31 Facts About Mogubai Kurdikar

Mogubai Kurdikar was an Indian classical vocalist of the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana.

Mogubai Kurdikar was known for being a leading student of Alladiya Khan and the guru and mother of Kishori Amonkar, a popular Hindustani classical female vocalist from the 20th century.

In 1913, Mogubai Kurdikar began learning music for a while from a holy man at the Shri Damodar Sansthaan in Zambaulim, Goa, arranged by her mother.

Later, Mogubai Kurdikar's mother took her to a traveling theater company, the Chandreshwar Bhootnath Sangeet Mandali, which accepted her as an actress.

Mogubai Kurdikar's mother entrusted her to the care of Balkrishna Parvatkar who was from Kurdi and worked for the theater company.

One account suggests that Mogubai Kurdikar's mother told her on her deathbed that her soul would not reincarnate until Mogubai Kurdikar became a famous singer.

Mogubai Kurdikar was expelled from the theater company after a conflict arose between her and one of the senior women of company.

In 1919, Mogubai Kurdikar was taken to Sangli by her aunt for related medical treatment.

Mogubai Kurdikar would hear Kurdikar's practice while walking by her residence on his way to and from his doctor, Abasaheb Sambre.

Mogubai Kurdikar offered to teach her and started the first lesson immediately, to which Kurdikar agreed.

Mogubai Kurdikar stayed at a small rented premise at Khetwadi near Grant Road.

Mogubai Kurdikar was exposed to Bombay's intrigue of high-society and classical music circles.

Consequently, Mogubai Kurdikar was forced to leave Khan's tutelage in the early 1920s.

At some point, Mogubai Kurdikar learned from tabla maestro Khaprumama Parvatkar.

Mogubai Kurdikar agreed to teach her if she became a formal disciple and performed the ganda bandhan ceremony of guru shishya parampara.

Mogubai Kurdikar hesitated due to the political clout of the ustads of Agra Gharana, of which Bashir Khan and Vilayat Hussain Khan were the leaders.

Reportedly, Mogubai Kurdikar had much stress in her personal life at this time too.

Mogubai Kurdikar solicited a promise from Alladiya Khan to teacher her in the future if Haider Khan ever failed to.

Khan's more wealth and powerful students were pressing him to end Mogubai Kurdikar's teaching due to her rapid progress.

Mogubai Kurdikar was reportedly heartbroken about breaking his promise to her.

Mogubai Kurdikar performed the ganda bandhan ceremony with Khan in 1934.

From 1940 onwards, Mogubai Kurdikar started touring across the British Indian provinces for performances.

Mogubai Kurdikar became reputed for her restrained, purist, austere, and subtle approach to music.

Mogubai Kurdikar quickly became known as a leading exponent of the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana, alongside Kesarbai Kerkar, Laxmibai Jadhav, and Azmat Hussain Khan.

Mogubai Kurdikar avoided publicly performing thumri and natya sangeet to maintain her status as a purist.

Mogubai Kurdikar endured an era when female artists were not treated with respect or equity.

Mogubai Kurdikar was paid less and subjected to shoddy treatment by many organizers.

Mogubai Kurdikar was known to have composed khayals that she and her disciples made popular.

Mogubai Kurdikar taught many disciples and was notable for commencing an extensive lineage of women musicians.

Mogubai Kurdikar was honoured with several awards, prominent among which include:.

The "Gaan Tapasvini" Mogubai Kurdikar Award is given in Mogubai Kurdikar's memory.