Known for his dhrupad style of singing, Pt Uday Bhawalkar undertook training from the stalwarts, Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar and Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar. Talking about training, Pt Bhawalkar, who too is a dhrupad exponent, says, “A singer or vocal artist must focus on four basic factors including voice, swaras / sur, clear pronunciation and laya / melody. My guru used to tell me, ‘Never imitate as copying is not the art.’ Over time, the artist must develop his own style and personality.”
Pt Bhawalkar was supposed to perform in Pune for an overnight concert, but it was called off because of the coronavirus outbreak. We caught up with him to know more about changing trends in music, emergence of digital platforms and the skills a student must possess to make a career in music.
A unique style
One of the oldest styles of Hindustani classical music, dhrupad, earlier, was performed at Hindu temples and later, at royal courts. Gradually, khyal emerged as a prominent style. “For decades, people listened to khyal and even considered khyal synonymous with classical music. But then dhrupad found its own audience in every city across India and even beyond borders. People enjoy listening to this style,” he says.
Greater accessibility
The rise in the number of live concerts and digital platforms has made music more accessible to aficionados today. But has it taken away its exclusivity factor? “Personally, I don’t think so. In fact, the emergence of online mediums like YouTube has made it possible for people to listen to concerts as per their convenience. However, the number of audience that used to attend overnight concerts has dwindled. Then again, earlier, people would sit and listen to record players. They would wait for the cassettes or CDs to arrive in the market, but that’s not the case now. Platforms like YouTube have made it easy to listen to the rarest ragas by simply putting the name of the artist. It has helped the music reach out to a larger audience and has helped the artist as well,” says Pt Bhawalkar, adding, “There are so many emerging artists today and that is why we can see a rise in the number of concerts. We have made a good progress.”
Adapting to times
Along with music, the medium for music, the audience and the artist too has evolved. “When we perform at a concert today, we are aware of the time that is allotted to us. Earlier, the audience would listen to artists for hours, not anymore. We have to keep adapting. It shouldn’t be an issue; it’s a necessity and a part and parcel of changing times. The world has become smaller and it’s a fast paced generation, so the audience wants to see a performance within a limited time,” says the maestro.
Almost every field/ industry is witnessing a fast-paced transition, but the guru reminds us that fame and recognition cannot be achieved overnight. It takes years and years of devotion and training to reach new heights of success. He says that knowledge/ art, money and fame should come gradually. If they come rapidly, they will leave at the same speed. “I tell my students that they should have a dedication towards their guru and art. They must also have patience and do a lot of hard work. Luck also plays a role,” says the expert.
Apart from performing for live audiences, Pt Bhawalkar has also given his voice to international art films like Mr. and Mrs. Iyer, Cloud Door, Anahat, Rita and Ma Baap. He says that his contribution to these acclaimed art films was purely out of friendship.
“Anahat was a film that was set during the time, when only dhrupad was performed. Also, Ustad Zakir Hussain was the music director for Mr. and Mrs. Iyer and he told me to record the alap. It wasn’t a song but part of the background music. My involvement with these art films was purely out of good friendships, even though it wasn’t my repertoire,” he concludes.
