Hirabai Barodekar

Known by the sobriquet ‘Gaan Hira’ or sparkling gem in the musical arena, Hirabai Barodekar was a leading Hindustani classical music vocalist of the Kirana gharana. Known for her melodious and soulful voice, her musical training started early. She was the disciple of Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan. She first performed onstage at the anniversary celebrations of Gandharva Vidyalaya, Bombay in 1921, going on to debut at a national festival at the All-India Music Conference, Calcutta. In times when women performing onstage was a taboo, she became the first woman to stage a ticketed public concert. She also achieved phenomenal success as a recording artiste, with companies like Odeon and Columbia. Venturing into films, she featured in Marathi films like Suvarna Mandir (1934), Pratibha (1937) and Janabai (1938), also establishing the Nutan Sangeet Vidyalaya to train young women singers in Hindustani classical music. She was honoured with being invited to sing Vande Mataram at the first Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort on the midnight of 15 August, 1947. Hirabai Barodekar was also honoured with the Padma Bhushan and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. 

She was born Champakali on 29 May, 1905 to Ustad Abdul Karim Khan, founder of the Kirana gharana, and Tarabai who hailed from the royal family of Baroda—Tarabai’s father Sardar Maruti Rao Mane was the brother of the then Rajmata of the princely state. Ustad Abdul Karim Khan was a court musician and taught Tarabai music. Marrying against the approval of Tarabai’s parents, the couple moved to Bombay. Champakali was one of five children born to the couple, and went on to be known as Hirabai Barodekar after her parents parted ways in 1922. 

From a young age, she was taught the fundamentals by Ahmed Khan, an exponent of the Agra gharana, followed by training under Bhaskar Buva Bakhale. She was coached by her brother Sureshbabu Mane (previously known as Abdul Rehman) and Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan, doyen of the Kirana gharana, and a cousin of her father’s.

Hirabai first won attention in 1921 when she was invited by legendary vocalist Vishnu Digambar Paluskar to perform at Gandharva Mahavidyalaya anniversary celebrations in Bombay. She later made her national debut in 1937 at the All-India Music Conference, in Calcutta, where she left audiences spell-bound. She went on to gain mastery over khyal, thumri, bhajan and Marathi natya sangeet, among other musical forms. 

Hirabai broke new ground by staging the first-ever ticketed (paid) public concert. A huge step forward in women’s emancipation, this also helped popularise Hindustani classical music among the general paying public as well. She also had a successful stint as a recording artist. In 1935, the Germany record company Odeon recorded musical renditions of Hirabai, her talented siblings as well as their famous father. Many of her songs such as Nandalala naachre, Upavani gaat kokila, and Brijlala gade became bestsellers under Columbia, after Odeon merged with the latter in 1942. One of her popular tracks, Kankariya ji na maro was part of the long-playing record History of Music in Sound – Part 1 released in England in 1957. She also released an LP in 1962, with renditions in Multani and Yaman. She collaborated with her youngest sister Saraswati Rani to record a duet based on Chandrakauns and Basant Bahar in 1968, while her audio-tape of Marathi songs sung by her and Karim Khan was released in 1984. In 1998, many of her numbers were released on audio-tapes and CD under the title ‘Classic Gold’ series.

An active participant in plays while as school, Hirabai also explored the world of cinema. She made her mark in films such as Municipality (1941), Suvarna Mandir, Pratibha, and Janabai though it was her talent as a singer that shone brightest. She also went on to establish a music school Nutan Sangeet Vidyalaya, which provided young women singers with training in Hindustani classical music. The training school used the medium of play to filter classical music down to the basic levels.

A jewel in the crown of Hirabai’s career, was her invitation to sing the national song Vande Mataram at the first Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort on the midnight of 15 August, 1947. She was also invited to be part of a prestigious delegation which visited China and several East African countries to showcase India’s cultural heritage in 1953. 

Hirabai’s singing has won copious praise. Dubbed the Gaan Kokila by poet and freedom fighter Sarojini Naidu, the then Jagad guru Shankaracharya bestowed upon her the title, Gaan Saraswati or deity of music. Ramakrishna Buva Vaze, maestro of the Gwalior gharana, described Hirabai’s singing thus… “When your mind is troubled and distraught, you could do no better than listen to Hirabai’s music. It has an uncanny quality of conveying a sense of peace.” Modern Marathi poet and classical music connoisseur B S Mardhekar described her effect in these words: “To hear Hirabai sing is like watching a bird in flight. Her music has the grace and poise of such a bird-wings spread to caress the air with their soft touch, not agitate it.”

Her immense talent was recognised by the government of India which honoured her with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1955 and Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award, in 1970. She also bagged the Vishnudas Bhave Award for her contribution to theatre.

On the personal front, Hirabai married Manikchand Gandhi Barodekar who hailed from Solapur, in 1924. They had a son. The family settled down in Pune, where she continued to impart music tuitions at home. She is credited with training several talented vocalists including Prabha Atre, Malati Pande, Shaila Pandit, Janaki Iyer, and Sarojini Sahotre.

Hirabai Barodekar passed away on 20 November, 1989, aged 84. She remains venerated by connoisseurs and fans of Hindustani classical music. In her memory, her leading disciple, Dr Prabha Atre instituted the music festival, Sureshbabu-Hirabai Smruti Sangeet Samaroh, which is held annually in Mumbai.