Who can deny that some of the best Hindustani musicians have emerged from the Dharwad region. Since this part of the Vindyas belonged to Bombay-Karnataka in pre-Independence times, people living here could speak both Kannada and Marathi. Slowly it began to develop as a cultural centre that connected the North and the South. The kings of Mysore state were great patrons of music and legends such as Ustad Abdul Karim Khan of Kirana Gharana were regular visitors to the royal court.
The Ustad would often stay in Dharwad and teach students. Sawai Gandharva, his most famous disciple, was the guru for Gangubai Hangal, Bhimsen Joshi and Basavaraj Rajaguru. Along with Mallikarjun Mansoor and Kumar Gandharv, these stalwarts made the region thrive musically. Though Kirana Gharana has its origins in Uttar Pradesh, Abdul Karim saheb incorporated Carnatic ragas in his renditions. Most musicians from Hubli-Dharwad belong to this gharana.
Though Pt. Gandharva spent his initial years in Karnataka, he moved to Madhya Pradesh later. He was known as much for his innovative approach to classical music as for his nirguni bhajans and folk songs. Bhimsen Joshi, one of the most prominent names of Kirana Gharana, settled in Pune but spoke fluent Kannada and could render Dasa Sampradaya songs. On the other hand, Pt. Mallikarjun Mansur, remained in Dharwad till his last breath. Gangubai Hangal, the woman star of Kirana Gharana, kept the region’s musical flag flying high.
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I am fortunate to belong to Dharwad and hope to help keep the values of the region intact. We may not subscribe much to the gharana concept in the modern days but what matters is style. It is important to base your music on the principles of a gharana and then develop an identity.
With globalisation, musical boundaries are shrinking too. So it may not be practical to restrict your music to a region.
Broader perspective and wider reach are essential. Yet it is also important to understand the contribution of different regions and personalities to the development of classical music in this country. There is a young brigade from Dharwad that will keep this chapter in the history of Hindustani music alive.
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The writer is a Hindustani vocalist