nath ha maza.kumar gandharva.marathi drama swayamvar. krishnaji khadilkar.bhaskarbuwa bakhale..

Marathi musical theatre boasts a very rich tradition that has endured for nearly 100 to 125 years. Today's song is from Sangeet Swayamvar, one such immensely popular musical play; the play first premiered on stage in 1917. Today’s song is sung by the legendary Kumar Gandharva, a vocalist with a truly divine voice. In fact, this song has been rendered by numerous singers—from the iconic Bal Gandharva to artists of the present day—thereby immortalizing it. However, I have a special fondness for Kumar-ji’s rendition. Singing a pad (a classical-style song) from a musical play involves a unique technique and art form; yet, Kumar-ji has performed this piece in his own distinctive style, which is precisely why I love it so much. Kumarji sang this song in 1970; the composition, set in Raag Yaman, was exquisitely crafted by Pandit Bhaskarbuwa Bakhale. The lyrics are of Krishnaji Khadilkar himself—the very person who wrote the play.