As the music world celebrates the centenary of Hindi film musician
C Ramchandra, the city too is recalling its association with the composer and his strong ties with Nagpur. Ramchandra Chitalkar, as was his name, was born in Ahmednagar but stayed here as his father, a railway employee, was posted in Nagpur as station master of Ajni station some time in the 1920s.
"Ramchandra was eight years old when his father moved to Nagpur," says writer Prakash Eidlabadkar who has researched the composer's ties with Nagpur. "The family lived at Sangam Chawl and Ramchandra went to New English High School in Sitabuldi," he says.
The director, who composed music for more than 100 films, got his initial training from Shankarrao Sapre whose other illustrious disciple was Vasantrao Deshpande. "Ramachandra stayed in Nagpur for less than a decade but he cherished those years and loved to entertain those who came from Nagpur," says Dr Shrikant Chorghade whose father Waman Krishna Chorghade, an eminent Marathi writer was a close friend of the composer.
"My father first met Ramchandra in Mumbai and they became good friends. In fact, Ramchandra would say that their friendship was very deep and way above the fact that one was an imminent writer and the other a popular music composer," said Dr Chorghade.
Recalling the times when he was studying medicine in Mumbai in 1962, Dr Chorghade says, "When I visited him on weekends he would treat me to sumptuous and spicy meals."
It was at the residence of Ramchandra that Chorghade says he met many Bollywood luminaries. "That was the time he was composing the song 'Aey mere watan ke logon' and poet Pradeep would frequently visit his home," Chorghade recalls.
Ramchandra visited Nagpur very frequently, especially during the winter session of the Legislative Assembly. "He would be accompanied by his good friend, poet Gajanan Madgulkar. During those visits he would also come to our home. Once when my mother was not keeping well, he came to see her and sang many songs on her request. My father wrote in his memoirs that he sang the thumri, 'Ghir aayee badariya', and that the sitting went on till 3am," says Chorghade.
In 1974, when Chorghade invited Ramachandra to inaugurate his clinic the music director was hospitalized following a heart attack. "He came later and we had a get together at the place of former vice chancellor PL Bhandarkar," said the doctor.
Describing the large heartedness and simplicity of the composer, Chorghade adds, "He and my father would go to Raj Bhandar on West High Court Road to have kachoris and sit on the bench outside the shop and chat. There was a paanwala named Mukesh opposite the shop and they would finish the meeting with a paan from him."
Harmonium player Pt Manohar Chimote too was a good friend of Ramchandra says his son Natchandra Chimote. "They met in Mumbai and became good friends when my father told him that he was from Nagpur. My father always praised him for his adroitness with both Indian and western instruments and style," says Chimote.
It is the music which keeps Ramchandra connected with the city. "PT Lule who worked in Reserve Bank of India and was also a trustee of New Bhide High School was an ardent fan of the composer and came in contact with him when he invited the music director for the centenary celebrations of the school. After that Lule began a competition based on Ramchandra's composition and we held the 34th edition of it in January this year," says Sharad Padhye, the vice president of Bankers Sports Council which organizes the event.
Dr Sudhir Bhave too has researched about the composer and his music. "The brilliance of his composition comes out best in songs sung by Lata Mangeshkar. He had a great ear for music and would often criticize the best of musicians for being off-key," says Bhave.
RAMACHANDRA'S BEST 10
Yeh zindagi usi ki hai jo kisi ka ho gaya (Anarkali)
Ae Mere watan ke logon
Dheere se aa ja re akhiyan mein (Albela)
Katatay hain dukh mein ye din (Parchhaain)
Tum kya jaano, tumhari yaad mein (Shin Shinaki Bubala Boo)
Aankhon mein sama jao is dil mein raha karana (Yasmin)
Kitna haseen hai mausam (Azaad)
Koi kisi ka deewaana na bane (Sargam)
Jaag dard-e-ishq jaag (Anarkali)
Mehfil mein jal uthi shama (Nirala)
Shola Jo Bhadke (Albela)
Eeena Meena Dika (Aasha)
Mere Piya gaye Rangoon (Patanga)
Bholi surat dil ke khote (Albela)
Meri Jaan Sunday ke Sunday (Shenai)
