Gundecha Brothers
Encyclopedia
Umakant Gundecha and Ramakant Gundecha, known as the Gundecha Brothers, are leading Dagarvani dhrupad
singers. They always sing together.
into a Jain family.
They studied at the local Madhav Music College. Umakant has a post-graduate degree in music and economics and Ramakant in music and commerce.
They moved to Bhopal in 1981, for training under dhrupad master, Zia Fariddudin Dagar and his brother Zia Mohiuddin Dagar. These gurus were second cousins of the two major forces in the second half of the 20th Century, two duos known as the senior Dagar Brothers (Nasir Moinuddin & Nasir Aminuddin) and the junior Dagar Brothers (Nasir Zahiruddin & Nasir Faiyazuddin).
Umakant and Ramakant have good voices with strong lower registers. They have worked to expand the dhrupad repertoire by incorporating texts by Hindi
poets such as Tulsidas
, Padmakar and Nirala
.
They have set up a dhrupad institute outside Bhopal where they teach students from all over the world. They are probably the most recorded dhrupad singers.
They run a music school in the Dhrupad tradition, according to the guru-shishya style of teaching that was prevalent in India for teaching of the arts.
The Gundecha Brothers have come to be regarded as a third force on par with the senior and junior Dagars.
They have received M.P. Govt. Scholarship from 1981 to 1985, National Fellowship from 1987 to 89, Ustad Allauddin Khan Fellowship in 1993, Sanskriti Award in 1994 and Kumar Gandharva Award in 1998 by Govt. of Madhaya Pradesh and Dagar Gharana Award by Mewar Foundation in 2001.
Music Today (MCs and CDs)
HMV (MCs and CDs)
Naad Sugandh
Raga – Bihag , Night Melody- Raga
IPPNW – CONCERTS , Germany –1995
Raga - Komal Rishabh Asawari
Sense world Music, UK - 2003
Dhrupad
Dhrupad is a vocal genre in Hindustani classical music, said to be the oldest still in use in that musical tradition. Its name is derived from the words "dhruva" and "pada"...
singers. They always sing together.
Early life and background
Gundecha Brothers were born in UjjainUjjain
Ujjain , is an ancient city of Malwa region in central India, on the eastern bank of the Kshipra River , today part of the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the administrative centre of Ujjain District and Ujjain Division.In ancient times the city was called Ujjayini...
into a Jain family.
They studied at the local Madhav Music College. Umakant has a post-graduate degree in music and economics and Ramakant in music and commerce.
They moved to Bhopal in 1981, for training under dhrupad master, Zia Fariddudin Dagar and his brother Zia Mohiuddin Dagar. These gurus were second cousins of the two major forces in the second half of the 20th Century, two duos known as the senior Dagar Brothers (Nasir Moinuddin & Nasir Aminuddin) and the junior Dagar Brothers (Nasir Zahiruddin & Nasir Faiyazuddin).
Career
After training for four years, they performed in public for the first time in May 1985, at the Uttaradhikar dance and music festival in Bhopal.Umakant and Ramakant have good voices with strong lower registers. They have worked to expand the dhrupad repertoire by incorporating texts by Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
poets such as Tulsidas
Tulsidas
Tulsidas , was a Hindu poet-saint, reformer and philosopher renowned for his devotion for the god Rama...
, Padmakar and Nirala
Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala'
Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' was one of the most famous figures of the modern Hindi literature. He was a poet, novelist, essayist and story-writer...
.
They have set up a dhrupad institute outside Bhopal where they teach students from all over the world. They are probably the most recorded dhrupad singers.
They run a music school in the Dhrupad tradition, according to the guru-shishya style of teaching that was prevalent in India for teaching of the arts.
The Gundecha Brothers have come to be regarded as a third force on par with the senior and junior Dagars.
Recordings and Fellowships
They have recorded many cassettes and CDs by H.M.V, Music Today, Rhythm House, IPPNW Concerts Berlin, Navras and Audio Rec London. They have also sung for many television channels in India and have been broadcasted on British, U.S., German and French Radio as well. As well as being an integral part of all of India's prestigious music festivals, the Brothers have also performed at many important international music festivals and institutions in Europe, U.S.A, Australia, Singapore, Bangladesh, U.A.E and Hongkong.They have received M.P. Govt. Scholarship from 1981 to 1985, National Fellowship from 1987 to 89, Ustad Allauddin Khan Fellowship in 1993, Sanskriti Award in 1994 and Kumar Gandharva Award in 1998 by Govt. of Madhaya Pradesh and Dagar Gharana Award by Mewar Foundation in 2001.
Discography
Rhythm House(MCs):- Vol. 1, Raag- Bhimpalasi, Gurjari Todi, Malkauns
- Vol. 2, Raag- Bihag, Madhumad Sarang, Sohni
Music Today (MCs and CDs)
- Bhaktimala / Rama - Vol. 1
- Bhaktimala/ Shiva - Vol. 1
- Bhaktimala/ Hanumana - Vol. 2
- Bhaktimala/ Ganesh - Vol. 1
- Young Masters -Vol.1
- Raga - Shyam Kalyan and Jaijaiwanti
HMV (MCs and CDs)
Naad Sugandh
- Vol. 1, Raga - Bhupali, Puriya Dhanashri, Shankara
- Vol. 2, Raga- Jounpuri, Megh, Komal Rishabh Asawari
Raga – Bihag , Night Melody- Raga
IPPNW – CONCERTS , Germany –1995
- Raga- Darbari, Audio Rec - UK -1998
- Navras- UK (CD) - Raag- Yaman and Charukeshi
- Isha Music - Durga Kavach
- Raga- Komal Rishabh Asawari – Dhrupad Vocal, Sundaram Records- 2003
- DARSHAN
Raga - Komal Rishabh Asawari
Sense world Music, UK - 2003
- Raga- Bhairava – Dhrupad Vocal, Sundaram Records- 2003
- Dhrupad- Live of 19th Tokyo Summer Festival
- Arion Edo Foundation and Intoxicate Records
- DVD – Raga- Miyan Malhar, Megh, Shivaranjani,
- Malkouns, Adana
- Manthan- Lecture Demonstration on Dhrupad
- SPIC MACAY COMMUNICATIONS-2005
- Raga- Miyan Malhar– Dhrupad Vocal
- Raga Bageshri
- Raga Bilaskhani Todi
- Sundaram Records- 2004