Born on 2nd April 1918, this is the birth centenary year of Pt. Vinay Chandra Maudgalya, the multifaceted musicologist, vocalist, vaggeyakara (composer), the founder principal of Gandharva Mahavidyalaya (Delhi), the founder director of Gandharva Choir and author of many books on Music. Remembering Bhai ji, as he was affectionately addressed by one and all, the first image comes to mind is that of his compassionate and childlike smile. The secret of this inner repose and joy was the fact that music was the vital ingredient of his life. It nourished not only the warmth of his nature but also added substance and meaning to his resolve to spread the fragrance of classical music all around. He became the face of change in society by opening Gandharva Mahavidyalaya way back in 1939, when learning music and that too by females, was a taboo. He was one of the greatest teachers of Indian music, who made a whole generation of men and women realise the depth and profundity of their heritage.
Trained initially at the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Lahore (established by Pt. Vishnu Digambar Paluskar in the year 1901), Bhai ji was further groomed at its Pune branch under the tutelage of Pt. Vinayak Rao Patwardhan, himself a senior disciple of Pt. Vishnu Digambar Paluskar. Originally planning the field of literature for his profession, Bhai ji was mentored by Jainendra Kumar and was already writing poetry and prose when he entered, by sheer chance, the field of music. Pt. Vinayak Rao Patwardhan was writing his series of ‘Raga Vigyan’ those days and knowing Bhai ji’s command over Hindi, asked him to help. This was the beginning when Bhai ji started composing for the first time and was inspired when his Guru published these compositions in his book. Today his compositions are sung by musicians from all Gharanas. Pt. D. B. Paluskar immortalised his Tilak Kamod Bandish (composition) “Koyaliya bole amvaan ki dalariya…” by singing it in his very first Album.
Pt. Vinay Chandra Maudgalya with DV Paluskar
Hundred of his compositions were published in the ‘Prabandh-Shatak - Geet-Manjari’, with a foreword by Prof. B. R. Deodhar. The preface of this book by Bhaiji also makes it a collector’s pride. Apart from the classical compositions (bandish) he has composed a rich variety of songs for the Gandharva Choir. He was the official composer and adviser for the NCERT. His book ‘Sangeet Bachhon ke Liye’ and another publication ‘Gunjan’ contains songs on various themes to be sung by different age groups of children. Several of his choral compositions are preserved by the AIR archives. He made pioneering efforts for propagation of music in general masses. The annual Vishnu Digambar Jayanti Samaroh is one of the prestigious music festivals music lovers look forward to.
30dfr Bhaiji1
Chairman of Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal and Director of Saraswati Samaj, he was examiner of several Music Universities and a member of the audition board of AIR. As a member of Indian cultural delegation he visited many countries and his Gandharva Choir was invited to perform at the Lincoln Centre N.Y. and The Kennedy Centre Washington DC.
Days of struggle
There are very few people who know about his initial years of struggle. Relating about his daring initiative to open a branch of Gandharva Mahavidyalaya in Delhi where he settled after completing his own training, he reminisced in one of his interviews, “I did put the sign board of Vidyalaya on our rented three bedroom accommodation near Regal cinema, but no one came to join for quite some time. I had to go and literally beg people to send their wards to come and learn music.” He remembered first was Prof Sudhakar and Krishna ji to send their children. Smt Satyawati Mallick who was known for her keen interest in the cultural activities; not only sent her son Subhash and Kapila (Vatsyayan) but she herself joined Vidyalaya to learn Esraj, that she later played for the Vidyalaya orchestra. Sir Shriram also patronised Vidyalaya and sent his two sons Vinay (Bharat Ram) and Vanshidhar. Gradually the same people who were apprehensive about Vidyalaya, came forward and started sending their wards to learn music.
Madhavi Mudgal, the famous Odissi danseuse daughter of Bhai ji, remembers those days “our bedrooms would convert into classrooms during the day. All the reputed musicians who came to perform like Vasav Raj Rajguru, Gangubai Hangal, Ravi Shankar et al would also stay with us only. It was a delight to listen to the discussions on ragas and bandishes by stalwarts like Prof Deodhar, Kumar ji (Kumar Gandharva) and the likes, not that I understood much, but it still is a precious memory.
Pt. Madhup Mudgal, son of Pandit Maudgalya remembers, “I was so small that I would sleep in the lap of elders while listening to them. I would remember all the bandishes being taught in different classes, while playing in the courtyard of the house.” Madhavi adds, “There was no restriction of time limit during concerts. Every artiste would perform for two-three hours at a stretch. The Jayanti Samaroh, then held at the Town Hall on the Parliament Street, or Sapru House, would go on till the wee hours and would conclude with Lalit or Bhairav ke Prakar, with the first rays of the morning sun.
Madhup shares the later memories also. When James Boarge, the director of choir from Lincoln Centre came in 1971, looking for a choir group with Indian flavour and was disappointed to find all the famous groups following the Western trend only. He was advised by some one to meet Bhai ji in Delhi, and he was delighted to listen to the Gandharva Choir when Bhai ji presented the dhrupad in Kalyan and a Rajasthani folk songs.
Madhup also remembers going to Russia in 1972, with the Gandharva Choir conducted by Bhai ji, who let him play the tabla with them. He admits just by observing Bhai ji compose music for ballets like Meera in those days, he got his first inspiration to compose music for dance. We all know that he has composed music not only for Madhavi’s Odissi but also Leela Samson’s Bharatanatyam and Kumudini Lakhia’s Kathak choreographies. The greatest lesson Bhai ji instilled in us, he adds, are the moral values he practised. Bhai ji also gave us the mantra of perseverance and hard work and never to lose hope against the severest of challenges.
Bhai ji was awarded the Padma Shri, Sahitya Kala Parishad Samman, Ud. Hafiz Ali Khan Memorial Samman, Delhi Citizen Council Award and many more, but the greatest of them he treasured was the love and respect he received from the music fraternity and the larger family of his disciples and students spread all over the world.
(To celebrate Bhaiji’s birth centenary, Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, New Delhi is holding a four-day tribute to its founder at its premises till March 31)
