My Guru, My Art

The Guru-Shishya parampara has been integral to the learning of Indian classical dance and music art forms: a deeply immersive and rigorous tradition that holds its own even in the modern context. A profound emotional and spiritual bond forms between teacher and student, through which not just the practice and knowledge of art, but also a way of life is transmitted down the generations. The Guru goes beyond the imparting of technicalities and nuances of art to shape and hone the Shishya’s voice, indeed, the artistic identity. The Shishya, part of a lineage that connects to the Guru’s Gurus, connects the past with the future, carrying this tradition to a new generation of artistes and audiences.

This series, My Guru, My Art  takes an intimate look at this tradition and hopes to capture for posterity the stories of how the magic is created. Conversations between two artistes, Guru and Shishya, will explore their personal histories of learning a classical art form, sharing memories of interactions with their teachers, inspirations, influences, anecdotes of compositions and teaching moments, punctuated by music to illustrate the stories.

Join us as Pandit Vinayaka Torvi and Dhananjay Hegde converse about their artistic journeys. Pandit Torvi will reminisce about his experiences in the Gurukul system, studying with Pandit Gayanacharya Gururao Deshpande (the doyen of Gwalior Gharana) and Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, and of managing his various roles as a performing artiste, a Guru to several students, and his career as a bank manager. Dhananjay Hegde has studied with Pandit Torvi for over three decades and will take us through facets of his musical journey.

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