A Tribute to Pt Prabhakar Dhakde ‘Guruji’
Legendary violinist, music composer and mentor for generations of Sahaja Yoga musicians from around the world ‘Surmani’ Pt Prabhakar Dhakde passed away on Saturday evening aged 74.
A Tribute to Pt Prabhakar Dhakde ‘Guruji’
‘Range De Jhini’ – ‘Guruji’ performing in the presence of HH Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi in Brisbane Ashram March 1990.
Inherited music from his father
Born on October 25th, 1949 in Armori (Gadchiroli) Pt Prabhakar Dhakde inherited music from his father. He first learned classical vocal, violin, harmonium and tabla, and later studied under legendary vocalist, Pt Jagdish Prasad. He became a renowned and revered music teacher and also a major artist for All India Radio, developing his own unique vocal style to violin playing and a spontaneous approach to raga performance.
Pt Prabhakar Dhakde ‘Guruji’
Joined forces with ‘Babamama’
As fate would play a major role in his life, the paths of two legends crossed when he met and joined forces with ‘Babamama’ and they became lifelong collaborators as well as great friends for over 40 years. Under the auspices of HH Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, they formed the music group Nirmal Sangeet Sarita and the Late P.K. Salve Academy of Music and Fine Arts, Nagpur, where Guruji introduced and trained generations of Sahaja Yogis in the deep traditions of Indian classical music in the fields of singing, violin, harmonium, tabla and composition.
Babamama with Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
A Yogi’s recollection…
“A conduit for chaitanya to inspire and bring joy”
“I recall being in Nagpur a few weeks prior to the annual Christmas Puja at Ganapatipule. Babamama had written a new set of devotional poems and was reading them out to Guruji for the first time. Sitting at the harmonium, Guruji would take each line of poetry and compose a melody. Very quickly the lines would be combined into the verses and choruses of a new song. Within a matter of hours, the music for a new album was composed. The singers and instrumentalists were also there to learn the new songs in the process. Then it was off to the recording studio for a few days to record the new album. At Ganapatipule, a master copy was offered to Shri Mataji and the new bhajans, ghazals, hymns and qawwalis were performed live for the enjoyment of Sahaja Yogis. It was a beautiful experience to witness this creative flow that was repeated for more than a decade and resulted in a unique body of devotional music that is a conduit for chaitanya to inspire and bring joy to so many around the world.”
Supporting Shri Mataji
Musicians and Yogis from across the Sahaja Yoga world have paid tribute to Guruji not just for his inspiration he provided but also as a mentor. Also for his humility, quiet intellect, his encouragement, for his dedication to and the promotion of Sahaja Yoga culture through music. Guruji also dedicated his energy, efforts and activities touring the world with Nirmal Sangeet Sarita supporting Shri Mataji with Her mission to promote and advance Sahaja Yoga throughout the world.
A Yogi’s recollection…
“…Immediately created a melody and sang”
“In 1995, I was fortunate to be at Shri Mataji’s public program with thousands of seekers at a sports stadium in Kolkata. Guruji, Chaya and Sandesh were there to provide music. After Her speech, Shri Mataji asked Guruji to sing something on a poem by Kabir. Without any prior preparation, not knowing the poem from memory and being blind, Chaya had to read the words from a book into Guruji’s ear, who then immediately created a melody and sang whilst accompanying himself on harmonium, with Sandesh improvising a tabla accompaniment. The resulting flow of chaitanya was truly mind blowing. Although Guruji was a trained vocalist and teacher, he very rarely sang in public. On the rare occasion that he did, it was on Shri Mataji’s request or just for Sahaja Yogis.”
Share and communicate the universal culture of the spirit
One of Pt Prabhakar Dhakde’s greatest achievements is that Yogis throughout the world came to love and appreciate the traditions of Indian music through his playing, by inspiration and the sharing of his art. While he spoke little English and was from a culture and tradition foreign to many at that time. Guruji was able to share and communicate the universal culture of the spirit for which he dedicated his whole life towards and for which he proved that he was more than sufficient to help inspire the Sahaja Yoga world and to which his legacy will continue to do so, even while he rests in eternal peace.
A Yogi’s recollection…
“I can tell from the sound of your footsteps”
“A great soul and a beloved brother. We had the great privilege during a Tour to host Baba Mama, Guruji and the rest of Nirmal Sangeet Sarita at our home. A very joyful time with all of them and for me, still amazing to have such blessings showered upon us all. One morning my daughter walked silently into the room, where Guruji happened to be sitting. He immediately said to her “Hello , how are you?”
“How did you know it was me?” my daughter asked him, to which he replied,
“I can tell from the sound of your footsteps”. His ear was pitch perfect, as his attention was always listening to the Divine Music of the Cosmos…. Such an inspiration to us all.”
Guruji is survived by his wife Urmila and their adult sons, Mangesh, Kaushik and Vishal and their families. May he rest in peace at the Lotus Feet of Our Divine Mother.
With love,
Australian Council and Life Eternal Trust
Tribute from Vishwa Nirmala Dharma Italia
To Guruji!
We pay homage to the greatest musician the Sahaja family has ever had. His music, his ragas, the melodies that have always adorned the pujas we offer to Her, his humility, his genius and his greatness have been and will long be the most beautiful vehicle to fly the devotion of all Sahaja Yogis and Sahaja Yoginis to the lotus feet of our Mother.
You have been a teacher for all of us, the most beautiful bridge between the art of music and its source, Shri Mataji.
Guruji’s Sahaja Yoga Work
- Europe Tour, Sponsored by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, 1988.
- UK, Switzerland, Turkey, Austria, France, Germany & Italy, Sahaj Yoga Concert Tour Sponsored by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, 1989.
- Australia, 1990.
- Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Turkey, UK & USSR, Sahaj Yoga Concert Tour Sponsored by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, 1990.
- Japan, (Tokyo, Armori, Kochi) 90 FESPIC Concert for All Human Beings Sponsored by Ministry for foreign Affairs, Government of Japan, 1990.
- Australia, & Singapore (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra & Cairns,) Sahaj Yoga Concert Tour Sponsored by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, 1991.
- Italy, Austria, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland & USSR, Sahaj Yoga Concert Tour Sponsored by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, 1991.
- UK, France, Austria, Switzerland, Poland & USSR, Sahaj Yoga Concert Tour Sponsored by Life Eternal Trust, 1992.
- Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Russia, Sahaj Yoga Concert Tour Sponsored by Life Eternal Trust, 1993.
- Italy, Sahaj Yoga Concert Tour Sponsored by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, 1994-95/96/97/98/2001.
- Portugal & Germany, Sahaj Yoga Concert Tour Sponsored by Life Eternal Trust, 1997.
Awards
- Lions Club , Wardha – Certificate of appreciation, 5th Oct 1969
- Sur-Singar Academy 1983The National Federation of the Blind Maharashtra, Bombay, 25-2-1984.
- Sanskrutik Karya Sanchanalaya, Maharashtra Rajya- 12th Vividh Kala Mahautsav-1998
Life Eternal Trust 1988 - Bharat Sarkar-Aakashwani, Nagpur Sanman Patra 1993
- Sanaskar Bharati Saman Patra 1998
- Indian Classical Violin (AIR) 1999
- Rashtriya Apang Kalyan Sanstha (NOF), Amravati. “Apang Seva Puraskar”, 25th March, 2001
Swar Sohada, Nagpur Sahar Trishtabdi 2002 - Rashtriya Ekta Sadbhavna Gourav Puraskar, 2002
- Amrut Mahautsav Chatur Sangeet Mahavidyaliya, Nagpur 2002
- Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar , Kalayan, Mumbai-2002
- Ekta Seva Bhavi Sanshtha, Maharashtra, Sanman Patra, 28th OCT.2002
- Marathi Rangbhumi Satkottar Suwarana Mahautsav Nirmit-Bhavya Natya -Kirtan Mahautsav-2004
- Musician Federation Of India -2006Yashantrao Chauvahan Social Forum, Nagpur 2007
- Composer Grade-1, 2007, AakashwaniSunrise Peace Charitable Trust, Nagpur 2007
- Nagpur Mahautsav Aayogan Samiti,( (Nagpur Mahanagar Palilka) Nagpur-2012
- Vidharbha Gourav Puraskar, Raja Raghuji Maharaj Bhosle 2012
- Vasant –Jaishri Sathe Smriti Prathisthan, Puraskar Sohada 2012
Babamama with Nirmal Sangeet Sarita and Guruji – Public program Sydney 16th March 1990
Nirmala Kiti Varnavi by Nirmal Sangeet Sarita – Violin: Pt Prabhakar Dhakde ‘Guruji’