Deenanath Mangeshkar

Dinanath Mangeshkar
Background information
Also known as	Master Dinanath Mangeshkar
Born	29 December 1900 Mangeshi, India
Died	24 April 1942 (aged 41) Pune, India
Genres	Classical, semi-classical, Natya Sangeet
Occupations	Singer, Marathi film producer

Dinanath Mangeshkar (Marathi: दीनानाथ मंगेशकर) (December 29, 1900 - April 24, 1942) was a well-known Marathi theatre actor, a renowned Natya Sangeet musician and an exceptional Hindustani classical vocalist.

He was also popularly and reverentially addressed as Master Deenanath Mangeshkar. He is also the father of well-known singers Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, and Usha Mangeshkar as well as composers Hridayanath Mangeshkar and Meena Mangeshkar.

Background

Dinanath Mangeshkar Dinanath Mangeshkar, popularly known as Dina, was born at Mangeshi, Goa on 24 December l900.^[1] His father's name was Ganesh Bhatt Abhisheki,who was a Brahmin and served as priest at the famous Mangueshi Temple,and his mother was Yesubai.^[1]Yesubai Rane,his mother belonged to Devadasi,community of Goa,(now known as Gomantak Maratha Samaj).She occasionally sang at the temple festivals and had an erring genius for music.Dinanath's father surname was Hardikar whose family bathed(see:Abhisheka) the Linga of lord Shiva at Mangueshi temple,thus they were known as Abhishekis.Dinanath adopted the surmes Mangeshkar which means from the village of Mangeshi in Konkani.^[2]

Career

Dinanath Mangeshkar started taking singing and music lessons from Shri Baba Mashelkar at the age of five. He was also to become a disciple at Gwalior school. In his youth, he traveled to Bikaner and took formal training in classical music from Pt. Sukhdev Prasad, father of Pt. Mani Prasad, of the Kirana Gharana. He joined the Kirloskar Sangeet Mandali and the Kirloskar Natak Mandali at the age of 11. Later, he left Kirloskar Mandali, and formed Balwant Mandali with his friends Chintamanrao Kolhatkar and Krishnarao Kolhapure. This new group had Gadkari's blessing, but shortly after the group was formed, Gadkari died in January 1919.

Dinanath's good looks and melodious voice won him popularity on the Marathi theatre. So much so that the then giant of the Marathi stage, Bal Gandharva publicly declared that he would welcome the entry of Deenanath in his organization "by throwing a carpet of rupee coins under his feet".

During the period of 1935, he produced 3 films, one of them being Krishnarjun Yuddha. It was made in both Hindi and Marathi, and a song from it, sung by and filmed on Dinanath. Dinanath also studied Indian classical music music under Ramkrishna Vaze. He also studied astrology.

Partly out of his interest in astrology and numerology, he believed that dramas with 5 letters, with anuswar on the third letter, were lucky for him. Examples : Ranadundubhi (रणदुंदुभी), Rajsanyas (राजसंन्यास), Deshkantak (देशकंटक).

He was the first musician to openly defy the British Empire by performing and singing songs penned by Veer Savarkar in the presence of the British Viceroy, in Simla.

Personal life

First Marriage

Dinanath's first wife was Narmada (later renamed "Shrimati" by her in-laws). She was the daughter of Seth Haridas Ramdas Lad - a prosperous businessman of the town of Thalner(between Dhule and Jalgaon(Khandesh), Maharastra. Dinanath and Narmada were married in 1922. Dinanath changed his wife's name to 'Shrimati'. She was 19 at the time and Dinanath was 21.

They had a daughter named Latika, who died in her infancy. Dinanath's wife died shortly after.

Second Marriage

Dinanath's second wife was his first wife's sister. Her name was Shevanti. Some sources claim that Dinanath named his second wife 'Shrimati' as well. Some have her name as 'Shuddhamati'.

The marriage of Dinanath and Shevanti was solemnised at a quiet ceremony within the house in 1927. Shevanti's mother chose not to attend.

Dinanath and his second wife had five children: Lata, Meena, Asha, Usha, and Hridaynath.

Their first child was named Hridaya. But Dinanath called her Lata in memory of his deceased daughter. The name stuck and it is by that name that his legendary eldest daughter, Lata Mangeshkar, is known today.

Shrimati was also called "Mai" at home.

The Surname

Dinanath was determined to take his first step in his professional life with a distinctive surname. So, he chose the last name Mangeshkar. The surname was derived from name of his family deity - Shri Mangesh (an Avatar of Lord Shiva) located at Mangeshi, Ponda, Goa.

Death

Dinanath took to alcohol during the days of financial hardship in 1930s. After being ill for a few weeks, he died in Pune in April 1942. He was 41.

His family has erected a hospital and research center in his name in Pune.

Theatrical Productions

Some of his theatrical productions, in which he sang, composed and starred too, are

• Manapaman (मानापमान) (written by K.P. Khadilkar)
• Ranadundubhi (रणदुंदुभी) (written by Veer Vamanrao Joshi)
• Punyaprabhaav (पुण्यप्रभाव)
• Sanyasta Khadga (संन्यस्त खड्ग) (written by Veer Savarkar)
• Rajsanyaas (राजसंन्यास) (written by Ram Ganesh Gadkari)
• Deshkantak (देशकंटक)
• Ram Rajya Viyog (रामराज्य वियोग).

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Cabral e Sá, Mário (1997). Wind of fire: the music and musicians of Goa. Promilla & Co.. pp. 373 pages(see pade 166). ISBN 8185002193, 9788185002194. 
2. ^ Bhimani, Harish (1995). In search of Lata Mangeshkar. Indus. pp. 331 pages (see pages :47-48). ISBN 8172231709, 9788172231705. 

External links

• Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital,Pune

Persondata
Name	Mangeshkar, Deenanath
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	29 December 1900
Place of birth
Date of death	24 April 1942
Place of death