Life Story

Birth and Childhood

Shri. Krishnaji Ganesh Phulambrikar also known as Sangeetkalanidhi Master Krishnarao, popularly called Master Krishnarao, (or Krishna Master or just 'Master') was born on 20th January 1898 at Devachi Alandi to Saubhagyavati Mathurabai and Shri Ganeshpant Phulambrikar. The family was of Deshastha Yajurvedi Brahmins, who chant the Vedas. Phulambri in Marathwada was the native village of the Master's paternal family. The original surname was 'Pathak', meaning one who recites the Vedas. Three generations before Master was born, one of his ancestors who was a Vedamurti, a person who knows the Vedas by heart, came to Pune from Phulambri village to recite in front of the Shrimant Nanasaheb Peshwa, the then ruling Peshwa of the Maratha empire in India. Nanasaheb Peshwa used to host a gathering of learned Brahmins at the base of Parvati Hill, where those who recited the Vedas perfectly were honoured. Immensely pleased with the man’s perfect diction, knowledge and presentation of Vedic ruchas or lyrics, Nanasaheb Peshwa honoured Master Krishna’s ancestor by presenting his own golden bracelet and declared that from that time onwards he would be known as 'Phulambrikar'. From that generation on, they settled in Pune. Master's father Shri Ganeshpant was also a Vedamurti, but unfortunately he met sudden and untimely death, and due to this sad blow, the entire household became impoverished. This tragic incident occured even before Master's thread ceremony.

Child Actor and Singer

Master Krishna was studying in Class IV at Navin Marathi Shala aka school in Pune, when his mother Mathurabai and elder brother took him to meet renowned singer Sawai Gandharva with an aim to make a request for providing music training. Sawai Gandharva was very busy with acting in music plays at the time, and on hearing Master sing, he offered to hire the little boy as singer-actor in the drama company 'Natykala Pravartak', where he worked. Thus, in the year 1911, the young Krishna got this golden opportunity to act and sing under the guidance of Sawai Gandharva and Ustad Nisar Hussain Khan. Sawai Gandharva played the main role of the Saint Sakhubai in the very popular play Sangeet Sant Sakhubai, while child actor-singer Krishna played the role of the deity Vithoba or Vitthal, for which he would sing 'Bhaktajan Ho Sada' – to much audience applause and calls of ‘once-more’.

He also used to sing and act in other plays produced by that drama company.

The blessings of Sadguru

Whilst on tour with the drama company, Master Krishna had the fortune of meeting holy saint Shri Sai Baba from Shirdi. Shri Sai baba was at Rahta in Ahmednagar district, where some needy children were being served a meal by the sage Sai Baba of Shirdi. When Krishna prostrated himself at his feet, the people there informed the sage that this boy had just undergone the sacred thread-ceremony (Upanayana, a rite to mark entry into young adulthood) and was a singer actor in a drama company. Sai Baba asked Krishna to recite a shloka (verse); when he did so, the sage gave him blessings.

Meeting His Guru

Once Pandit Balkrishnabuva Ichalkaranjikar and Gyanacharya Pandit Bhaskarbuva Bakhale went to watch a musical play produced by the drama company Natyakala Pravartak. This is when Bhaskarbuva noticed the sweet voice, imaginativeness and intelligence of the boy. When Krishna touched the feet of those two great artists, Bhaskarbuva exclaimed in admiration, "By a systematic training of classical music, this child can become a noted singer" It was at this time, around 1911, that Master Krishna formally became Bhaskarbuva’s disciple after a ‘ gandabandhan ’ ceremony. He had been playing roles as a child singer with the drama company Natykala Pravartak for four years. Now he left the company to devote himself full-time to his music education.

Bhaskarbuva treated his disciple like a son, imparting training in the three schools of music in which he himself was well-versed, Agra, Jaipur and Gwalior, preparing Master Krishna to be a khayal singer. Over the next 10 years, Master Krishna became an accomplished singer, by learning directly from Bhaskarbuva within a span of four years and absorbing the concert etiquette from him whilst accompanying him on the tanpura at concerts.

As a child singer, Master Krishna had got early guidance from Sawai Gandharva and Ustad Nisar Hussain Khan.Later he was also taught some rare and complex (Anwat) compositions by Ustad Daulat Khansaheb at a young age. But his formal and systematic music training and education came from Bhaskarbuva only. Interestingly, as a keen and intelligent student, Master imbibed many of the learnings from his guru, but never became a mere ‘copy’ of Bhaskarbuva. He used his fine mind and innate talent to develop his own individual style, that became the hallmark of his singing as well as his composing.

First Public Concert and Felicitation

Soon after he began learning from Bhaskarbuva, the guru groomed and prepared the young Krishna to perform a solo concert. He gave his first public concert in the year 1911 at the age of thirteen at the Cummins Club in Dhule, Maharashtra. His performance left the audience spellbound. Bhaskarbuva gave his disciple a pat on the back and blessed him. He had acquired a fan-following overnight! News had begun to spread, and soon after the concert in Dhule, a public felicitation ceremony was organized for Krishna at the Kirloskar Theatre in Pune. The illustrious literary figure Sahityasamrat Narasimha Chintaman alias Tatyasaheb Kelkar presided over the function. He presented a gold medal to the young singer and conferred on him the title 'Master Krishna' – a name by which he became famous.

A Brilliant Hindustani Classical Music Singer, Actor and Composer

Within a short period of time, the young Master Krishna started performing independently on the classical music circuit, with the full support and approval of his guru Bhaskarbuva Bakhle. He rapidly gained recognition as an innovative classical singer at various royal courts as well as with music lovers who thronged to his performances.

From his early experience as a child singer-actor, he grew to performing in Marathi and Hindi films and composed music for many films.

At a young age he began co-directing music for plays as well as independently composing music under the guidance of his guru. He had now made a name for himself as an accomplished and innovative classical performer, creating new raags as well as composite (jod) raags. He also set old stage songs, the Natyageets, to new tunes, giving them a fresh treatment, which was much appreciated by audiences. The multifaceted Master Krishna was able to present his music at many levels, through many mediums – live concerts, plays, films and on radio.

Sangeetkalanidhi's demise - End of an illustrious musical era!

Sangeetkalanidhi Master Krishnarao, a gifted musician, composer and singer, made a huge contribution to the world of Indian music.

It was October 1974. The Navaratri festival was on. Several renowned artists were performing at a classical music conference near Master Krishnarao's home in Pune. The musical treat continued throughout the night.

While resting at home an old and frail Krishnarao was enjoying the music that wafted through the air. For music was his life. Even in his late 70s, he continued composing raags and bandish, and imparting knowledge. Today, at dawn, mellifluous notes of raag Lalat caressed him.

When his son went to check on him, the maestro was busy tapping to the Matras of the Taal. "Now, I shall rest.", he said faintly.

Soon, in his sleep, the notes of Bhairavi gently carried his soul.

A Swarayatree, who began his journey as a child artist, had traversed far and wide in the sea of Indian music. He discovered and shared countless treasures to the delight of the audiences in classical music, natya sangeet, bhakti sangeet, film music, desh sangeet and sugam sangeet.

On the auspicious day of Lalita Panchami, Sangeetkalanidhi Master Krishnarao left for his celestial journey.