Pt. Sharad Sathe : The Doyen of Gwalior Gharana

Curated by: Mandar Karanjkar

This exhibition explores the musical journey of Gwalior Gharana maestro Pt. Sharad Sathe and showcases two full length recordings of an intimate house concert in Pune, December 2018.

Born February 18, 1932, Pt. Sharad Sathe hails from a highly educated family. He formally started learning music in the year 1949 from the legendary vocalist Pt. D. V. Paluskar. Sharad Ji’s sister, Kamal Ketkar was also learning under D. V. Paluskar at that time. 

Pt. D. V. Paluskar was on peak of his performing career at that time and used to do as many as 20 concerts a month. Pt. Sharad Sathe would travel along with him and accompany him during the concerts and conferences. Sharad Ji’s learning under the guidance of Paluskar Ji continued till Paluskar Ji’s premature death in October 1955. 

After death of Paluskar Ji, Sharad Ji moved to Mumbai to learn under the tutelage of Prof. B. R. Deodhar, a renowned musician and musicologist of those days. Sharad Ji mastered many rare compositions in lesser known Ragas under his guidance. Meticulous by nature, Sharad Ji has till now maintained his diary where he has noted down compositions that he learnt from Prof. Deodhar along with the mention of the musician from whom Deodhar Ji got those compositions.

The recording shared here is a rendition of Raga Chhayanat. The first composition is traditional Badish, Karat Ho Mose Neha Ki Jhooti Jhooti Baitya. The Drut composition in Na Manungi Mai Tumari Baat, a Bandish in Drut Teental composed by Sharad Ji. 

After 1966, Sharad Ji started learning under senior Gwalior Gharana vocalist late Pt. Sharadchandra Arolkar. Pt. Arolkar had acquired authentic Gwalior Gayaki from three legendary maestros, Pandit Krishnrao Shankar Pandit, his uncle Pandit Eknath Pandit and Pandit Krishnrao Mulye.

Under the guidance of Pt. Arolkar, Sharad ji’s music groomed and became aesthetically mature and unique. Pt. Arolkar was highly acclaimed for his renditions of Tappas. Under his tutelage Sharad Ji mastered the art of Tappa singing. He learnt many rare Khayals, Tappas and Taranas from Arolkar Ji till Arolkar Ji’s death in 1994.

Pt. Sharad Sathe has performed in India and all across the world over his long spanning music career. He has conducted lecture demonstrations at various music universities and conferences and has been extensively recorded for various music archives.

Apart from his success in the field of music, Pt. Sharad Sathe had a successful career as a calligrapher and he has worked for some of the world’s most celebrated ad agencies.

Here is the recording where he has rendered rarely heard Raga Shankara Bihag followed by a Drut composition in Raga Bihag.