Late Pt. Krishnakant Shukla – A die hard proponent of Hindustani Classical Music.

Ujjain – The temple city gets a classical music proponent

In the late 1960s, in the city of Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India, a neighbourhood musical weekly event got kicked off under the able leadership of Late Pandit Krishnakant Shukla – Avantika Saptahik Sangeet Goshti.

The objective behind this weekly event was to provide a platform for rising stars to showcase their talents as well as learn from experienced musicians.

Brainchild of Pandit Shukla – a respected and eminent Hindustani Classical singer, teacher, composer – the objective behind these events was to veer the youths and masses away from the rage of pop culture and Bollywood influence and generate their interest in the pure Hindustani Classical Music.

Hosted at the homes of music lovers and enthusiasts, these events became a platform for eminent music teachers, singers (accomplished and budding), percussionists, to perform, interact and hold music related discussions guided by the veterans.

This continued successfully for 7-8 years and developed in the locals, a respect and interest for the pure and classical form of art, music and dance.

The purpose had been achieved.

A master of Ragas, a Classical composer and a violinist, harmonium and tabla player.

Pandit Shukla was a diehard and committed teacher and proponent of the Hindustani Classical Music and a highly respected and known figure among the pure form of music lovers in Ujjain and Indore.

A violinist, tabla and harmonium player, an exceptional singer, composer and a dedicated teacher, Krishnakant had music running in every vein of his body.

Guruji (as he was known among his students)  had mastered over 250 ragas and had a profound and deep knowledge of Hindustani Classical music. He composed music for more than 2000 songs, ghazals and bhajans which were and are still sung by many of his students and singers at national and international platforms.

The Guru Shishya Parampara – Hindustani culture

An embodiment of the Guru Shishya Parampara, he taught his students selflessly, often without any compensation.

A simple, humble person with a luminous smiling face, his life revolved around ragas, taal, sur and swaras, but he never made ‘music’ a source of earning.

His source of income was his job at the Municipal Corporation, Ujjain.

His students speak –

One of his friends and student – Mr. Trivedi, recalls –

Pt. Shukla’s dedication to music was such that during his last days, when he became immobilised and bed ridden, the sporadic movements of his body came only in response to songs sung by his family members or students. A spiritual person he considered music as a ladder to reach the higher realms of divinity.

Mahesh Moyal, another student fondly remembers –

Guruji’s house was always open for the students. Many times they would stay late, share meals with his family, sleep and stay as long as they wanted to.

He recalls –

Guruji’s students shared a personal relationship with him. The relationship went beyond that of a teacher and a student. They would find a friend, a guide and a philosopher in him. Their struggles and problems would melt in his presence.

Mahesh Moyal, now an accomplished singer with his own channel and facebook page, https://www.youtube.com/c/2MStudioIndia/featured, says –

I won several national and regional competitions like Close up Antakshri, Sa Re Ga Ma and many others, where I sang compositions penned by my Guru who would often accompany me to the competitions and fight for me, if he felt that the decision was not fair.

Pandit Krishnakant Shukla – Lineage

Pt. Krishnakant owed his lineage to a family of artists from his maternal side. His initial tutoring in the nuances of Hindustani classical music came from his maternal Grand Father Pt. Shri Nanuram ji Sharma, a famous orator and artist of the pre independence period.

It was the era, when ‘cinema’ had not yet cast its strong spell on the Indian art lovers.

‘Kathagayan’ or the practise of reciting the ancient folk and religious stories in the form of songs and prose was very popular.

However, only few artists such as Nanuramji had such a stronghold that the cinema halls used to shut down in the cities, where Nanuramji went for ‘katha’.

Such was Nanuramji’s devotion to the folk art, that he turned down the offer to work as an actor in Bollywood.

His father Pt. Hari Vallabh Sharma, was a musician who followed the Dhrupad form of Hindustani Classical singing.

Krishnakantji got tutored by veteran music teachers like Ramakant Dube, Parulekar Sir, and Pt. Pramodji Shastri.

A violinist initially, he started playing tabla and harmonium with the same expertise and gusto. An equally good singer, he performed at various musical events under the guidance of Pt. Shridhar ji Vyas.

Nad Gunjan – the Legacy continues-

In the year 1975 he established an institute ‘Naad Gunjan Musical’ in Ujjain and started teaching vocal and instrumental music. His unquenchable thirst for listening to different forms of music made him travel to cities like Delhi, Indore, Katni, Bhopal and Gwalior.

Later when the family moved to Indore, he continued teaching music under the banner of Naad Gunjan. He tutored scores of singers many of whom are now well known and are now established performers. Mr. Rajesh Joshi, Ms. Namita Mahurkar , Mr. Mahesh Moyal, Mr. Harish Moyal, Mrs. Archana Tiwari, Mrs. Kalpana Bhojak, Mrs Madhuri Jain and Ms. Mitali Hardikar to name a few from among his long list of students.

When he crossed his 60s he took Brahmacharya and wore only white clothes. He took to the heavenly abode on 5th May 2022.His legacy is taken forward by his son Sanjay Shukla who now runs the Naad Gunjan musical institute – NadGunjan Musicals