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Mogubai and daughter Kishori
and had given me a solid foundation of So she sent a counter-proposal to my father
Jaipur gayaki, and that I should never let it through Wamanrao, as to whether I would
lapse. She rose further in my heart, from the be willing to learn from her daughter, Smt
already high pedestal. Little did I know then, Kishori Amonkar, who then was just coming
that I was some day to become very heavily out of Maai’s wings, although she had been
influenced by her gayaki, and to become performing for some years already. I was
closely associated with her in my future life simply delighted, and could not believe my
almost as a family member! good fortune! So began my second phase
of training under Smt Kishoritai, and I had
Simply delighted the proud privilege of being her first ever
The next time destiny was to bring me disciple! As Kishoritai was living at Maai’s
towards Maai was when I had just recovered home then, those years of training did not
from the two years of agony when my escape the watchful eye and ear of Maai.
child’s voice matured into a man’s voice. By
this time Ustaad Majid Khan was getting Unassuming nature
on in his age, and I had to look for another The quality in Maai that always struck
Guru. I had the dream of learning from me was her humility and unassuming
Maai. My father was a friend of late Shri nature. Her simple and humble lifestyle
Wamanrao Deshpande, a disciple of Maai. was a sharp contrast with her Himalayan
So my father requested Wamanrao to put achievements in moulding the Jaipur
in a word to Maai. Wamanrao did this, but gayaki into a poetic, feminine, and heart-
reported that Maai was reluctant to take touching architecture. She always shunned
under her tutelage a young boy, as she was publicity, and stayed completely aloof
herself getting on in age, and already had from the politics of music that existed in
a number of advanced disciples. However, her days, however they minimal they were
amazingly, Maai remembered that childhood compared with today’s musical scene. She
encounter of mine with her, and had some harboured no malice towards anyone, even
kind of interest in, and sympathy for, me. towards those who might have been her
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #10 | APRIL 2020 31
