Main Nahin Makhan Khayo- Sangeet Martand Late. Pandit Omkarnath Thakur Ji
Channel: Vighnesh Shirdhonkar
Date: 2023-11-10

Song: Main Nahin Makhan Khayo
Singer: Late. Pandit Omkarnath Thakur Ji
Lyrics: Surdas Ji (Main Work - Sursagar in Early 15th Century CE)
Album: Sangeet Martand Late. Pandit Omkarnath Thakur
Label: EMI Columbia (Now, HMV Saregama)

About the artist:
Pandit Omkarnath Thakur Ji was the disciple of the Late. Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar Ji, along with Vinayakrao Patwardhan, Narayanrao Vyas, and D.V. Paluskar. He was the principal at Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Lahore and later became a professor at Banaras Hindu University. Pandit Ji, a renowned musicologist and performer, also worked on literary works, and basic Hindustani Classical Music Learners still use his Sangitanjali (Vol. 1-6). As he was born in Jahaj (a village in Khambhat which was formerly in the Princely State of Baroda), the Baroda Music College still remembers him by organising a music festival of 2 days in June to keep his memories alive. It is said that he used to sing with 4 Tanpuras behind him while singing.

Information Behind The Record:
It is now four years since the sweet roar of the giant amongst vocalists of Indian Classical Music was stilled forever. Those who had the good fortune to listen to him in person will forever remember his Regal Personality and his inimitable style. Disciple of Late Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, his profound knowledge and scholarship won him high praise and tributes not only in India but even in foreign countries. He, like his great Guru, catered classical music to the masses. While performing, he poured his very personality into his exposition, thereby transferring his emotionally packed rendering onto the listeners, and holding them spellbound in a celestial trance. Lovers and followers of his music are spread far and wide. On this disc is presented a very rare and scintillating performance of the great maestro. In bringing out this number on the solemn occasion of his 4th death anniversary, we pay our humble homage to his great memory and hope connoisseurs will listen to the performance with nostalgia.

About the song:

This is the Piece De Resistance. It narrates a story- an episode in the colourful life of Lord Krishna in his childhood. He is accused by the milkmaids of Brindaban of stealing their butter. Caught red-handed, his chubby face smeared with the loot, the culprit boy is taken to his mother by the offended milkmaids. A court of enquiry is held. The presiding judge is Yashoda- the divine mother of Shri Krishna- the accused.
The dramatic trial opens- with the denial of the charge by the accused "MAIYYA MORI- MAIN NAHIN MAKHAN KHAYO".
He did not have any legal luminary to represent him- so he decided to defend himself. His defence is presented on his side in a musical form by the maestro in such a convicting manner that, towards the close, Shri Krishna is acquitted honourably and absolved of all the charges levelled against him.
This entire drama is musically enacted by the maestro with virtuosity which he alone was capable of.

About the poet:
Surdas Ji was a poet from the Gaud Tradition. He was the disciple of Vallabhacharya Ji and was blind from his birth. It is said that during his last years, he narrated the basic rules and values of life to Bal Gopala (Lord Krishna in his childhood).

Note:

This record is meant to be heard for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is done. All the copyrights are owned by the Gramophone Company of India. Still, for any further questions, you can mail me at vighneshshirdhonkar@gmail.com