Kashinath Shankar Bodas

Pandit Kashinath Bodas was a rare combination of superb performing vocalist, composer, and a devoted teacher of the art of Hindustani classical music. Kashinath’s father, the late Pt. Shankar Shripad Bodas, was a disciple of the late Pt. Vishnu Digambar Paluskar. Kashinath was at the beginning attracted to the tabla which he soon mastered, thereby aquiring a full understanding of of the intricate rhythms associated with our musical heritage, Turning later to vocal music, in his formative period Kashinath not only received intensive training in the traditional Gwalior style of singing from his father, but he also had the benefit of guidance from Pt. Laxmanrao Bodas, his uncle, who was also a disciple of Pt. Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, Pt. Balwantrai Bhatt of Banaras and Pt. Prahladrao Ganu of Bombay. Thus Kashinath developed into a vocalist in the Gwalior style rendering with equal ease forms varied as the khayal, the tarana and the bhajan. But what really modernized Kashinath’s outlook toward music is his association with Pt. Kumar Gandharva. Guidance from Pt. Kumar Gandarva has had a deep influence on Kashinath’s style. He taught many students. Among them are some of the artists of today; namely, Ranjani Ramachandran, Rachna Bodas, Sushma Bajpai and Manu Srivastava. Perhaps the best-known today is his younger sister Smt. Veena Sahasrabuddhe.