The Hindustani Classical and Semi-Classical singing divas of yore, who once lived gossamer lives under the care of ardent patrons, have largely slipped out of public consciousness. Their names are seldom heard in conversations, even in salons where the cognoscenti discuss the merits of celebrated classical performers.
Many of these songbirds were favourites of the gramophone era—their recordings perhaps still exist in private collections—but by and large, their memories have faded and their stories drifted into oblivion.
Some among them were the shining stars of private mehfils, commanding immense respect for their art. A few were cinema heroines too, but their core identity rested in their concert singing. Over the past couple of decades, the magic they once held has dimmed, and their names no longer evoke awe among present-day classical music lovers. Perhaps today’s concertgoers are more drawn to contemporary live performances, and the leisurely act of listening to these vintage recordings, particularly of women artists, is no longer a passion pursued by the modern-day rasika.
Why has this happened? Why is the world blind to the contributions of these legends? Why are their old recordings gathering dust? And above all, why have these divas vanished from our public memory?
These are the questions that sowed the seeds for this walk down memory lane—a quiet retracing of the lives these songstresses once lived.
Anjani Bai Malpekar: A Voice That Defined an Era
The one who commanded the maximum attention and shone like a star in her heyday was Anjani Bai Malpekar (1883–1974), of the Bhendi Bazaar gharana. She was the first woman to be awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 1958—the highest honour given by the Academy for music, dance, and drama.
Anjani Bai was very beautiful in her youth and created quite a stir wherever she went. She became a muse for artists, most notably the legendary Raja Ravi Varma, who painted her in the iconic Lady in the Moonlight in 1889. He later featured her in a series of paintings during his stay in Bombay.
She gave her debut performance at the age of 16 in Bombay. Noticed by elite patrons, she soon became one of the most in-demand artists, performing in countless private mehfils and under royal patronage. These were times when it wasn’t considered honourable for women to sing or dance in private gatherings, and the societal stigma against female performers was rampant.
Due to her extraordinary looks and singing prowess, she often faced challenges in these male-dominated spaces. This led to psychological stress and a temporary loss of voice that lasted for about a year. She eventually recovered and resumed singing.
She married a wealthy man named Seth Wasanji. But after the death of her Guru, Ustad Nazeer Khan of the Bhendi Bazaar gharana, she gradually lost interest in concert performances. At the age of 40, she retired from performing and chose to dedicate her life to teaching.
With her musical brilliance, she became a sought-after guru. Her students included giants like Pt. Kumar Gandharv, Pandita Kishori Amonkar, Begum Akhtar, and Naina Devi. She belonged to the Goa-based Kalawant community, known for excellence in the arts, giving her an impeccable musical lineage.
By the 1960s, the Bhendi Bazaar gharana had become renowned, with Ustads like Amman Ali Khan and Anjani Bai herself contributing to its fame. Brave and pioneering, Anjani Bai carved her own path in a male-dominated world and lived by her convictions.
Menaka Bai Shirodkar: A Life of Music, Dance, and Cinema
Another singing and dancing diva of her time was Menaka Bai Shirodkar, better known today as the mother of the renowned vocalist Shobha Gurtu. Born in 1910 in Belgam, Karnataka, and originally named Menaka Belgamkar, she was a professional dancer and a cinema artist.
She sang beautiful songs in the 1943 film Prithvi Vallabh, a Minerva Movietone production. Her duet with Rafiq Ghaznavi, Panchi Ud Chal Apne Desh, and solos like Khule Swarg Ke Dwar became hits. Her bhajan Ram Naam Dhan Payo Maine, composed by Saraswati Devi, stood out for its elaborate musical flourishes, unlike the typically solemn bhajan style, and became widely popular.
Menaka trained in classical music under Ustad Bhurji Khan, son of Alladiya Khan of Jaipur-Atrauli gharana, and later under Ustad Vilayat Hussain Khan of the Agra gharana. She also learnt thumri, dadra, and ghazals from Ustad Dhamman Khan.
Her marriage to a mill owner eventually led the family to move to Mumbai after the business failed. There, the film world welcomed her. Menaka, skilled in both singing and dancing, also performed in private mehfils in Mumbai, Dungarpur, and Bikaner.
One remarkable anecdote recounts a mehfil hosted by Raje Dhanraj where Kesarbai Kerkar, in attendance, chose not to perform after Menaka’s stellar performance, stating no one should sing after such brilliance—a true example of the respect among artists then.
She later received the Kesarbai Award for her contributions. Menaka Bai acted and sang in five films, including Pukar, Sikandar, and Gul Bakawali, but preferred mehfils and private concerts, particularly those rooted in classical music. She spent her final years back in her hometown of Ponda, Goa.
Anjani Bai Lolekar Bankar: A Concert Stage Favourite
Another stalwart now fading from public memory is Anjani Bai Lolekar Bankar, born on 8 September 1928 in Loliem, Canacona, Goa. Initially trained in Gwalior gayaki by her brother, she later learnt from Ustad Anwar Hussain Khan and Ustad Vilayat Hussain Khan of the Agra gharana. Though lesser known than her namesake Anjani Bai Malpekar, she was a well-known concert performer in her time.
Vidushi Dhondutai Kulkarni: Keeper of Jaipur-Atrauli Legacy
A recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi award, Dhondutai Kulkarni (1927–2014) of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana was another name we don’t recall as often as we should. A child prodigy, she became a radio artist at the age of eight.
Trained by her father initially, she later became the disciple of Ustad Natthan Khan and then Ustad Bhurji Khan, son of Ustad Alladiya Khan. Dhondutai trained rigorously, often under the watchful eyes of Ustad Alladiya himself. Her musical companion during those days was Ustad Azeezuddin Khan, Alladiya’s grandson.
Kesarbai Kerkar, the legendary vocalist, was an admirer of Dhondutai. She received the Akademi award in 1990 and was invited to perform at the prestigious Kesarbai Kerkar music festival.
Her student, Namita Devidayal, wrote The Music Room Chronicles, documenting the lives of Dhondutai, Alladiya Khan, and Kesarbai. Dhondutai passed away in 2015, leaving behind a legacy of rich raga-based music.
Vidushi Jyotsna Bhole: Stage and Song Icon
Jyotsna Keshavrao Bhole (1914–2001) was an acclaimed Hindustani classical vocalist, Marathi Natya Sangeet exponent, and pioneering stage actress. She received her musical training from Khadim Husain Khan, Inayat Husain Khan, and her husband, Keshavrao Bhole.
She was one of the first women to play female roles on stage. Co-founder of Natya Niketan, she transformed Marathi theatre and authored several plays and her autobiography. She received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1976.
Her song Bola Amrut Bola, composed by Master Krishnarao Phulambrikar, became a landmark in Marathi theatre.
Vidushi Manik Bhide: Guru and Gharanedaar Vocalist
Manik Bhide, mother and guru of Padma Shri Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande, was a stalwart of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. Initially trained by Madhukar Sadolikar, she later became a disciple of Kishoritai Amonkar. She performed across major festivals, was a regular AIR artist, and received the Bharat Ratna Pt. Bhimsen Joshi Jeevan Gaurav Puraskar.
Vidushi Moghubai Kurdikar: The Stalwart in Shadows
Moghubai Kurdikar, though a towering figure in her own right, is often remembered primarily as Kishori Amonkar’s mother. A disciple of Ustad Alladiya Khan and later trained by Ustad Haider Khan, she was a master of rare ragas like Sawan Nat, Basanti Kanhda, and Bhoop Nat. She had immaculate control over taal, and her gayaki was marked by flawless gamak taans and intricate bol-alaaps.
She was awarded the Padma Bhushan but, sadly, does not receive the recognition she richly deserves today.
Names like Saraswati Bai Fatarpekar and Chandabai Karwakarin too have dissolved into the mists of time.
These women lived lives of fame, glamour, struggle, and above all, profound artistry. They dared to carve a space in a male-dominated world and gave their lives to their art.
Let us reclaim their legacy, dust off their forgotten recordings, and pause to listen to their timeless plea:
“Meri awaaz suno…”
*With valuable inputs from Minar Paradkar
