Deenanath Mangeshkar

Deenanath Mangeshkar (; 29 December 1900 – 24 April 1942) was a well-known Goan Marathi theatre actor, a Natya Sangeet musician and a Hindustani classical vocalist. He is also the father of well-known singers Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Meena Khadikar and Usha Mangeshkar as well as composer Hridaynath Mangeshkar.He’s father of many popular artists. Background Pt. Deenanath Mangeshkar, popularly known as Dina, was born at Mangeshi, Goa on 29 December 1900. His father, Ganesh Bhatt Bhikoba (Bhikambhatt) Navathe Hardikar (Abhisheki) was a married Karhade Brahmin who served as priest at the famous Mangeshi Temple in Goa. His mother Yesubai Rane was his father's mistress belonging to the Devadasi community of Goa, which is now known as Gomantak Maratha Samaj. Born in Mangeshi village, he later, in his teens, adopted the surname "Mangeshkar," which means "of Mangesh." Mangesh is also the name of the deity worshipped in the Mangeshi Temple. As a Devadasi, Yesubai was a reputed musician. Deenanath's father's surname was Hardikar, whose family performed the Abhishekam (ritual bathing) of the lingam of Shiva at Mangueshi Temple, thus they were known as Abhishekis. The father of the Indian vocalist Jitendra Abhisheki was Deenanath's half-brother. Career Deenanath Mangeshkar started taking singing and Indian classical music lessons from Shri Baba Mashelkar at the age of five. He was also to become a disciple at the Gwalior gharana. He was fascinated by the variety and aggressive style of Ramkrishnabuwa Vaze and became Vaze's gandabandh shagird (formally initiated disciple in Indian classical music). In his youth, he also travelled to Bikaner and took formal training in classical music from Pundit Sukhdev Prasad, father of Pundit Mani Prasad, of the Kirana Gharana. He joined the Kirloskar Sangeet Mandali and the Kirloskar Natak Mandali at the age of 11. Later, he left Kirloskar Mandali, and formed Balwant Mandali with his friends Chintaman Ganesh Kolhatkar and Krishnarao Kolhapure. This new group had Ram Ganesh Gadkari's blessing, but Gadkari died in January 1919 shortly after the group was formed.