Gurunath Mujumdar sets in to make a mark in Hindusthani Music

Gurunath Gundopant Mujumdar is a well-known name among music lovers of Surat and more so in the state of Gujarat. Although his surname looks like a typical Gujarati one, he is more so by domicile. In fact, he is a native of Badami, hitherto the capital of the Chalukyan Empire now in the present Bagalkot district of Karnataka.

Mr Gurunath Gundopant Mujumdar

For more than two decades in Gujarat: He is presently associated with the Engineering MNC Schneider Electric India Private Limited as Deputy General Manager (Business Development) for the South Gujarat region. Earlier he served another giant engineering company. ABB Ltd. A Diploma holder in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Karnataka, he is in Gujarat for more than two decades since he migrated to Surat in 2002.

Into music from the age of Five: Gurunath Mujumdar’s inception into music began at the tender age when he was just five years old. His musical journey began with singing devotional songs. Interestingly, his interest, grooming, passion, and lineage toward classical music have a family connection.

Good singers in the family: From his maternal family side, his mother, maternal aunts, uncles, and even his grandmother are very good singers of devotional songs. However, the death anniversary function of Panchakshari Gawai held at Raichur in 1987 became the turning point for Gurunath Mujumdar. He attended the musical event along with his maternal uncle and felt a strong pull toward the classical form of music.

Three years for swar shuddhi: It was during his college days that he came in touch with Shivalingayya Jalihal, the music guru at Badami, and thus began the musical journey. In this way, Gurunath Mujumdar’s sojourn commenced at Badami for a period of three years (1992-94). But he confesses-“These three years were devoted only to swar shuddhi and able to understand various ragas”.

No count of concerts attended: In the meanwhile, he attended innumerable concerts to quench his thirst trying to understand classical music and hasn’t kept a count of the same. Later on, for almost 14 years he kept on traveling Punjab, Gujarat, and Maharashtra striving for personal and professional accomplishments. He got married in 2001.

Again tutelage from 2008: Thanks to his marriage and decision to settle down in Surat, he was once again reminded about his journey in classical music. Once again from the basics, Gurunath Mujumdar started learning under Guru Ganshyambhai Gandhi in 2008. This exercise went on for seven years in trying to acquire knowledge of various Ragas and in between, he also completed the Sangeet Visharad (Graduation in Music) from the Maha Gujarat Sangeet Samithi.

For eight years in Guru-Shishya tradition: In 2014, he humbly submits-“Pandit Sunilbhai Modi, a prominent Musicologist from Surat accepted me as his disciple and since then have been learning music from him for almost eight years in the Guru-Shishya tradition”.

Preparing for PG final year: Apart from learning various Ragas and major learning from Guru Pandit Sunil Modi, studies on the intricacies of Khayal Gayaki, Alaap Therav, Kan, Sparsh, Meenda, Sooth, Ghasseth, Khatka and Murki, Ahirbhav, Torobhav, Gamak, and Pukar continue to remain ongoing. He has already completed 1st year of Sangeet Alankar (Master of Music) and has been preparing for the final PG year.

Two hours of practice every day: Gurunath Mujumdar has been religiously practicing Khayal Gayaki for two hours in the morning every day with one Bada Khayal and Drut Bandish. Although his Guru teaches him in Gwalior style, he prefers to learn both, Gwalior and Kirana Gharana styles. He admits-“As by birth I belong to the land of Kirana Gharana, I have strong likings for Khirana Gharana Gayaki”.

Music has made me humble: He submits-“Music makes me humble in nature. Whatever I may feel like having learned today, there is definitely a great possibility of improvising the same the next day. I have been practicing Bhairav and Yaman for the last two years. But whenever I start to practice in the morning, get a feeling that it is different from the previous day. This is nothing unusual as has been evinced even from the tallest of musical exponents”.

Music concerts: He has been functioning as a Core Committee Member of the Maha Gujarat Sangeet Samithi apart from being the General Secretary of the Karnataka Sangha in Surat. He gave a concert recently at the 75th-anniversary celebrations of the Kannada Sangha in Ahmadabad. The number of concerts he has given so far may become a big list. Some of the major ones include the following:

Pandit Omkarnath Thakur Sangeet Sabha organized by Gujarat Sangeet Samithi

Rastreeya kala kendra Surat.

Guru Raghavendra Swami math Chinchwad Pune 2016.

Guru Raghavendra Swami Aradhana Sahakarnagar Bangalore.

Guru Raghavendra Swami Aradhana Baroda.

Karnataka Sangha Rajyotsava Program Surat.

Karnataka Sangha Rajyotsava Program Vapi

Karnataka Sangha Rajyotsava Program Ahmedabad

Swaram Music Academy Surat

-Manohar Yadavatti