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Journalism of Courage
VADODARA, May 25: They are a force armed with harmony and synchronisation. An army, which through its music and melody, is all set to conquer the world.Gaekwad brothers 8212; the renowned shehnai-jaltarang artistes 8212; are unique in the way that they are the only ones in the country who play shehnai and jaltarang together in duet.
And that they perform at concerts with a peerless dexterity is a fact which even legends including vocalist Pt Bhimsen Joshi, shehnai exponent Ustad Bismillah Khan and composer Hridyanath Mangeshkar have acknowledged at several concerts. Besides being interviewed on Doordarshan a number of times, they have also been honoured at various national programmes.
The Maharashtrian gharana of shehnai came to Vadodara in 1903 when the erstwhile ruler heard of Vasaikar8217;s expertise and sought institutionalisation of shehnai-playing under his regime.
Vasaikar, though not an academician, penned down his knowledge in five books, which are claimed to be the only books on the subject.
It was around this time when Vasaikar brought his family here including two of his relatives Gayajirao and Gangadharrao. Gangadharrao, a contemporary and close friend of Sanat Mehta and former prime minister Chandra Shekhar, was 14 when he became the court musician of the former ruler.
During that time, the shehnai pathshala ran from Madhyavarto School, Dandia Bazar, which became history soon after the exit of princely states, the brothers recall. They strived to keep music alive and flourishing in Vadodara.
8220;Music and shehnai came to us through our family,8221; they say, adding when the going got tough during the last decade in the wake of the popularity of oye oye and ole ole culture8221;, we decided to give connoisseurs something different. Hence, we included jaltarang, which is played on water bowls filled with water. Playing it is not easy, the eldest brother says, elaborating that there are 36 to 38 bowls, which are played with wooden sticks.
Neither Mukund nor Sudhir feel they can express what they feel about Indian classical music, while Sunil says he is lucky to have been born into a family that had music in its blood.
8220;Money is not our ulterior motive. We charge about Rs 5,000 for a two-hour concert. Our aim is to keep Indian music alive and flourishing. We play free-of-charge at temples on religious occasions and will continue to do that and even our children will follow after us8221;, Dattatray says.
