Manik Varma: The Finest Jewel In The Crown of Hindustani Classical and light Music

Manik Varma: The Finest Jewel In The Crown of Hindustani Classical and light Music

Last week, one of my school classmates posted a message about one Marathi song on our School classmate WhatsApp group and mentioned that All India Radio used to play this Marathi song in the morning on every Vijayadashami or Dussehra day in their Mangal Prabhat Program. That song was Vijay Pataaaka Shriraamaachi Jhalakate Ambari, Prabhu Aale Mandiri. This song was composed in Raag Deskar by musician Bal Mate and lyrics were penned by Yogeshwar Abhyankar. This song was sung in a mellifluous and sonorous voice by such a singer who presented numerous musical forms with notable insight, skill and effect and her aalaps were more raaga-centered than note-centered. She was no one else but Manik Amar Varma whose music is fitted in all media like broadcasting, films and any modern concert. After reading this message, I started reminiscing about her ability to give justice to various types of music with equal affection.

From Yogesh Gogwekar

Manik Amar Varma was born as Manik Balwant Dadarkar on 16^th May 1926. Her mother Hirabai Dadarkar was a musician herself. Thus, Manik Varma received her first training about the music from her mother. After seeing her keen interest in music, her mother took great efforts to shape her future in Music as a singer. Through Manik Varma, she was fulfilling her own unfulfilled dream of becoming a singer. Manik’s initial training as a singer started in Bharatiya Gayan Samaj in Pune under Bhope Guruji. Later on, she learnt Hindustani Classical music under Sureshbahu Mane, Ustad Inayat Khan, Pandit Jagannathbua Purohit and Hirabai Barodekar. Manik Varma absorbed the melodious and serene style of Kirana Gharana from Hirabai Barodekar and accordingly she developed her unique style. A renowned composer, Datta Dawjekar recorded her first song,”Jamalya Paha Vani Brijbala”,   in 1939. That time she was just thirteen years old. Her voice was fresh and sweet and she did the same without having any earlier experience.  From Pandit Jagannathbua Purohit, she started getting rigorous training of Agra Gharana. At the age of twenty, she started getting recognition for her sweet and tuneful voice.

It is being said that the greatness of any Musicians or singers never depends upon what he composes or sings but depends upon how he\she uses his\her ruling ideas at the time of composing music or singing the song.  Manik Varma did it in an exact way. She had been trained under Kirana Gharana and Agra Gharana but she used to sing Thumari and stage-songs in a more widely and comfortable way.  She handled Khyal, Stage-singing, Bhavgeet, Thumari, Bhajan, etc. in a perfect way and made an effective entry on performing scenes. At the time of rising and bringing down her voice for methodical melodic elaboration and bringing clarity of taans, she came out of orbit of Kirana or Agra Gharana without any hesitation. Thus, natural openness, lightness and the easy production of her voice can be easily noticed in her singing. The behaviors of her intonation were easy to recognise in the middle and high octaves. Many times, she used the high notes very effectively and did not incline to use her voice dramatically. That means effortlessness of intonation was a special feature of her singing.

She always used the aalap-phase step by step at the time of singing. She used aalap based on raaga based rather than note base but at the time of singing Raag Todi or Ramkali, she had used note based aalap in slightly higher pitch. She was not like other singers who used to sing the Thumari-Composition in repertoire but sang Thumari, stage-songs or Bhavgeet in an equally legitimate way. She always preferred Banaras Thumari which is full of poise. 

She not only performed excellently in Hindustani classical music but also in Bhavgeet, Devotional songs (Bhaktigeet) and Stage-songs ( Natyageet). Actually she gained popularity by singing the Bhavgeets in her innocent and mellifluous voice and her commitment to music and politeness in her persona. Freshness in her voice struck every listener in the song like Savalach Rang Tuza. This helped her to develop her confidence in her music. Even after becoming a matured singer, she did not lose her musical evocation.  At the time of singing Bhavgeet, Manik Varma did not perform a thoroughly pre-composed song and her Bhavgeet singing was based on melodic change and had a northern touch in her music. Due to this, she received the respect of millions of music lovers in Maharashtra and all over India and she started ruling over the hearts of her audiences. Even today’s world, her immortal Marathi Bhavgeets such as Savalach Rang Tuza , Ghana Nila Ladiwala, Wajavi Pawa Govind, Hassale Mani Chandane, Tya Chitta Choratyala, Bhajans like Amrutahuni Goad, Kaushalya Cha Ram bai and Natyageet such as Khara to prema, Nath ha Maza , Narahar Krishna Saman have remained deep-rooted in the hearts of Marathi listeners.

For learning the Stage-songs, she wanted to learn the Marathi stage music from Marathi singer and stage actor Balgandharva but he said that he would teach her only if she is ready to act the role of Khanopatra in the devotional drama in which he was acting. Since Manik Varma was not interested in acting, she could not learn from him. Later on she learned the stage-songs and presented the first song Nath Ha Maza by bringing sweetness and emotional restraint.

During her tenure, she worked under many musical composers like Sudhir Phadake, P L Deshpande, Madhu Golwalkar and many others. She trained many students including Asha Khadilkar and Shaila Datar. She had been honoured by prestigious awards like Sangeet Natak Academy Puraskar, Maharashtra Gaurav, Ga Di Ma Puraskar, Lata Mangeshkar Puraskar and also honoured by civilian awards like Padma Shri in 1974. She truly deserved all the love and affection as a singer and also as a good human being.  She married Amar Varna who was a journalist and blessed with four daughters Aruna Jaiprakash, Bharati Achrekar, Vandana Gupte and Rani Varma.

Manik Varma died on 10^th November 1996 at the age of seventy. In her memory Manik Varma Pratishthan was established in Mumbai which presents the Manik Ratna Award to those who have given their contributions to the musical world.

Mumbai

31/10/2020