Pandit Kumar Gandharva was born on 8th April,1924 in Sulebhavi, Belagavi District, Karnataka, India in Kannada speaking Lingayat family. He was originally named as Shivaputra Siddaramayya Komkalimath.
Kumar Gandharva is called the greatest revolutionary in the field of Hindustani Classical Music. His songs are famous worldwide and is considered to be one of the most versatile singer in the world.
LET’S KNOW ABOUT ONE OF THE VERSATILE MUSICIAN WE MUST KNOW
At the age of 5, he had slight interest in singing and had already shown signs of a musical prodigy who grew up to be a musical genius and at the age of 10, Pandit Kumar Gandharva first appeared on the stage.
When he was of 11 years old, his father sent him to study music under B.R. Deodhar, the well-known classical teacher. His unique teaching technique and musical knowledge was so great that Gandharva himself started teaching at the school before his early 20s.
When he was of 12, he held a large selected audience of Pandits and musicologists spellbound with his spectacular performance at an All-India Music Conference.
By his early 20s, as Professor B.R. Deodhar took him under his wings, Gandharva was seen as a rising star of music and was truly praised by his audience appraisers.
Pandit Kumar Gandharva studied the rudiments of music in Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, but, he did not allow his art to be dominated by any particular style.
In 1946, Gandharva married Bhanumati Kans ,enrolled as a student in B.R. Deodhar’s school,and Gandharva was assigned as her teacher.
Gandharva along with his wife, Bhanumati Kans and singing partner Vidushi Smt. Vasundhara Konkalimath created an interesting concert series called ‘Geet Varsha’ which includes folk songs from Malwa.
Gandharva’s music spreads its fragrance through ‘Baithaks’. Kumarji was a musician who strongly believed in the promotion of Baithaks where music is interactive and focused on the subtleties of music appreciation and listening, fortunate to listening to the recording of music in the pure form of performance where we experience spontaneity of the legendary musician.
Mukul Shivputra, his first son was born in the year 1956 and their second son, Yashowardhan was born in 1961, but Bhanumati Kans died during his birth.
Soon after the death of his first wife, he married Vasundhara Komakali, another of his fellow-students at Deoghar school and a daughter named Kalapini Komkali was born, who is a noted vocalist of India.
Smt. Vasundhara Konkalimath carried forward the musical legacy of Gandharva until her passing. Mukul Shivputra, his children, and Kalapini Komakali, along with the number of disciples like Madhup Mudgal and Satyasheel Deshpande are now keeping the torch lit.
Pandit Kumar Gandharva’s second wife, Smt. Vasundhara Konkalimath passed away in the year 2015.
His music gave absolute joy to his listeners taking them to a level of divinity.
Struggles and Health Of Pandit Kumar Gandharva
In his late 40s, Pandit Kumar Gandharva was stricken with Tuberculosis and was prescribed by doctors that he wouldn’t be able to continue his singing. He was advised to move to the drier climate of Dewas, Madhya Pradesh for his health.
Gandharva had to undergo through a very complicated lung surgery, and consequently had to suspend his extremely promising career as a singer for a few years.
For the next 6 years of his life, he suffered from a period of illness and silence and was not advised to sing due to his health condition.
By fighting against the formidable odds, he emerged victorious and dedicated himself solely to the study and advancement of music.
During this period, Pandit Kumar Gandharva was depicted as a man lying in bed for the whole day and listening to the sounds of birds, the wind, and passing street singers around him. The silence and solitude gave Kumarji the opportunity to introspect and meditate deeply.
In 1952, Gandharva began to take Streptomycin, which emerged as a treatment for Tuberculosis.
Meanwhile, he had an excellent medical support and care from wife, Bhanumati, he recovered and began to sing again. However, the scars of his illness would always bear in his voice and singing style, as one of his lungs had been depicted useless, so he had to adapt to singing with a single lung.
In the year 1953, the first post-recovery concert of Gandharva took place and in the later years, the illness greatly affected his singing, he was known for his powerful short phrases and very high voice.
Pandit Kumar Gandharva is remembered as one of the stalwarts of Hindustani Classical Music as he turns his weakness around and establish a unique style of singing.
In the year 1992, Pandit Kumar Gandharva took his last breath on 12th January,1992 at his Dewas residence, Madhya Pradesh after a long history of lung infection ailment for decades.
He was cremated with full state honors and his funeral was attended by hundreds of music lovers from all over the country .
Achivements And Honor Of Pandit Kumar Gandharva
Pandit Kumar Gandharva was conferred the title ‘Kumar Gandharva’ by Shankaracharya. In Hindu Mythology, the term Gandharva is a celestial being skilled in music, dancing and the arts.
Gandharva experimented with other forms of singing, which includes; Nirguni Bhajans (Devotional Songs), Shagun Bhajans, Folk Songs, and with both Ragas and Presentations. Among the Sagun Bhajans, he sang songs of Meera, Surdas, Tulsidas, Marathi Abhang, all in his unique style.
Pandit Kumar Gandharva is remembered for his great legacy of innovation, questioning tradition with rejecting it, resulting in music in touch with the roots of the Indian Culture.
There is a little in the village, Sulebhavi to remind visitors of the legendary singer, while the house in which he was born is now a tea shop.
In the year 1977, The legendary singer and composer was awarded with the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan, a well-earned recognition, the second highest civilian honour in 1990.
In 1992, the Rashtriya Kumar Gandharva Samman was established by the Government of Madhya Pradesh as an Annual National Honour presented to outstanding talent in the field of music.
In the Kabir Project by Shabnam Virnami, the last in the series of 4 movies, featured the life of Gandharva and his disciples, his career, and his journey into “Nirgun” singing
The song of Gandharva named” Sunta Hai” forms the title of the movie ‘Koi Sunta Hai’.
A documentary named ‘Hans Akela’ is a 78 minutes documentary on Kumar Gandharva made by Film Divisions of the Government of India, with interviews with his wife, friends and students.
A book named ‘Mukkam Vashi’ was made on notes collected during a two-day workshop of the same name, which collected the thoughts of Gandharva on the nature of music at a fundamental level.
In September 2014, a postage stamp featuring Pandit Kumar Gandharva was released by India Post commemorating his contributions to Hindustani Music.
Gandharva has made a distinctly valuable contribution to Indian music. His deep and extensive study of ragas has enabled him to bring to light many forgotten ragas. Apart from this, the contribution of ragas of his own creation is very substantial and mesmerizing.
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