Hindustani classical music exponent Pandit Narayanrao Bodas passed away here on Monday morning at the age of 84, after a brief illness.
Born in Karachi into a musical aristocracy steeped in the traditions of Indian classical music, the Gwalior gharana exponent began his musical initiation at the feet of his father and guru, Pt. Laxmanrao Bodas, and later Prahladpant Ganu.
Like his father and his uncle, Pandit Shankarrao Bodas, both of whom were disciples of the legendary Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, Pt. Bodas was deeply influenced by the thought of Paluskar.
Despite his dedication to conserving the heritage of classical vocal music, Pt. Bodas devoted a considerable part of his career to the Marathi natya sangeet , acting in musicals on stage.
He soon caught the eye of Indian theatre luminary Daji Bhatwadekar, who was spurring a revival of theatre in Sanskrit. With his thorough grounding in classical music, Pt. Bodas was tailor-made for Bhatwadekar’s plays in Marathi and Sanskrit.
Beginning with Sangeet Sharada , Bhatwadekar cast him in several of his works, including Sangeet Saubhadra and Mrichakatika . Pt. Bodas retired from the stage in 1993, at the age of 60 after giving a final performance of Sangeet Saubhadra in Goa.
Devoted to classical music
Though he worked in films and on television, Pt. Bodas remained devoted to promoting Hindustani classical music in its purest form. He spent a considerable amount of time in riyaaz and coaching future vocalists at the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya in Vashi.
At the age of 83, he gave as tirring performance at the ‘Secret Masters Series’ held at the Ravindra Natya Mandir in Mumbai to packed audiences. Speaking about the performance, Agra-Gwalior gharana veteran Pt. Arun Kashalkar, whose recital opened the series, said Pt. Bodas had “maintained the purity of the ragas and filled every avartan [rhythmic cycle] aesthetically.”
Pt. Bodas is survived by his family, including son Pandit Kedar Bodas, who is also a luminary of the Gwalior gharana.
