2016-08-10 Wed

Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, born on August 10 1860, was an Indian musicologist who is considered as the architect of the renaissance of the Hindustani classical music (a north Indian style of Indian classical music).

Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande was born in 1860 in Walkeshwar, Mumbai. At a very young age along with singing he mastered the art of playing veena and flute. A lawyer by profession, he pursued his passion for music and trained under the tutelage of a few classical music maestros like Villayat Khan, Belbagkar and Ali Hussain Khan.

His interest in music was so intense that he began to study the ancient text such as “Natya Shashtra“ and “Sangeet Ratnakar“. He also took up the study of western music. The changes in the theory and practice of the classical music led him to practically systemize the tradition classical music of India.

He devoted his life in systematizing the traditional forms of Hindustani classical music and building up a coordinated theory and practice of music. Traditionally the ragas were divided into Raag, Raginis and Putras, but he arranged all the ragas of Hindustani classical music across 10 musical scales, called as Thaats. With Pandit Bhaatkhande’s efforts, Indian classical music (both theory and practical) became well organized.

He authored many books and musical treatises. Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande wrote all of his works under one of the two pseudonyms, Vishnu Sharma and Chaturpandit.

The Post and Telegraph Department of India honoured this architect of Indian classical music by releasing on September 1, 1961 a 15 Naye Paise commemorative stamp containing his portrait.