The first time I heard Veena Sahasrabuddhe— who passed away today—was at a college function in the 1980s. Though fairly fresh in the circuit, she was already a star. What struck me most was the pain she would take to explain nuances of her music through detailed phrases, breaking them down in syllables to make it comprehensible to the youngest novice in the room.
In the years to come, her name was to rise in the hierarchy of Indian classical music, especially among women vocalists in the country. With clarity of concept and detailed renditions of ragas she quickly catapulted herself among the top women vocalists in the country and in the later 1980s to the 2000s she was undisputedly one of the finest exponents of the Gwalior Gharana in the country.
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She was known for her khayal gayaki but she carved a niche for her also in the art of Bhajan singing. Her albums on Shiva under the Bhaktimala series brought out by Living Media are still favourites of connoisseurs.
Although her basic style and training was under the Gwalior Gharana, Veena had nuances of the famed Kirana and Jaipur Gharanas in her singing style which were often visible in her singing.
Born in 1948 in a family where music flowed freely, she received her primary training under her father Pandit Shankar Shripad Bodas who himself was a disciple of the renowned Pandit V D Paluskar. At a later stage, she also learnt music from her brother Pandit Kashinath Shankar Bodas. Few people know that she was also trained in Kathak but restricted her public performances to vocal music. She was also a Master’s degree holder in music and studied English Literature and Sanskrit in Kanpur.
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A gifted teacher herself, Vidushi Veena Sahasrabuddhe leaves behind a host of accomplished vocalists most of whom have already proven their worth in Indian classical music. What was striking about Veena was how she would take pains to explain the nuances of a raga and of Indian classical music. Her lecture demonstrations were always different, where she would explain the finer points of music or the raga so that anyone could enjoy and appreciate the music.
She was conferred the Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 2013.
She will be remembered as a fine person, a great vocalist and an outstanding teacher who readily treaded the extra mile to help one understand Indian classical music.
Must Listen:
Shiva series in Bhaktimala
Ganesh Series in Bhaktimala
Raga Hamsadhwani
Raga Bhoopali Todi
Raga Tilak Kamod
