Tamasha, Tradition and Cinema: The expansive soundscape of Maharashtra
Centrally located in the country, Maharashtra, has been stimulated by musical and cultural influences from the northern and southern India. The variety of music on offer in Maharashtra mirrors the sheer magnificence of the cultural and musical heritage of the region.
As a medium that connected masses across there was the indelible presence of the divine in the music of Maharashtra. This pristine virtue of music emanated from the long on-going Varkari Pratha(tradition), the magnificent music and poetry gift of the singer-saint culture prevalent in Maharashtra.
Bhajan, Kirtan, Sankirtan and many others like the Naradiya, Warkari, Eknathi, Ganpatya, Shakta, Ramdasi, Christi, Kaikadi Maharaj, Gadge Maharaj Sampraday are largely the kirtan continuities. Sects like the Warkari, Samartha, and Datta are helping the art form flourish in all glory.
When one looks at listing the early music luminaries of Maharashtra much-loved saints like Tukaram,Janabai Namdev Dynaneshwar, to name a few, come to mind immediately. These were those who single mindedly and with deep affection surrendered their being to Lord Vitthal, the deity with his abode in Pandharpur. The poetry and melodies they composed, steeped in the Bhakti Ras (Devotional) continue to resonate across air waves and are favorites across DSP’s and FM Radio stations. Vocalists like Kishori Amonkar, Lata Mangeshkar, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Asha Bhosle, have gone on to immortalize these works. Noted music composers like Pt Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Shrinivas Khale, Ram Fatak, with their sublime melodies have endeared these works of revered saints like Tukaram, Gynaneshwar, Namdev to music lovers.
Among the many other forms of music rooted in Maharashtra are a multitude of musical styles and emotions. Prominent among these are the Lavani-an offshoot of the Tamasha that remains Maharashtra’s unique travelling theatre tradition. With its narrative salt-of-the-earth lyrics, thrilling rhythms, adorned by appropriate racy dances the Lavani remains a crowd favorite.
The Powada, another form of poetry that originated in the 17th century, sings odes to the valor of the Great Maratha ruler Shivaji Maharaj in the form of a ballad.
Bharud, the multilayered poetic form of expression was popularized by saints like Eknath in the 16th century. Seemingly light hearted lyrics of the Bharud have a deeper spiritual connotation that gives these songs a poignant hue. The performer, dressed as a devotee of Lord Khandoba, wears a headgear of peacock feathers depicting fortune tellers, Gondhal performers, and ascetics covering a plethora of subjects ranging from every-day to the sublime.
The tradition continued to evolve with breakthroughs like the theatre revolution of Maharashtra, arguably, the home of Indian theatre. The era ushered in a wave of singing superstars like Bal Gandharva, Pt. Dinanath Mangeshkar, whose imprint on the cultural landscape of Maharashtra paints a nostalgic aura of mesmerizing performer-actors singing to spellbound, live audiences.
Musical plays flourished in Maharashtra. Vishnu Das Bhave pioneered the movement with the play “Sita Swayamvar” in the 1840’s. But one could safely say that 1879 was the year when Nal Damayanti written by Trilokekar paved the beginning for the revolutionary movement of musical plays. Annasaheb Kirloskar’s Shakuntal (1880) featuring over 200 music pieces that blended Carnatic and Hindustani classical music embedded the musical plays into the audience psyche. What started off with devotional themes segued into themes of social relevance like women’s rights and social reform adding gravitas to the regional cultural heritage. Natya Sangeet also was the beautiful blending of Carnatic and Hindustani music giving it an appeal that endures to the day.
It would be a travesty of justice if one overlooks the contribution of the amazing tribal and folk music of Maharashtra. The Kokanas, Bhils, Gonds, are a few of these communities blessed with their intricate, full-bodied styles of music, dance, and poetry. Their creativity extends to the realm of crafting the finest musical instruments from animal hides, wood and other material.
Classical art music in Maharashtra can be tracked down to the 2nd Century CE according to the Gatha Saptashati. Classical music gained much through the abundant Peshwa patronage. The medieval period, saw the flourishing of Hindustani classical tradition like the Khayal, Dhrupad, Dhamar and Tappa in Maharashtra.
It was indeed the fortune of the region that the musical visionaries like Balakrishnabuwa Ichalkaranjikar, with his dedicated mission to uplift the Khayal style went on to sculpt the earliest known music societies and schools. He was followed by revered maestros like Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, and Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, who went on to codify and spread classical music.
With its supreme popularity, film music, has attained its fandom through the recording halls of Mumbai churning out immortal melodies. These amazing recording halls remain a perennial music fountain though more in the minds-eye today with plush residences and commercial malls replacing them. It is here that the golden era of film music took shape and reached the dizzying heights of popularity it has. The greatest of composers, song writers, and singers from India have made Maharashtra their home.
Heartening to note is the ample space provided for independent artists, fusion bands, rap artists, to set up a musical aura all their own.
In essence, the music of Maharashtra is not merely an artistic tradition — it is a living legacy. A testament to devotion, social conscience, theatrical expression, and cinematic brilliance, it continues to adapt, innovate, and resonate with every passing era. Whether it’s a Lavani performer electrifying a rural crowd, a Natya Sangeet melody evoking nostalgia, or a young indie artist recording in a Mumbai studio, Maharashtra’s music beats with a timeless pulse — inclusive, bold, and uniquely its own.
Vibhav Rao