MusicalNirvana - Articles on Pt Vishnu Digambar Paluskar

Articles on Pt Vishnu Digambar Paluskar

Posted on RMIC by Rajan Parrikar as part of Great Masters Series
Taken from B. Chaitanya Deva's "An Introduc-tion to Indian Music"
Reproduced here for educational purposes only

The Gadgils were a family of Brahmins in the village, Palus, in Maharashtra. One of them is said to have had a vision of the Divine and blessed by it and from then on this family became something special and came to be known as the Paluskars, the original name being forgotten. Into this family, Vishnu Digamber was born on August 18, 1872 at Kurundwad, the principal town of an Indian Vishnu's father, Digambar Gopal Paluskar, was a Keertankar (singer of Keertan - a religious discourse). Keertan in Maharashtra, like the Harikatha Kalakshepam in South India, is a kind of story-telling of puranic legends, in song, verse and prose; Digambar was one such singer of puranas. Vishnu, naturally, from childhood acquired a taste and bent for singing, as he accompanied his father during the latter's concerts. He was also studying at a local school in Kurundwad, due to the kind interest taken in the young boy by the raja of the principality.

Near Kurundwad, is a small town called Narsobachi Wadi, where every year a festival, Datta Jayanti, is celebrated with great eclat, fireworks and all. Vishnu, like millions of others, was an active participant; on one such occasion of merriment a cracker burst near his face, damaging his eyes permanently. No treatment at Kurundwad was of any avail; the boy was then sent to the neighbouring town, Miraj, where the royal physician, Dr. Bhadbhade tried his best but failed to restore vision to the poorlad. Both the avenues - academic studies and that of keertankar - were cut off to Vishnu. Dr. Bhadbhade, who had listened to the boy's devotional songs felt that he could blossom out into a musician. With the consent of Digambar Paluskar, he spoke to the Raja of Miraj. The ruler was quick to realize the talents of the child and put him under the guidance of Balakrishna Bua lchalkaranjikar.

Balakrishna Bua was the doyen of musicians in Maharashtra. The grand old man had learnt singing in Gwalior under eminent masters and was highly respected for his knowledge of the art. Paluskar studied with him till about 1896. It was a hard and strenuous discipleship, for there were no regular courses, no regular lessons and everything depended on the moods of the teacher. Besides, one had to do all the household chores for the guru and his family. This kind of apprenticeship - guru kula vasa - was difficult but paid dividends in the long run. Vishnu was very successful and this, perhaps, raised the ire in his fellow students. They were all the more jealous of him, for he was quite intimate with the royal family, which they were not. It is possible that they poisoned the Bua's mind against Vishnu; in any case, the relation between the two became strained. So Paluskar, along with two of his friends, left Miraj; and after visiting many places reached Baroda. This city like Gwalior was then a well-known seat of learning and art, and he decided to settle there. News of the arrival of a young singer and his attractive music slowly reached the Maharaja. In course of time an invitation to sing at the Court came and he gave a commendable perfomance in the royal presence. The Maharani was pleased with the young man and presented him with lavish gifts and a friendly warning - he had better leave Baroda as local musicians were becoming too envious fr him to be safe!

From there he toured Saurashtra, Gwalior, Mathura, Bharatpur, Delhi and reached Punjab. While in Saurashtra he gave a public concert charging a nominal fee - a scandalous thing to do and a complete departure from tradition. For traditionally concerts were always either in the chambers of a rich patron or in a temple. While at Mathura he studied the Brij dialect in which exist some of the finest compositions in Hindustani music and this helped to a great extent his understanding the beauty of the language of these songs. Punjab was really the starting point of the most significant aspect of Vishnu Digambar's life. He lived in Amritsar for some time, but soon shifted to Okara in Montgomery District to be the tutor of Sir Khemsingh's children. After a few months of stay there, he came to Lahore; and here on May 5,1901 he founded the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya. This is one of the most interesting turning points in the history of modern music, as it was the first school run by a middle class musician without the direct patronage of rajas and maharajas. The vidyalaya (school) was run by public support, donations from the richer classes and funds raised by the concerts of Vishnu Digambar - it was truly a school of the people for the people.

Here he brought together a set of pupils whom he trained not only in music, but also inculcated in them a respect for the art and a missionary zeal. This group of his early students became later some of the most distinguished performers and teachers in North India. What was more important was the atmosphere in the institution: while there was strict discipline in musical training, there was stricter discipline in moral training. The usual odium attached to the clan of musicians was thus removed and they began to be treated with respect.

Paluskar now felt that his activities needed expansion and, therefore, came to Bombay in September, 1908 to found a branch of the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya there. Gradually, as the work in this city increased, the school at Lahore was shifted to Bombay. Even the printing press which he had established in Lahore to print books in music was taken over to the new precincts. Vishnu Digambar's fame as teacher spread and hundreds of students began to pour into his vidyalaya.

Before long it became necessary to increase facilities for teaching; with the help of loans from friends, a building to house the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya was built in 1915. A little later even a hostel for students was constructed. All this involved considerable borrowing of money and Paluskar came under huge debts. Even with the best of efforts it became almost impossible for him to discharge the loans. He gave concerts at various places to collect the necessary funds but this never fetched him sufficient money. In 1924, when he was on a concert tour, his creditors attached his properties and auctioned them to realize their debts. Paluskar must have been a heart-broken man after this. The cause for which he had struggled so far received an irretrievable setback. He had, however, one satisfacion: he had created a number of zealous disciples who went to almost every region of the land, established schools and taught selflessly.

Even while in Bombay, Vishnu Paluskar had started Sri Ram Nam Adhar Ashram in Nasik; to this hermitage he moved in 1924. From this as centre he travelled widely in India and Nepal. But his health was running down and the Raja of Miraj shifted the ailing musician to Miraj, the town which had seen the rise of Paluskar's career. There he passed away on August 21, 1931 to the music of the sacrcd chant of Rama's name.

The domestic life of Vishnu Digambar was disappointing in a sense. Of his three sisters, one had become a widow and lived with him, along with her children. He had twelve of his own; but all of them except one died young. The last, a son, was Dattatreya. Even he could not get the advantage of studying with his father, for Vishnu Digambar died when the boy was only eleven years of age. Dattatreya later came under the care of the senior pupils of Paluskar and grew into a very highly promising singer. But, as ill-fate would have it, Dattatreya Vishnu Paluskar died young suddenly in 1955.

Vishnu Digambar Paluskar was a towering figure in the field of music; a musician of a high order, a great teacher, a man of uncompromising moral courage and a soul imbued with the awareness of the social values of art. As an artiste he was a very popular and successful one. The training he had had with the great Ichalkaranjikar was a thorough one and Paluskar himself was endowed with an attractive voice and musical sensitivity. His apprenticeship under his father as keertankar might have given him a sense of the dramatic in artistic presentation.

Wherever he went, he drew an appreciative audience and was honoured by prin- cely patrons. But characteristically, he spent all the fortune he amassed to further the cause of music. More than any other aspect of his musical career -which was dynamic in every direction - was his deeply religious approach to the art. To him music was a path to God-realization and could not be divorced from moral commitments. The ways that most musicians lived were far from clean. The texts of songs even in kheyals were sometimes nauseating - and even today one cannot often meet kheyals of really good poetic worth in Hindustani music. Paluskar felt that these kept the more intelligent section of society away from music. To remedy the situation, he brought in a strict living and behaviour in his school. His own conduct was above reproach and he saw to it that his students were of exemplary character. As for the songs, he either composed new ones with cleaner content or altered the words of older ones, keeping their tunes unchanged. These efforts gradually had their effect. More and more students - particularly girls - came out to join his Vidyalaya; society began to feel that even if music was not a very paying profession, it, at least, was not a debasing one. Towards the end of his life his time was devoted almost entirely to religious music and finally his end also came amidst the singing of Ram dhun (Rama's name.)

With very few exceptions, Paluskar was undoubtedly the most renowned teacher of music of recent times. Many great musicians were not necessarily great teachers and many well-known ustads and pandits were not necessarily fine musicians. But Vishnu Digambar was both an artiste and a teacher of high order. His most notable task was the opening of the musical world to amateurs, for traditionally it was almost impossible for outsiders to enter into the clannish monopolies of the ustads.

Paluskar himself had learnt music the hard way and must have seen the inordinate wastage of time and energy on the part of the student in non-musical activities of 'serving' the guru. He, therefore, founded schools which ran on regular syllabi. Books with notations of songs to help the student were published. Theory of music was taught on a systematic basis. It was the pioneering efforts of Paluskar and Bhatkhande that have become the incentive for music to be considered academic enough to be included in the courses of studies in universities. Institutionalizing musical training has been the most significant trend set by these two savants. Obviously, all this was well intentioned. But whether it really has been creatively effective is a question that is raised in many quarters: for, often, it is felt and said that it has spread an interest in the art but has lessened the depth of understanding.

It was an era when musicians were socially looked down upon. They were illiterate, uncouth and immoral. Paluskar had had bitter experiences of his own guru being treated in a disdainful manner. He was determined to show to the world that musicians were as good and great as anyone else! It is said that a maharaja wanted to listen to Vishnu Digambar and fixed a time for the soiree, at the musician's house. At the appointed time, the king and his retinue gathered and the singer began. After a while, the ruler, wanting to smoke lighted his cigar. To Paluskar, it was not only unpleasant but an insult. Being blind, he did not know who was smoking, but, in any case, he ordered that the smoking be stopped. The embarassed aide whispered into his ears, "How can it be? It is the maharaja and I dare not ask him to desist". Paluskar exclaimed, "What do you mean by maharaja; I am the maharaja in my room! Ask him to stop it or get out".

More than anything, Vishnu Digambar's contribution is to the social values attached to music and musicians. An art which was once held sacred, as a royal road to realization, a science which was the fifth veda, had fallen into bad days. It had taken to nothing but Bohemian pleasures - almost - and musicians were, as apart from being musicians, not welcome as very pleasant citizens. Paluskar had to fight against the orthodoxy of the 'elite' who looked askance at the art and artists and against the professionals who would not step out of their secretive guilds. It was an arduous, thankless and challenging task. But he did succeed. He was able to persuade society that music was a fine ne art and musicians were not necessarily a despicable tribe. Great social and political men of his time like Gopala Krishna Gokhale, Mrs. Annie Besant and Mahatma Gandhi recognized his missionary work and social awareness. Paluskar's Ram dhun, "Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram" was sung at the head of the famous Dandi March led by Gandhiji in 1930 and his "Vande Mataram" was invariably heard at the sessions of the then Indian National Congress. Thanks to Paluskar, today one can become a musician without having to bow his head in shame.

Posted on RMIC by Rajan Parrikar as part of Great Masters Series
Taken from "Great masters of Hindustani Music" by Smt. Susheela Misra
Reproduced here for educational purposes only

Music was one of the casualties of foreign rule in our country. In the lethargic age which preceded our political struggle, this fine art fell from its high pedestal into low, illiterate society, and lay there uncared for, and looked down upon. It were the two Vishnus, Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande and Vishnu Digambar Paluskar who salvaged our music which had been submerged for years under the cold waves of public apathy and alien contempt.

Early in this century, along with the freedom revolution, there began an awakening of interest in our fine arts too. The two individuals responsible for this awakening were the two Vishnus who dedicated their lives to this great cause. But for the life-long efforts of Vishnu Digambar and Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, our music would still have remained an inaccessible art imprisoned in the un-relenting clutches of a few narrow-minded and illiterate professionals. Thanks to these two reformers, however, today Hindustani classical music is no longer confined to an esoteric circle, but is an art within the reach of every aspiring home. To them goes the credit and thanks for the rehabilitation and restoration of music to a highly respected and admired position. No wonder, therefore, that musicians of many Gharanas sink their mutual differences at least to pay homage to these two savants every year. Pt Digambar's Punya-Thithi is observed and celebrated: in August, and Pt Bhatkhande's in September.

Vishnu Digambar's father, Pdt. Digambar Gopal Paluskar, was a, well-known Keertankar and a favorite of the Raja Dajisahib of Kurundwad (14 miles south of Miraj). Originally the Paluskar family-name was "Gadgil", but as they hailed from the village Palus, they came to be known as the "Paluskar" family. Born in Kurundwad on l8th August (Raksha-Bandhan day) in 1872, Vishnu was brought up in the luxurious palace-atmosphere because he was a close friend and playmate of the Raja's son, Srimant Nanasaheb. They were educated together and their sacred thread-ceremonies were celebrated together. Vishnu and his elder brother Gopal often used to accompany their father during his Keertans, with the Jhanjh and Manjeera. Even as a boy, Vishnu became a favourite with everyone because of his good looks, sweet voice, and melodious Bhajans. Since he was a very intelligent boy, his teachers were sure that he would one day become a high Government official. But fate intervened and gave an unexpected twist to his career. During the annual festivities and fireworks in the Dattatreya temple, a piece exploded over his face and damaged his eyes. The Raja Saheb got the best doctors for his treatment. Although the facial injuries were cured marvelously, the boy's eyesight was damaged for ever. The doctor (Trimbakrao) suggested that the boy should be trained in music. Accordingly, the Raja of Kurundwad sent him to Miraj and put him under the training of Pdt. Balakrishnabuwa Ichalkaranjikar, the founder of Khayal music in Maharashtra, who had received his training under great masters like Devjibuwa (disciple of the Dhrupadiya Chintamani Misra), Vasudeobuwa Joshi (disciple. of the famed Hassu Khan of Gwalior) and Mohammad Khan (son of Hassu Khan). For years, Vishnu underwent arduous training in the old-fashioned Gurukula style, doing all the domestic chores in the guru's home, washing clothes and utensils, cutting up firewood, filling pots of water, sweeping and cleaning floors, cooking etc. After nine years of rigorous musical training in Miraj, at last Pdt Balakrishnabuwa permitted Vishnu to set out on his own in 1916 to give solo recitals. At the time he ventured into the field of music, there was a stigma attached to the profession of music, and musicians were looked down upon in society. He felt deeply pained at the contemptuous treatment meted out to music and its devotees. This sparked off his keen ambition to secure for musicians as high a status in society as that enjoyed by any o ther profession. And as we all know, he succeeded in this noble mission of his, as a result of his life-long efforts. At 25, his voice was in excellent form and his recital in the Ram-mandir of Baroda was acclaimed by all; his fame spread. Rani Jamnabai who had adopted Maharaja Sayajirao as her son invited Vishnu into her palace for recitals. She liked his music so much that she detained him in Baroda for 4 months. Great artistes like Khan Saheb Nasir Khan (percussion maestro of the darbar) and Ghulab Singh (the famous Tabla maestro) became his admirers. In his music they detected the grand style of Ustad Mohammad Khan (son of Hassu Khan, and brother of Rahmat Khan). The Rani greatly wished to engage Vishnu as a Darbari-gayak at Rs 400 per month, but Vishnu declined, as he wanted to tour various parts of the country, learn different styles and enrich his own repertoire.

Sri B.R.Deodhar recounts a mystical experience of his Guruji. It is said that once Pdt. Vishnu Digambar met a great "Bairagi" (ascetic-renouncer) and that this meeting left a deep influence on Digambar. Until then, he had been full of over-confidence about his music and his behaviour tended to be a bit "arrogant". After hearing the Bairagi's divinely-inspired and melodious music in the solitude of the Girnar mountains, Vishnu felt extremely humble, and fell at his feet begging for his forgiveness. The Sadhu blessed him and advised him- "Your chosen path is very noble. But you must shed all your arrogance and learn the virtue of humility. Only then can you succeed in your noble mission. Start your work in the Punjab".

From there Pdt. Vishnu Digambar went on a long tour of various places like Kathiawad, Gwalior, Aligarh, Mathura, Jullundur, Amritsar, Lahore, Kashmir, Rawalpindi, Bharatpur and so on. In Mathura he stayed on for some months in order to study the theoretical aspect of music in the library, to master Hindi and Brajbhasha, and to think out a notation system, After touring the Punjab, he started his very first Gandharwa Mahavidyalaya in Lahore in the year 1901. The inaugural function was presided over by Justice P.C.Chatterji, and the palatial Haveli of Raja Ramsingh was hired on rent at Rs 13 per month ! Although no students joined in the beginning, gradually more and more students came in, and the staff consisted of teachers trained free of charge by Pdt. Digambar himself. Among the staff were Keshavrao Datar Govindrao Apte, Vishnu A. Kashalkar, Keshavrao Kale, Yashwantrao Mugholkar and others. From 1904 Digambar began to actively cooperate in the Swadeshi Movement by singing patriotic songs along with his groups of students and quietening the most noisy throngs through the magic of his grand voice which needed no microphone. His rendering of the prayer-song "Raghupathi Raghava Rajaram" was one of Gandhiji's favourites. Important citizens of Lahore like Lala Lajpatrai, and Swami Sraddhananda, and other social leaders became his admirers and friends. By his own personality and his clean and noble living, he won for himself as well as for his profession, a respected place in the highest society. With his impressive personality, sweet and powerful voice, and fine training, he was splendidly equipped for the mission of promoting love and respect for the art of Music all over the North. Once, a critic tried to tease him by asking: "Panditji, how many Tansens have you produced?". With, his ready wit he cleverly retorted that he had trained a very large number of "Kaansens" (connoisseurs of Music) all over the country.

The Mahavidyalaya in Lahore had been started in the very teeth of opposition, and there was a constant shortage of funds, but Pdt. Digambar and his brave band of co-workers pulled on somehow. At one stage, they were so bankrupt that they apprehended that the school might have to be closed down but at that critical hour came a windfall in the form of an invitation from the Maharaja of Kashmir. Vishnu Digambar accepted the offer gladly. By his successful recitals in Kashmir be earned enough money and the lifelong patronage of the Raja, so that thereafter, he was not only able to run the school on a stable basis but also to maintain and support a large number of poor but talented students in his school. Being a strict disciplinarian as well as of a very charitable disposition, he commanded great respect and affection. In an atmosphere of mutual concord and under a systematic routine the students were trained not only in vocal and instrumental music, but they were also taught to repair musical instruments and run their own printing press and journal. Well aware of the importance of proper publicity, Vishnu Digambar saw to it that the school's work and activities were brought before the public eye from time to time through journals and newspapers. What with his own regular practice, the conscientious lessons to students and the extensive tours he undertook along with his groups of students, his was indeed a very busy life. The example of his own pure life and the unsullied atmosphere of the school gradually broke down all the existing prejudices against music, and attracted larger and larger numbers of boys and girls from respected families. Branches of the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya spread into various other towns like Bombay Poona and Allahabad, and the strength swelled. Though the songs were taught by rote, they were also published with notations in the School-Journals. Among the many Journals and books published in their own printing press were "Sangeeta ( costing 2 annas per issue ! ), Sangeeta
Baala-Prasad" in 3 volumes, "Sangeeta Baala- bodha", "Raga Pravesa" and so on. Pdt. Digambar himself used to teach in the classes until he trained a large number of eminent disciples like Narayan Moreswar Khare (who later on, stayed with Mahatma Gandhi in Sabarmati), Vinayakrao Patwardhan, Narayanrao and Shankarrao Vyas, V.A. Kashalkar, Pdt. Omkarnath Thakur, Wamanrao Thakar, Wamanrao Padhye, Venkatesh Modak, Keshavrao Kale and Datar Rambhau Ashtekar, Govindrao Apte, Yashwantrao, B.R.Deodhar and so many others. His own son Dattatreya Vishnu Paluskar outshone them all, flashed like a meteor in the musical firmament but alas ! was snatched away by the cruel hands of death at the youthful age of 34 ! Pdt. Vishnu Digambar's personal life was full of tragedy. In 1882, he had been married to Vithabai, the sister of Balwantrao (the post- master of Kurundwad), and 12 children were born to them but tragically 11 of them died in their infancy, while Dattatreya ( or Bapurao as he was fondly called), the l2th son who lived long enough to become an excellent and most popular classical musician was snatched away in the prime of his life and at the peak of his musical career by a rare virus infection of the brain which could not be cured in spite of the best and most prompt medical attention. But D.V.Paluskar's popularity has not waned even after the passage of so many years (he was born on 18/5/1921, and he died in 1955) as is evident from the large number of his gramophone records that adorn tapes of this melodious musician.

Perhaps it was the tragic loss of 11 children that made Pdt. Digambar so intensely religious-minded, and turned his attention to Ramayan Keertan and so on. From classical music, his interest seems to have shifted to devotional and patriotic songs. His Schools contributed not a little towards the popularisation of music all over the country. Instead of cringing for fiftful patronage of a few interested royal patrons, Digambar turned towards the masses for support and appreciation. He undertook musical tours from time to time and sang along with his students too in public halls. These concerts were accessible to rich and poor alike through moderate tickets. Among the many factors that helped him to captivate huge audiences and acquire admirers were his melodious and powerful voice, his dignified personality (with the long loose robes, and flowing beard, like a seer) and his capacity to cater to every type of audience. He could sing before an audience of thousands without the aid of any microphone. Moreover, he could serve highbrow stuff for real connoisseurs, national songs for the patriotic-minded, devotional music for the pious, Abhangs for the people of Pandharpur and Maand renderings for the Marwaris ! His admirers and disciples have recorded for us many instances where scoffers of Panditji's work were put to shame on witnessing the spell which his music cast over mammoth audiences, or instances where the highest authorities of a State intervened to protect his person from jealous rivals who sneakingly tried to harm him. A professional musician moving on terms of social equality with respected national leaders and social leaders, and with exalted persons of other "respected" professions was indeed a rare sight in those days. That was Pdt. Digambar's great ambition and achievement. Through his untiring efforts, he gradually managed to secure a place for our music in the highest and most snobbish parties of fashionable Lahore. His own disciplined and clean personal life was a great inspiration to all those who came into contact with him. In his Gandharva Vidyalayas he stressed the importance of prayers, strict self-discipline, and clean living. He selected the Padas of Meera, Nanak, Tulsidas, Surdas and other saint-poets and set them in appropriate ragas and talas to be sung as classical songs.

His Gandharva MahaVidyalaya in Bombay which was inaugurated by His Holiness Sri Jagatguru Shankaracharya, attracted students from all castes and creeds in the cosmopolitan city. He founded the Ramnam Adhar Ashram in Nasik. Along with his pupils and coworkers he toured all over this country and also visited Burma, giving performances and popularising Indian music. A great patriot and an impassioned singer, he became one of the favourite Bhajan-singers of Mahatma Gandhi. So successfully did he utilize his art for inspiring patriotism that no political meeting or Congress session in Lahore, Ahmedabad etc. was complete without his powerful music. "Raghupati Raghava Rajaram", "Vande Maataram", "Jaya Jagadisha Hare", "Rachaa Prabhu Toone" have all come to be associated specially with Pdt. Vishnu Digambar. His spirited defiance of the unreasonable ban on "Vande Maataram" at the Cocanada Congress was given deserved praise and publicity in all the national newspapers. His emotional rendering of "Raghupati Raghava Rajaram" after his musical discourses got such a hold over people's hearts that during his Hyderabad trip, it is said that people of all religions joined him in singing it ! Towards the last phase of his life, Digambar became more and more spiritual- minded, a real Bhakta of Sri Rama, spending long hours in solitude, praying and singing. With his handsome face, and the serene and pious expression on his noble face, he was an imposing figure. In 1930 he had paralytic stroke. Through sheer will power and self-discipline, he recovered enough to be able to walk about with the aid of a walking-stick. On 20th August 1931 it was the auspicious Tulsi Jayanti Day. He devoted the whole day for prayers and requested his students to sit beside him and sing Bhajans. These continued until he gently slipped away from this earthly existence on 2lst August 1931.

Sadly, he lived in an era when even the greatest music could not be recorded and preserved for future generations. Death mercilessly silenced the creative genius of Vishnu Digambar's brilliant son Dattatreya in 1955 at the young age of 34. But we have at least his AIR recordings and gramophone records to cherish and preserve glimpses of the beautiful music of this worthy son of a really great and noble father who was "a great evangelist of Hindustani music".