classical music.
Even after 57 years, the annual Sawai Gandharva Musical Festival still has people lined up at night to get the first tickets. When the young singers stole the show on the fest’s first day this year, it proved that GenNext want to stay rooted to their traditions and preserve the heritage of their gharanas.
The city music schools are promoting classical music among Puneites by welcoming all those who desire and want to pursue music as their career or as a hobby. One such school that has been training people in music since 1932 is the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya in Shaniwar Peth.
The Pune school was started by Pandit Vinayakrao Patwardhan, a disciple of Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, whose vision was to take music to common people. “The institution still follows his ideology and welcomes all those who wish to learn. A few years ago, a cobbler, who would run his business near Prabhat Theatre was our student,” said Gandharva Mahavidyalaya’s principal, Pramod Marathe, who is also the grandson of Patwardhan.
People from all professions can be seen doing riyaz here every morning. Pradeep Patole, a rickshaw driver, didn’t have money and was never encouraged to pursue his hobby. But at the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Patole is living his dream.
“I used to sing at functions in my village without music. This school has given me a platform to sharpen my talent. I want to become a singer now,” said Patole, whose classmates include a 32-year-old event manager, a 40-year-old businessman and a 24-year-old software engineer.
Patole’s oldest classmate is a 73-year-old cost accountant, RS Raghavan, whose love for classical music drives him to attend harmonium classes every Sunday morning. Vinay Chitrav, who teaches harmonium and vocal music, said, “We do not see from which backgrounds these students come. Personal attention is
given to all.”
Age is no bar at this music school which has weekend classes for working people and schoolchildren. “I have to pay heed to a five-year-old student to a 75-year-old man,” said Marathe, adding, “We would also be starting two new branches in Phaltan and Baramati.”
Youngsters such as nine-year-old Nidhi Pokharna and her 13-year-old sister Jigyasa, seen deep in riyaz, reiterate the fact that music is just not all about rock, pop and jazz for today’s youth.
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