A musical tribute to the most prolific writers of Sangeet Natak, "Vidyadhar Gokhale was a man with many facets," says Shubhada Dadarkar, who weaves a wonderful story of her father, sharing anecdotes and moments of the writer's life when he created some of the most loved songs that are sung even today when there are music competitions.
Don't forget to bring your handkerchiefs because the songs will make you emotional. These are songs you have heard on records. Not just the most famous song (the title is based from the song Jaya Shankara, Gangadhara!), but the song that was created in praise of the woman, who smoothly moves from the role of a lover to the wife and then the mother. The hero wonders, Kon asashi tu nakale majala (I don't understand who you really are).
If Mayur Sukale's strong voice singing Jaya Gange Bhagirathi doesn't bring a lump to your throat, then perhaps you will be seduced by his Krishna, attempting to appease Satyabhama who is jealous of Rukmini. Krishna answers her question: If you planted the divine tree of Parijat flowers in my garden, how come the flowers fall in Rukmini's garden?
Scenes from his plays Mandar Mala, Suvarna Tula and Madanachi Manjiri, songs from the plays and dances will keep you mesmerised for three hours rather easily. The kathak dancers have been choreographed beautifully by Smriti Talpade who performs as well.
As is the tradition, the accompanists - the tabla, harmonium and the dholki - sit on stage along with singers, which add to the experience. But you will be blown away by the singers who are dressed as characters from the plays, belting out song after mesmerising song, making it look effortless. As Shubhada Dadarkar explained (emotional because she's talking about her father), "He was so prolific, he could write in any form: thumri, hori, ghazal as well as bandishes and pure devotional songs, and he could think on his feet..
I will do injustice to the stories should I try to explain how he changed two words from the song, Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya to Om ganapate bhalachandraya because the singer needed a song for Ganapati to be recorded in the 11th hour. So skilled a poet was he that music directors did not have to look at the lyrics because their metre and rhyme would be impeccable.
Imagine coming home wishing a younger generation would watch the play to realise how 'woke' the playwright was, writing a beautiful song that celebrates falling in love with a girl who is Shyamala, or dark skinned (considering most songs, even today are written for fair women with chand sa roshan chehra). Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Shaw's Pygmalion have all become the quintessential Marathi Sangeet Natak and Vidyadhar Gokhale took mythology, history and religion to bring unforgettable music. Watch!
(Manisha Lakhe Is A Poet, Film Critic, Traveller, Founder Of Caferati - An Online Writer's Forum, Hosts Mumbai's Oldest Open Mic, And Teaches Advertising, Films And Communication) `
