Component-I (A) – Personal details: Prof. P. Bhaskar Reddy Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati. Prof. R Thiagarajan Presidency College, Chennai. Prof. Suneera Kasliwal Vyas Delhi University, New Delhi. Prof. Anjali Mittal Delhi University, New Delhi. 1 Component-I (B) – Description of module: Subject Name Indian Culture Paper Name Indian Aesthetics and Fine Arts Module Name/Title Vocalists and Scholars of North India-1 Module Id I C / IAFA / 28 Pre requisites An interest to know about the famous musicians who were expert vocalists and scholars of North Indian Classical Music. Objectives To draw a short biographical sketch and achievements of some eminent vocalists and scholars of North Indian Classical Music who were monumental in bringing the glory of hindustani classical music art to the world through their performances. Keywords Alladiya Khan, Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, Abdul Karim Khan, Mushtaq Hussain Khan, Faiyaz Hussain Khan, Aman Ali Khan, Kesarbai Kerkar, Krishnarao Shankar , Thakur Jaidev Singh, Vilayat Hussain Khan, Omkarnath Thakur, Vinayak Rao Patwardhan, Srikrishna Narayan Ratanjankar, Prof.B.R.Deodhar. E-text (Quadrant-I) : Introduction In this module, let us get familiar with some of the greatest vocalists and scholars who lived in the past years. The biographical details, tutelage and achievements of some the vocalists and scholars have been provided. This list is not exhaustive and is presented in a chronological manner. Alladiya Khan (1855 - 1946) Born in 1855, Rajasthan, Alladiya Khan was a great vocalist and was known as “Gaan Samrath”. He was the founder of the Jaipur - Atrauli gharana. He was taught dhrupad and khayal forms of singing by his uncle, Jehangir Khan. Alladiya Khan served in the court of various kings of Rajasthan, including that of Amlata. Later he settled down in Kolhapur as the court musician of the local king, Shahu Maharaj. He moved to Mumbai after the king died in 1922. With his distinguished reputation, Alladiya Khan became a gem among the many masters in Mumbai. Alladiya Khan gained recognition for creating several new ragas like Nat Kamod, Bhoop Nat, Kaunsi Kanada, Sampoorna Malkauns, Basanti Kedar, Shuddha Nat, Malawi, Savani Kalyan, and many more. Alladiya Khan’s great traditions were carried forward by disciples like Kesarbai Kerkar, Mogubai Kurdikar, Laxmibai Jadhav and his son, Bhurji Khan, among others. The succeeding generation of disciples comprise vocalists like Mallikarjun Mansur, Padmavati Shaligram and Wamanrao Sadolikar, to name a few. “The Annual Alladiya Khan Music Festival” is celebrated in Mumbai each year, where several singers and musicians perform to honour this legend. Alladiya Khan passed away in 1946. Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande (1860 - 1936) 2 Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande (1860-1936) known as “Chatur ” was a dedicated musician and musicologist who made immense contribution to Hindustani Classical Music. He learnt the flute, sitar and vocal music from some very eminent gurus like, Belbag Kar, Ali Husain Khan, Vilayat Hussain Khan and others. His significant achievement is the concept of the ten thaats or basic parent scales from which ragas are derived.He introduced a notation system named Bhatkhande Paddhati. He is credited for a large number of publications in Sanskrit, Marathi, Hindi and English such as Abhinava Raga Manjari, Abhinava Tala Manjari, Lakshya Sangeetam, Hindustani Sangeet Paddhati, Kramik series in 6 volumes, Swaramalika and Geet Malika series, Grantha sangeetam, Bhavi Sangeetam, A Short Historical Survey of Music, Philosophy of Music, and so on. He also published several ancient music-granthas whose manuscripts he had salvaged during his countrywide tours. Under his inspiration and direction, music colleges sprang up in various places like Baroda, Gwalior, Lucknow, Bombay and Nagpur. Appropriately titled as the "Father of Music Conferences", Bhatkhande was the life and soul of five consecutive All India Music Conferences held in Baroda, Delhi, Lucknow (twice) and Varanasi. These conferences provided a common platform for interaction of musicians and musicologists from all over the country. S. N Ratanjankar, Shri. Dilip Kumar Roy, K. G. Ginde, S.C.R.Bhatt, Ramashreya Jha 'Ramrang', Sumati Mutatkar and Krishna Kumar Kapoor are among the notable scholars who followed in the footsteps. He passed away in 1936. Vishnu Digambar Paluskar (1872 - 1931) Born in 1872, Bombay, Vishnu Digambar Paluskar was a musician, musicologist, scholar and teacher. He was trained under the guidance of Balkrishna Bua Ichalkaranjikar. Vishnu Digambar Paluskar established a music school, Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, in Lahore,in 1901 and later in Mumbai in 1910, which changed the course of hindustani music. It was the first school run by a middle class musician without the direct patronage of rajas and maharajas.He introduced a notation system known as Paluskar Swarlipi Paddhati.He wrote several books on music. His books on children's music education named “Sangeet Bal Prakash” in three volumes, and 18 volumes on ragas are very useful till date. His disciples,Omkarnath Thakur,Vinayakrao Patwardhan,, Narayanrao Vyas, Shankarrao Vyas, and B. R. Deodhar became renowned classical singers and teachers. His son Dattatreya Vishnu Paluskar was also trained in classical music and carried on his father's mission but he died early. Many of his disciples opened music schools all over the country and worked diligently towards the propagation of music education. Vishnu Digambar Paluskar passed away in 1931. Abdul Karim Khan (1872 - 1937) Abdul Karim Khan was born in 1872 in Kirana, a village in Uttar Pradesh. He received training in music from his father, Kale Khan. After his father’s untimely death, he continued his music lessons with his uncle, Abdullah Khan and also from Haider Khan. He was influenced by Rahmat Khan of Gwalior Gharana. Apart from vocal and sarangi, he also learnt Veena (Been), Sitar and Tabla. He blended some features of Carnatic music with Hindustani style. He borrowed Raga Abhogi from Carnatic music and popularised it in North India. He evolved a new system of music notation.He served the Royal Court of Baroda State. Some of his outstanding disciples were Savai Gandharva, Sureshbabu Mane, Hirabai Barodekar, Balkrishna Kapileshwari, Roshanara Begum, Sureshbabu Mane, Dashrath Mule, Vishwanath Jadhav, Waheed Khan, Hafizullah Khan, Mahmood Khan, Mashkoor Ali Khan, Arshad Ali etc. Abdul Karim Khan passed away in the year 1937. Mushtaq Hussain Khan (1880-1964) Mushtaq Hussain Khan was a hindustani classical vocalist. He was born in the year 1880. Mushtaq Hussain Khan was considered one of the leading lights of the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana. He was trained by his father Kallan Khan and elder brother Ashiq Hussain Khan. 3 Mushtaq Hussain Khan also sought training from his father-in-law, Inayat Hussain Khan, the doyen of the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana, and Wazir Khan of Senia gharana. Mushtaq Hussain Khan was honoured with the President’s Award In 1952 and the Padma Bhushan in 1957. He trained a number of students. Mushtaq Hussain Khan passed away in 1964. Faiyaz Hussain Khan (1886 - 1950) Faiyaz Hussain Khan was born in Agra in 1886. His father died three months before his birth. He was brought up by his maternal grandfather, Ghulam Abbas and granduncle,Kallan Khan of Agra gharana. They taught him music up to the age of 25. He was also a student of Mehboob Khan "Daras Piya", his father-in-law. Faiyaz Khan's specialities were dhrupad and khayal but he was also capable of singing thumri, dadra, tarana and ghazal. He was appointed State musician in Baroda in 1912 and was awarded the title of “Aaftaab-e- Mousiki” by the Maharaja of Mysore in 1925. Some of his best-known disciples were Dilip Chand Bedi, Sohan Singh, Asad Ali Khan, Khadim Hussain Khan, Vilayat Hussain Khan, Latafat Hussain Khan, Ata Hussain Khan and Sharafat Hussain Khan. Faiyaz Khan himself was an admirer of Abdul Karim Khan. S.N.Ratanjankar was perhaps the last of his pupils who excelled both as a teacher and as a performer. Faiyaz Hussain Khan passed away in the year 1950. Aman Ali Khan (1888 - 1953) Born in 1888, U.P, Aman Ali Khan (Amar) was a vocalist and composer. He represented the Bhendi Bazar Gharana. Aman Ali Khan learned Carnatic music under the guidance of Kalanidhi Bidaram Krishnappa when he shifted to Bombay. Later he introduced many carnatic ragas in hindustani music. His disciples include T. D. Janorikar, Muhammed Hussain Khan, playback singers Manna Dey and Lata Mangeshkar, music director Nisar Bazmi, Wali Ahmed Khan, B. Chaitanya Deva and harmonium player Shantilal. He passed away in 1953. Surashri Kesarbai Kerkar (1892 - 1977) Surashri Kesarbai Kerkar was an Indian classical vocalist of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. She was born in Keri (Goa) and shifted to Kolhapur for some time at the age of ten, where she received some training from Abdul Karim Khan. In 1901, she returned to Goa from Kolhapur and received serious training from Vazebuwa. In 1911 - 12, she left for Bombay and after one year’s guidance from Barkat Ullah Khan( beenkar), her real talim from Alladiya Khan of Jaipur gharana began and continued for about fifteen years (from 1920 onwards). She was recorded for the first time in 1933. Surashri Kesarbai Kerkar went on to become one of most noted khayal singer in the second half of the 20th-century. Rabindranath Tagore awarded her with the title “Surashree” in 1938. She was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1953, followed by Padma Bhushan which is the third highest civilian award in India, in 1969. She was a recipient of many other honours . Surashri Kesarbai Kerkar was one of those artists who exercised an undisputed sway over at least two generations of musicians in the 20th century. Krishnarao Shankar Pandit (1893 - 1989) Krishnarao Shankar Pandit was a great vocalist of Gwalior gharana. He was born in 1893 in an illustrious family of musicians of Gwalior.