Gurus and Gharana
Gurus Agra and Jaipur Gharana
Kavita Kharwandikar
Kavita Tai represents Agra and Jaipur traditions of Hindustani (North Indian) classical vocal music. She initially took training under the guidance of Pt. Pimpalkhare of Kirana gharana. Then from Vid. Manik Bhide, who was a direct disciple of Smt. Mogubai Kurdikar, a Jaipur gharana stalwart. Later, she continued training with another Jaipur gharana stalwart and Thumri virtuoso Dr. Alka Deo-Marulkar.
Later, for over two decades she studied the vast repertoire and nuances of Agra gharana under the profound tutelage of maestro Late Pt. Shrikrishna Haldankar.
She holds Master’s degree in Indian classical music from SNDT University, Pune. She performs regularly at All India Radio and had the honour of presenting the National Concert.
Kavita Tai is equally proficient in semi-classical and light music. She has sung as a playback artist for Marathi films Bayo and Astu. She has performed across India and abroad. Apart from teaching, she regularly gives lecture-demonstrations on Music of Agra tradition.
Kavita Tai is a recipient of many prestigious awards such as Pt. Pannalal Ghosh award, Vidushi Manik Varma Award, Vrundawan Classical Music Award, etc. to name a few. Her album Rare Ragas of Agra Gharana is released by Alurkar Music House, Pune.
शरण जात, झडत अहंकार, नादब्रह्म साकार, रस जान||
Pt. Shrikrishna Haldankar
Fondly known as Babanrao Haldankar amongst classical music fraternity, Pt. Shrikrishna Haldankar holds a place of great respect for his scholarly, multifaceted musicianship.
A renowned vocalist, researcher, and teacher who excelled at the Jaipur-Atrauli and Agra traditions of North Indian Classical vocal music.
A chemical engineer by profession, Pt. Haldankar, his true calling, however, was music. After excelling in his profession in chemical industry, he started working as an adjunct professor of Indian music at the University of Mumbai. Subsequently, he spent about a decade in Goa as the director of music at the state-run Kala Academy.
Pt. Haldankar was trained in the Jaipur-Atrauli style of music by Mogubai Kurdikar, mother of veteran vocalist, Kishori Amonkar, for five years, starting in 1950. In 1959, at the age of 32, he sought tutelage under prominent vocalist Ustad Khadim Hussein Khan, alias Sajan Priya, of the Agra gharana. Pt. Haldankar studied the rich repertoire of Agra gharana with the Ustad for over 20 years. He also received training under Ustad Anwar Hussein, the younger brother of Ustad Khadim Hussein Khan and Agra gharana vocalist, who composed bandishes (fixed, melodic compositions) under the pen name Rasarang. Haldankar himself composed many bandishes under the pen name Rasapriya.
Pt. Haldankar also pursued research in the field of Hindustani music. He authored many books in Hindi, Marathi, and English, prominent among which are a Marathi book titled ‘Julu Pahnare Don Tambore’ (Aesthetics of Agra and Jaipur Traditions), which won accolades including the Maharashtra State Government Award, and Raagon Ka Pramanikaran (The Standardisation of Raga), which was published by the Kala Academy, Goa, in 1991.
Pt. Haldankar performed mainly in private settings that demanded more than a peripheral knowledge of music from the listeners. He trained numerous students, prominent ones being Kavita Kharwandikar, Dr. Pournima Dhumale, Pt. Arun Kashalkar, Vid. Shubhada Paradkar to name a few.
Pt. Haldankar won may awards and earned recognition from prestigious institutions like Sangeet Natak Academy as an honour to his profound contribution to Indian Classical Music.
