My Initiation Into Music

 This was originally posted on my Facebook page on January 10,2021

Astrology had a considerable influence on Baba. When I was born the astrologer commented that I would be blessed with a sweet voice and would be drawn to music. Ever enthusiastic Baba was a new father and he decided he would not waste any time so as to not delay his daughter’s education. He started placing a transistor in her cradle so she could hear the musical notes and her ears would be trained from that age.

Fast forward 6 years and he took me to Pune to buy a new harmonium from H.V. Mehendale & Sons. We had taken a bus that morning and were back by evening. Baba had carried the box on his head from the bus stand to our home.

I started playing the instrument at that age. I was truly fond of learning new compositions every single day. When Baba opened his PolyClinic on our premises around 1974 or so, we would have visiting doctors from Pune Mumbai on a regular basis. One such specialist was Dr Anamika Pandit, a pediatrician from Pune. I found out she was a harmonium player. Every time she visited I would catch hold of her when she didn’t have a patient to see and make her teach me a new bandish in a new raga. To this day I remember the Bhimpalasi, Malkauns and Bihag compositions that she taught me.

The harmonium is with me even today. One of my cherished possessions. A token of my father’s love for me. It tells the story of the dream he saw for his daughter and the efforts he took to make it come true.