Did you know, thanks to the Britishers, we have the Violin in India?
They brought the Violin with them for their personal joy.
It entered South India first, where one of the South Indian musicians made a few technical changes, and used it to play solo, as well as an accompanying instrument to the vocalist.
Baba Allaudin Khansaheb was one of the early practitioners of the Violin to play North Indian music. Similarly in Maharashtra, Pt. Gajanan Bua Joshi is considered to be the first Violinist who developed it to play Raagdari on Violin. Pt. Shridhar Parsekar, Pt V.G. Jog, Pt D.K. Datar, Pt M.S. Gopalakrishnan and Dr N. Rajam are some of the legendary artistes who strived hard to give the Violin its rightful position on the classical music platform.
Pt. Milind Raikar disciple of Pt D K Datar and Gaansaraswati Kishori Amonkar, received his musical lessons early in life, from his father Shri Atchut Raikar. Being in Goa, when Milind was around 13 years old, he used to play the guitar and even earn from it.
To fulfil the wish of his father who asked him to switch over to the instrument that produces ‘pure notes’, and on which Indian classical music can be played, Milind chose to learn the Violin and learnt Western music from Father Camille Xavier and Prof. A. P. Dcosta.
Further, he learnt Indian classical music from Pt. B.S. Math, from AIR Dharwad.
In the year 1986, Milind received a scholarship and moved to Bombay, to learn advanced music from Pt. D.K. Datar and Pt Vasantrao Kadnekar. Around that time, Gaansaraswati Kishori Amonkar ji chanced to hear him play Hansadhwani and soon, she offered to train him in the Jaipur ‘Gayaki’ style. Milind then began learning from her twice a day, while simultaneously also learning from Pt. Datar.
Soon he began to accompany both his Gurus on the Violin, for concerts and recordings, both, in India as well as abroad.
Milind Raikar’s style of playing the Violin is laden with emotions and improvisations. He has mastered the bowing technique, and exhibits a seamless transition from one note to another. Yet another speciality is the variety he brings to musical phrases, by adorning each one uniquely. As he considers his concerts to be an offering to the Lord, he prefers to give more weightage to the ‘Raagdari’ aspect of his performances.
To Milind, every musical note is God to be revered, while his renditions touch hearts, making it a soulful experience. His command over aesthetics is commendable.
As a Guru at ‘mygurukul’, the students stand to gain immensely from his musical expertise.
Lastly, ‘mygurukul’ is delighted to welcome Pt. Milind Raikar ji, who is known to transport his audiences into a trance with his music, thus spreading peace to one and all.
