Pandit Bhaskarbua Bakhale

Pandit Bhaskarbua Bakhaleji was born in 1869 in Kathod, a village in Gujarat. He was sent to a school in Baroda to study Sanskrit. There he started meeting Keertankar Vishnubua Pingale as he was very interested in music. Pandit Bakhaleji learnt the Keertan Sampradaya style of singing under the guidnace of Vishnubua Pingale. An acquaintance of Pingalebua was impressed with Pt. Bakhaleji’s singing and got him admitted to Maulabadan Sangeet Vidyalaya. Pt. Bhakaleji received several accolades in the first annual function of the vidyalaya. Due to his progress and poweress in singing, the Kirloskar Naatak Company offered him a co-partnership.

 

Bhaskarbuaji was highly applauded for his performance as Kaikeyi in the play ‘Ramrajya Viyog’. His voice which was sweet and melodious in childhood changed for the worse in adolescence. He was humiliated at several functions for this. So he returned back to Baroda and under the tutelage of Faiz Mohammad Khan, he started practising singing. He continued his higher education under Ustad Allahdiya Khan Saheb. After some time, he accepted a job at Dharwaad Training College, where he got acquainted with Ustad Natthan Khan Saheb and became his disciple. Ustad Natthan Khan Saheb trained him very well. With the training and inputs received from all the three Gurus, Panditji’s singing blossomed. He became the Principal of ‘Bharat Gaayan Samaaj’ located in Pune. Master Krishnarao Phulambrikar and Tarabai Shirodkar, both of his famous disciples were trained at the Bharat Gaayan Samaaj. He died in April 1922 due to Tuberculosis.