It was a function with a difference. The centre of attraction: Ms Gangubai Hangal, a doyen of Hindustani music. The occasion: 71st year of her singing career.

All India Radio, Karnataka had organised a function “Akash Ganga” at ‘Ganga Lahari,’ Dr Hangal’s residence at Deshpande Nagar in Hubli to mark the event and her association with All India Radio, Dharwad for more than five decades.

The break
Hangal, as usual went down memory lane, recalling her bond with All India Radio, Mumbai that gave her a real break in late ‘30s. “I have studied up to fifth standard at Rashtriya School in Kamankatte area. I,along with my friends was taken to render invocation at the inauguration of the historic Congress convention held in 1924 in Belgaum.

During that occasion, I had the privilege of seeing great personalities like Mahatma Gandhiji from a very close distance. I became a graded artist in AIR, Mumbai without any gradation test. I was getting Rs 25 for each programme which was subsequently increased to Rs 50 and Rs 75.

In those days, the railway fare was just Rs 8.50 per person between Hubli and Pune and Rs 1.50 from Pune to Mumbai. My main purpose of going from Hubli to Mumbai was to see that people of Hubli listened to my songs on radio as there was no AIR station in this region. In my first performance, my name was mentioned as Gangubai Hublikar and I cannot forget that even today”.

The singer said more opportunities came after the Central government set up the All India Radio station in Dharwad in 1956 and “Vande Mataram was rendered by myself, Bhimsena (Pandit Bhimsen Joshi) and Mallikarjuna Mansur on the inaugural day. Since my childhood days I have been scared of examinations. I used to be scared whenever some Akashvani centre asked me to appear for the gradation examination. After seeing my achievements, many  AIR stations across the country invited to inaugurate their stations”.

Recalling another incident, Dr Hangal said once she was invited by All India Radio, Delhi to give a performance and reached the station early in the morning. The gate keeper asked her and her troupe to wait near the gate and offered his chair till the station staff arrived.

The station director who happened to be from north Karnataka came in a car, saw them sitting in the gate keeper’s chair and took the gate keeper to task for insulting the great artiste.

“Although, I have given umpteen number of performances in AIRs, till today I do not know how to switch on and switch off the radio. During those days, All India Radio used to broadcast music programmes of reputed artists across the country simultaneously; but such a practice is not  followed anymore.  My visit to different AIR stations had two mottos-one to see tourist places and another to have darshan of different Gods.

The Ganga
Once, I had been to Varanasi where they asked me to take bath in River Ganga. First of all, I am not used to take bath in cold water. But I finally took bath by taking the name of Lord Eshwar.

During my seven decades of musical career I have visited several countries including Pakistan,” the doyenne of Hindustani music recalled. Later, she released a CD brought by All India Radio to commemorate the occasion.