The Legacy of Gangubai Hangal

Home , Gangubai Hangal, Hirabai Barodekar, Kundgol, Sawai Gandharva, Shankara (raga)

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ISSN No. 2349-4654 ŸÊŒ - ŸÃ¸Ÿ ¡Ÿ¸‹ •ÊÚ»§ «UÊ¥‚ ∞á«U êÿÍÁ¡∑§ ﬂ·¸ — v, •¥∑§ — v, Ÿﬂê’⁄U wÆvy The legacy of Gangubai Hangal

Afshana Shafi Research Scholar, Department of Music, Abstract M.D.University Rohtak, Haryana

A Study of Gangubai Hangal and her music can never be two separate things. Gangubai Hangal was legend of Indian classical music. She was very very much a child of her life even as she stood to alter the course history. While learning Music she went through many problems, Past was not something dead and gone, but something that was living and that which continued to live in her as did people. Who shaped her life and the values they represented. Drawing from it constantly, she invigorated her present. As a student of vocal music, I have always been of the review that the vocalists have always deep impression over the history of music in any region . It is the matter of great satisfaction and pride that the region of the Indian subcontinent has witnessed many permutation and combination with regard to vocal music. From the very outside of the history of our music we find that our vocalists showed a keen desire to promote and preserve the vocal faculties of our music. As for as my research article is concerned I have always been interest in this research on the biography of Gangubai Hangal and I thought this topic is very relevant and connected with aspiration, and as well as expectation of all persons who wants to know more and more knowledge about the Dr Gangubai Hangal and also who likes to be in pursuance of a career in the field of vocal music. Dr Gangubai Hangal carried deep reverence for the knowledge that was passed on by the guru .Gangubai Hangal never found the need to introduce any frills in her music. She sang the truth, as it appeared to her, and that was Gangubai’s virtuosity Research Paper

Before we start to write the early life on els for us music students, used to be Smt. Hirabai “Gangubai Hangal” I prefer to first mention the role Barodekar, Gangubai Hangal, and Roshanara of women in ancient India. Because “Gangubai Begum. No. Conference was complete without Hangal” was also the part of it who suffered lot in them; their broadcasts were never missed, and her life for achieving the goal as a musician. their gramophone records were our proud posses- In ancient India women’s life story has been said sions. Hirabai (her sister Saraswati Rane), and in these words “Abla Jeevan Hay : Tumhari Yahi Gangubai were frequent performers in Lucknow. Kahani, Anchal Main Hai Doodh Aur Ankho Main Gangubai was at the peak of fame music lovers, Pani[1] (OH : Women this is your life story, there used to crowd to hear her powerful music. Her voice is milk in your pallo and water in your eyes). In has lost all its vigour, and lustre and has become this regard also there is same difference between extremely limited in range, she continues to per- the life of women belonging to the higher strata of form in AIR, TV, SPIC MACAY programmes and so society and who are educated, but women who are on, with the substantial vocal support of her well burning in the fire of poverty go through horrible trained daughter and disciple of Late. Krishna experiences which are beyond our imaginations. Hangal. In this matter, she has been totally different from other women singers of our times such They suffer due to the deep-rooted traditions. as Late Anjanibai Malpekar, Late Surasri Kesarbai There was a time when the three top women vo- Kerkar, Late Hirabai Barodekar, and Moghubai calists in Hindustani classicial music, role-mod- Kurdikar all of whom gave up singing in public as

Naad - Nartan Journal of Dance & Music Volume 1, Number 1 November 2014 156 Email : [email protected] ukn&urZu tuZy vkWQ Mkal ,.M E;wftd o"kZ&1] vad&1] uoEcj 2014 The legacy of Gangubai Hangal / Afshana Shafi ISSN No. 2349-4654 soon age as caused deterioration in their beauti- corner for hours,quite alone, just practising. Some- fully and rigorously polished voices. time she would start crying out of frustration, but Guruji never gave up,such was his bhakti. She Music lovers and critics have always extolled the believes in the gradual development and unfolding musical fertility of the Karnataka region which has of the raga, an exposition so delicate that the lis- produced an unending series of Hindusatani and tener should wait eagerly for next phrase. Her Karnatic maestros. In his article entitled The Fa- Guruji taught them to use surs (tones) like a mous Five, Mr. Neelkant wrote : “No region in the miser parting his money a graceful, subtle move- country has nursed both the Hindustani and ment so that the listener understood the impor- Karnatic systems of Indian Classicial Music as tance of the placement of each note of the raga. much as Karnataka. The Tungabhadra river is the She believes that listening is also an art , and that greatest cultural divide; north of it are districts a discerning audience draws out the best from an where Hindustani music found full expression. artiste. After a few years of training, she began to South of it has been essentially the homeland of give small programmes around Hubli and Dharwad. Karnatic music with peripheral influence of When she was 20 or 21, HMV cut her first disc in Hindustani music.”[2] Hindustani music, while her mother recorded a Gangubai was exposed to both and received train- disc in Karnatic music.Gangubai’s stage debut took ing in both, though she opted for Hindustani mu- place in Bombay, at the Bombay music circle, where sic and became an outstanding exponent. she was heard by several eminent musicians. Gangubai hangal was the doyen of the kirana Mother Ambabai chaperoned her everywhere and kirana gharana and was one of the senior most was a great source of encouragement to her. She performing artistes in the world. Gangubai was is known to let herself drift in the melody of raga born in Hubli in 1913 (hence she was initially she renders. She believes that music helped her 3 known as Hublikar) into a family of Karnatic mu- have a communion with God.[ ] sicians. She was a vocalist and exponent of the Gangubai belonged to the ‘Gangamati’ caste whose kirana gharana. Her mother and grandmother menfolk have been mostly fishermen by occupa- were classical Karnatic vocalists. Therefore, she tion. Ganga seems to have been a popular name received swargyan and lessons in Karnatic music in that community. She was named after her great from her mother from early childhood. But living grandmother Gangwa. Men often took two wives, in Hubli, she was also exposed to Hindustani mu- the second one being from such lower castes. sic. Near their home lived a gramophone records Though the children from such unions were not dealer named Tahmankar who used to play looked upon as outcastes, the merciless part was Hindustani music for little Gangubai, and she used that the fathers were expected to pay only part of to reproduce the songs for him. He told her mother the expenses for their upbringing while the unfor- that she should be trained in Hindustani Music. tunate mothers had to go on earning their living At the age of 12, her training in Hindustani vocal by singing and dancing. Gangubai’s great great music was started under Krishnacharya Hulgur a grandmother Gangwa was thus married to a Brah- vocalist and also a been and sitar player. min working in the army of the Peshwas of Pune. Later on, when Sawai Gandharva began to visit She had trained her son Ramanna’s three daugh- Hubli every now and then, Gangubai became his ters and daughter Chandrakka’s only daughter in ‘gandabandh shishya.’ She learnt her music under Karnatic music. Gangubai’s mother Ambabai was the tutelage of Sawai Gandharwa. The most impor- Chandrakka’s grand-daughter. She grew up into a tant influencewas her Guru, the late Sawai good looking girl and she was so well trained in Gandharva. He would teach them one phrase or Karnatic music that she began to give public per- palta and not go to the next umtil they had mas- formances and earn her livelihood even after she tered it. There were times when she would sit in a became the second wife of Chikurao Nadgu. ukn&urZu tuZy vkWQ Mkal ,.M E;wftd 157 o"kZ&1] vad&1] uoEcj 2014 The legacy of Gangubai Hangal / Afshana Shafi ISSN No. 2349-4654

Ambabai’s first guru was one Shyamacharya and Rambhau Kundgolkar (Sawai Gandharva) and per- her next teacher was a Karnatic vocalist-cum-vio- suaded the famous performer, actor and guru to linist Imam Shah who began to live in his shishya’s accept the frail looking girl as his shishya. He house to teach her, like a family member. agreed and put her under a prolonged and rigorous Ambabai’s brother krishnappa who was a clerk in training in voice exercises, Kharaj Bharna, sargam the Dharwar municipality often accompanied them paltas, tan paltas etc. All of which were meant to on the tabla. Though they were all practising make her voice firm, strong and supple. Rambhau Karnatic music, the great influence of Hindustani seems to have followed different patterns in train- music pervaded the entire north Karnataka region ing his disciples. The first song he taught her was due to its proximity to Maharashtra. Therefore, “the the popular khayal in Yaman - Guru Bina Kaise Gun Mecca of Dharwar musician was not Mysore or Ban- Gaoon. By now Ambabai had become so engrossed galore but Pune and Mumbai.”[4] in her daughter’s training that she gave up her own singing-career. [5] Two maestros of the Hindustani classical music who left a deep impression on her were ‘Hirabai In 1929, when Gangubai was just 15, she was mar- Barodekar’ who was just nine years older than her, ried as per the customs of their caste, to one and had begun to give concerts from the age of 18, Gurunath Kowlagi - “a Brahmin by birth, a lawyer and the other was none other than Hirabai’s fa- by profession and a music lover or rasika by dispo- ther ‘Ustad Abdul Karim Khan’. Naturally, Kirana sition.” Since Gangubai belonged to a lower caste was Gangubai’s favourite gharana and therefore, and was a professional singer, a tabla and tanpura Abdul karim Khan’s leading disciple ‘Sawai were kept in the wedding vedi. After marriage, she Gandharva’ was the ideal guru for her. Being an was not invited to live in her husband’s home but only child, Gangubai was sent to school only at the had to continue to live with her mother and also age of seven. In this Swadeshi school of Dharwar, continue to earn her livelihood by singing. Three she learnt Hindi from class-three and a bit of En- years later, when Gangubai was just 18 and ex- glish in class-five. The teachers were proud of little pecting her first child, her most loving mother sud- girls who could sing well, and they made her sing denly died of a stomach tumour at the young age of patriotic songs whenever dignitaries visited the 35. It is said that though Ambabai was only the school. When she was just 10, she was sent by the second wife of Chikurao the latter was deeply de- school to the Belgaum session of the ‘Indian Na- voted to her. He was so shattered by her death, that tional Congress in 1924’ where she sang before he too followed her a year later. For quite some- Bapuji, Pt. Nehru, the Ali Brothers and many other time, Gangubai lost all her interest in music be- political leaders. In spite of these little moments cause of her overwhelming grief. Gradually her of glory, young Gangubai was forced to endure many uncle ‘Ramanna’ and family friend ‘Dattopant humiliating experiences due to the stigma of her Desai’ managed to rekindle her interest in music lower caste birth. For instance, whenever she was and persuade her to resume her riyaz. In those invited to have meals in the homes of upper caste days an engineer from a British recording com- friends, Gangubai was served her meals seperately, pany used to come to India annually to record songs in the verandah. by up-and-coming artistes. Six discs of Gangubai were recorded which included ragas like Puriya, Her schooling ended with class-five because Shankara, Miyan Ki Malhar and Jogia. the record- Ambabai shifted to Hubli so that her talented ing company paid them no fees; it was just a mat- daughter could learn music from ‘Krishnamacharya ter of prestige for the singers who were paid for Hudgur’, a pupil of ‘Ustad Abdul Karim Khan.’ He their travel, boarding, lodging. Gangubai was es- charged no fees from her and taught her nearly 50 corted everywhere by her uncle Ramanna. For her songs. Now Ambabai wanted her to learn how to next set of records (12 songs), she was paid Rs. 400. elaborate ragas and bandishes. It was a close fam- Up to now her training under Sawai Gandharva had ily friend friend ‘Dattopant Desai’ who took her to 158 ukn&urZu tuZy vkWQ Mkal ,.M E;wftd o"kZ&1] vad&1] uoEcj 2014 The legacy of Gangubai Hangal / Afshana Shafi ISSN No. 2349-4654 been sporadic. Her real and continuous training ing her, but she dared not ask him. started in 1937, when Sawai Gandharva finally Gangubai got her first chance to broadcast when settled down in his home in Kundgol. Everyday the Hirabai was unable to fulfil one of her contracts. frail young shishya escorted by her uncle, had to Musicians had to broadcast morning, evening and commute from Hubli to Kundgol, walking long dis- night ragas. Gangubai did not have an adequate tances each way. Women musicians often mocked stock of ragas and Bandishes so she picked up a her and made sarcastic remarks about her long few from other sources, to fulfill the contracts. Since daily trudging on foot, to learn music from a guru Kundgol had neither electricity nor radio in those living so far away. Basking under her uncle’s guard- times, Gangubai felt safe in the thought that her ianship, and steadfast in her goal, she continued guru would not be able to hear her broadcast. But her long daily treks and intensives lessons and somehow he managed to listen, and when he heard riyaz, and made fine progress. 6 [ ] her singing ragas and bandishes picked up from There was a major annual sangeet sammelan spon- other sources, he felt furious and scolded her sored by the HMV Gramophone Company in which harshly. But one good result was that he began to the concluding recital was by the famous and beau- teach her more ragas and songs. [7] tiful singer-cum-dancer Menakabai Shirodkar With Sawai Gandharva’s blessings, she began to (mother of Shobha Gurtu). The conference was in get many concerts in Benares, Allahabad, Calcutta Goregaon and the last session ended at 2 a.m. The etc. In 1938, she arrieved in Calcutta along with audience suggested that younger musicians be the famous Jaddanbai (actress Nargis’s mother). asked to fill the waiting hours with their recitals Wrapped in an old fashioned Maharashtrain nine- until public transport would become available for yards sari around her small, frail figure, she looked the audiences to return home. It was a good chance so nondescript that the ushers at the big confer- for the younger musicians because in the audience venue refused to let her in, until the ence were many famous musicians like Ustad organisers heard about it, rushed to the venue and Vilayat Hussain Khan and Manji Khan, Hirabai received her with great honour. She won eight Barodekar and Saraswati Rane, Srimatibai medals and a lot of praise from K.L. Saigal. Narvekar and many others. Young Gangubai’s Miyan ki Malhar and Jogia left such a deep impres- Sawai Gandharva was so pleased with his shishya’s sion that she began to get many bookings for recit- success that even after he became paralysed and als. For her first concert she was paid Rs. 125 out totally bedridden and doctors forbade him from sing- of which she had to pay Rs. 10 each to her sarangi ing, he insisted on continuing his lessons, teach- and tabla accompasnists, and Rs. 5 to her ing her many ragas like Bihag, Marubihag, Bageshri harmonium accompanist. etc. By the 1940s, Gangubai had become one of the leading women musicians of Hindustani music. Gangubai’s training under Sawai Gandharva was Gangubai’s husband Gurunath Kowlagi was a totally different from that of her early guru gentle and considerate husband who became genu- Krishnamacharya who taught her 50 songs, but inely fond of her. In course of time she was ac- gave her no knowledge of ragas, alaps etc. Sawai cepted by Gurunath’s first (Brahmin) family. Gandharva’s taleem was a slow gruelling process. Gurunath and Gangubai had two songs Narayan He trained her in the systematic note by note alap and Babu, and daughter Krishna who has become development (alapchari), gamaks, difficult taans, a fine vocalist and her mother’s supporting singer. boltans, layakari etc. He would continue his les- Though all three are very fond of music and proud sons in each raga for several months. Therefore, of their mother’s success and fame, only Krishna her repertoire of ragas and bandishes has always has taken it up as a profession. Though Krishna remained very limited. Sometimes he would not has imbibed her mother’s style fully, her voice is tell her even the name of the raga he was teach- tuneful, feminine and melodious unlike her ukn&urZu tuZy vkWQ Mkal ,.M E;wftd 159 o"kZ&1] vad&1] uoEcj 2014 The legacy of Gangubai Hangal / Afshana Shafi ISSN No. 2349-4654 mother’s forceful, almost masculine, voice. Though Although artistes thrive in great musical cities like Gangubai continues to sing, her voice has become Mumbai, Pune, etc. Gangubai chose to settle in very difficult for her to control; so she is totally de- the quiet Hubli. In 1988 the town proudly celebrated pended on Krishna’s wonderful vocal support. In her 75th birthday on a grand scale with perfor- 1979 when Gangubai lost her husband, she had mances by many of today’s celebrities like Pt. already become so famous, and won the respect of Bhimsen Joshi, Pt. Jasraj, Feroz Dastur and oth- the husband’s first family, that she was welcomed ers. There was an exhibition of photographs of as the head of the entire family. Thus she won Kirana veterans and of a set of Gangubai’s cas- everyone’s respect which had been denied to her settes recorded between 1937-1987. In the early in the early years of her marriage. 8 [ ] phase of her career, she used to include thumris In the early 1950s, Gangubai had got into the group and even ghazals - but she gave all these up and of artistes who boycotted AIR as a protest against confined herself exclusively to khayals. Her reper- the audition system, and she was “blacklisted” by toire of ragas and bandishes is so limited that we AIR along with the other protesting casual artistes. must have heard all of them by now, and yet she Later on, both parties came to an agreement, and has managed to be in the limelight. Gangubai and other rebel artists resumed their Gangubai has been the recipient of numerous broadcasts. Ever since then, she became a regular and cooperative broadcaster. awards and honours such as the State and Cen- tral Academic Awards, awards from various sabhas Even in her younger years, there used to be such in Varanasi (1947), Allahabad (1962), Karnatka a pronounced “masculine” quality not only in her (1970), President ship of Karnataka State Sangeet vocalism but also in the way she sits, and in her Natak Academic, Padmashri, and Padma Bhushan gestures that she was named in whispers as and so on.[10] Gangubuwa. Those of us who used to hear Gangubai in her best form in AIR, Conferences and When at the age of 72, she presided over the 17th private soirees, will always recall powerful vigor- Annual Conference of the Bangalore Gaayan ous vocalism. Although she has been constantly Samaajam, she was honoured with the title of exposed to the vocal styles of various gharanas over Sangeet Kala Ratna. She was the second women these 70 odd years, she has faithfully stuck to the artiste to be given this honour. absolute purity of the Kirana gharana as she imbibed it from her guru Sawai Gandharva. In most All these honours and her ripening old age sit of her concerts, tabla accompaniment is provided lightly on her because she has a basic humility in by her cousin Seshagiri Hangal.[9] her nature. Her singing is no longer what it used to be but she refuses to call it a day, and compels Gangubai was pleased with the increasing sizes of admiration by her confrontation with the inevitable audiences for classical music everywhere and with debilitating effects of ripe old age. In her peak years the large number of music colleges and universi- Gangubai has performed not only all over India, but ties which had spread musical knowledge exten- also in USA, Canada, France, Germany, Nepal and sively. However, like all great musicians, she too Pakistan. What more could her mother Ambabai is sure that only the good old gurukula system can have wished for her daughter. Of course, all these produce outstanding performing artistes. She never minced words when criticising the painfully achievements were possible due to the unwaver- slow audition outstanding performing artistes. She ing and rock like support of her loving material never minced words when criticising the painfully uncle Ramanna. Tough in her personal (married) slow audition system of AIR and the long winded life, Gangubai had to play second fiddle because of process which forces young artistes to lose many her birth in a low caste, she slowly won the deep of the best, youthful years of their performing ca- love and support of her highly educated Brahmin reer waiting for LAC results, CAB results, grada- husband Gurunath Kowlagi through her own high tions, upgradations and so on. character, innate humility and musical excel-

160 ukn&urZu tuZy vkWQ Mkal ,.M E;wftd o"kZ&1] vad&1] uoEcj 2014 The legacy of Gangubai Hangal / Afshana Shafi ISSN No. 2349-4654 lence. Her music in a way mirrors her character. family member’s allowed Dr. M.M. Joshi and his It has a thoughtful, meditative quality, an unhur- staff to carry at the necessary surgery. ried sober way of elaboration and her music is de- While writing this article I missed Gangubai Hangal void of emotional outbursts. a lot. I feel unfortunate that I could not interact Gangubai has the capacity to laugh at herself. She and share experience of music with the great art- recalls how a Kannada poet had remarked after ist. I would have been lucky if I could have shared hearing her music : “Indeed your voice is like a the experience of writing this article with Gangubai man’s. May be it is the soul of some frustrated ustad Hangal and get some important useful tips on mu- who could not sing, but is now expressing himself sic. through you.” With her two sons well educated and well settled. Footnotes A vocal style that normally depends on delicacy of v. ÿ‡ÊÊäÊ⁄UÊ, ◊ÒÁÕ‹Ë‡Ê⁄UáÊªÈåÃ, ﬂÊáÊË ¬˝∑§Ê‡ÊŸ, wÆÆ~, ¬Î. vw tone and subtle inflection was transformed, her 2. The Singer and the song, Laxmi,c.s, P. 11 brush became very broad, her enormous voice carry a huge emotional load with a minimum of decora- 3. A Life in three octaves, Ganesh Deepa, P. 106. tion. Her daughter Krishna sang on stage with her, 4. Great masters of Hindustani music, V.S Brahaspati, P.17 and the voices of the two women blended in cross 5. Pillars of Hindustani music, R,B Deodhar, p.149. generational communion that created a sense of 6. Karnatka award winners, Sovenier, 18th March 1994. deep timelessness. Krishna Hangal never married, 7. Music makers, Roy Ashok, P.59 remaining her mother’s constant companion un- 8. Bhavan’s journal, P.12 til her death of cancer in 2004. 9. The Song of my life, Hangal Gangubai, P.24 Gangubai Hangal gave her last concert at the age 10. The Indian Academy of performing art 1979, P. 8. of 93 on 12th March, 2006. Although particularly 11. Sing Goodbye to the Golden Age, Hindustan times, 22-7-2009. from the loss of her daughter in 2004. She had to used a wheel chair and became in need of care for BIBLIOGRAPHY the last years of her impressive life. ÿ‡ÊÊäÊ⁄UÊ, ◊ÒÁÕ‹Ë‡Ê⁄UáÊ ªÈåÃ, ﬂÊáÊË ¬˝∑§Ê‡ÊŸ, wÆÆ~ On 17th May, 2009, two months before their dying Laxmi, C.S (2000) , The singer and the song ,kali for womens B1/ the “voice of the tradition” inaugurated the 8 Hauz Khas New Delhi 110016. “Narayan Academy of Hindustani Classical music” in Hubli and under the roof of the Hangal music Ganesh, Deepa(2014), A Life of three octaves,B-957 Palam foundation a National Memorial Award will honour Vihar, Gurgaon (Haryana)122017 India. artists with outstanding earning/services for In- S.V Brahaspati, (2010) , Great masters of Hindustani music, dian classical music. Abhishek Puplications- 57-59 sector-17C Chandigarh-17. Deodhar, B.R. (1993) , Pillars of Hindustani music ,Popular Legendary Hindustani vocalist Gangubai Hangal Prakashan pvt.Ltd-35-C Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya Nagar- died after a brief illness in Hubli on 22 July, 2009. Popular press Bldg.Tardeo Bombay 400034.india. By the end of her life, she had became a symbol of th India’s progress, on inspiration for young people, Karnatak winners, 18 march 1994. and an example of triumph over adversity. The sor- Roy, Ashok(2004), Music Makers , Rupa.co-7/16 Ansari Road, rows and privations she endured marked her as a Darya Gunj New Delhi 110002. person and as an artist, but she preserved.[11] Bhavan’s Journal , 15TH MAY 2007. 97 years old, her eyes was still saw clearly and she Hangal, G. B. (2003), The song of my life ,Sahitya Prakashana donate them, the vocalist Gangubai Hangal set an koppikar Road Hubli ;580020 Karnataka, india. example for other’s to follow by donating her eyes. The Indian Academy of Performing Art , 1979 Gangubai had pledged to donate her eyes to the Hindustani Times , Sing Good bye to the Golden age , 22.07.2009. eye bank Dr. M.M. Joshi, Eye institute, and her ukn&urZu tuZy vkWQ Mkal ,.M E;wftd 161