Remembering the Master

Old sepia photographs and yellowing parchment adorned the walls at Bal Gandharva Rangamandir Kaladalan,J M Road on Friday,when the inauguration ceremony of the exhibition ‘Marma Bandhtali Thev’ took place. Hosted by DSK Foundation,the three day exhibition will showcase rare belongings of the theatre legend Narayan Shripad Rajhans,or Bal Gandharva as he is better known. Featuring 150 rare photos,books,gramophones and other artefacts from the life of Bal Gandharva. The exhibition was unveiled by Nitin Chandrakant Desai,director of the movie Balgandharva. Among those present were Anuradha Rajhans,granddaughter-in-law of Bal Gandharva,Daji Kaka Gadgil,founder of P N Gadgil & Co,singer Surash Chaphalkar and actress Vibhavari Deshpande.

The exhibition included various items,such as old photographs and posters of Bal Gandharva during his performances,old newspapers that have full-page posters of him on the cover,accounts and expenses of Gandharva Natak Mandal and a few of the elaborate costumes featured in his performances. The ceremony began with an old recording of Bal Gandharva singing,after which Desai addressed the gathering. “Bal Gandharva was a man with a divine voice,divine music and divine strength. There are a number of people who will always love and appreciate his art and his music.” DS Kulkarni,of the DSK Group was also present at the event,who promised his support to the organisation and pledged to organize such events on a permanent basis. The exhibition will be open for all till June 26 at the Bal Gandharva Rangamandir from 10 am – 8pm.