The Veereshwara Punyashrama in Gadag has perhaps done more for the dissemination of Hindustani classical music than any other institution in the country. A rough estimate puts over 15,000 students, most of them poor and a sizable number visually impaired, as having passed through the ashram since its formal inception in 1944.
Running an ashram for so many, without sufficient resources, is no easy job. But Pandit Puttaraja Kavi Gavai made it possible through the tulabhara (where one is weighed in coins or commodities and donating them).
Started by his guru
In a way, he gave this ritual a new meaning and purpose. The practice, initiated on a modest scale by his guru Panchakshari Gavai who established by the Veereshwara Punyashrama, was continued by Puttaraja Gavai. He himself sat on the scale, and made full use of it for the noble cause of training the poor, visually impaired and physically challenged in music, thereby empowering them to have a decent shot at life.
It was in Dharwad, the heartbeat of Hindustani classical music in the State and which produced phenomenal talent, that Puttaraja Gavai got his first tulabhara done to mobilise funds for the ashram.
In the last seven decades, he orchestrated more than 2,200 tulabharas , the last in Gadag, where he chose to spend his final days. Mostly, the tulabhara was done in coins though sometimes it was commodities.
It was the reformer in Puttaraja Gavai that endeared him to people of all sections of the society. His ashram was open to everyone and all were treated equally. So when ‘Gavayigalu' wanted funds, there was not dearth of tulabharas.
But there were tough times too. The resourceful man that he was, the theatre company established by him came in handy with part of its earnings going to cover the ashram's expenses as well as other philanthropic activities.
Today, the Veereshwara Punyashrama runs 15 educational institutions, apart from the school where free music education is given to hundreds of students every year.
In fact, Puttaraja Gavai's devotees, with ambitious plans for the ashram, and had planned to hold tulabhara of the swamiji in gold in March 2011. Several philanthropists had already donated gold for the purpose. However, that was not to be.
