Deenanath Mangeshkar

Deenanath Mangeshkar (29 December 1900 – 24 April 1942) was an Indian actor, a Natya Sangeet musician and a Hindustani classical vocalist who was active in Marathi theatre.

He is also the father of well-known singers Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Meena Khadikar and Usha Mangeshkar as well as composer Hridaynath Mangeshkar.

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 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.

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.

Deenanath's good looks and melodious voice won him popularity in the Marathi theatre.

So much so that the then giant of the Marathi stage, Bal Gandharva publicly declared that he would welcome the entry of Deenanath in his organisation "by throwing a carpet of Rupee coins under his feet".

Deenanath and Narmada were married in 1922.

She was 19 at the time of their marriage and Deenanath was 21.

They had a daughter named Latika, who died in her infancy.

Deenanath's wife also died shortly thereafter.

Deenanath's second wife was his first wife's sister.

Her name was Shevanti.

Some sources claim that Deenanath renamed his second wife "Shrimati" as well, however it is widely agreed that in reality, he renamed her "Sudhamati".

The marriage of Deenanath and Shevanti was solemnised at a quiet ceremony within the house in 1927.

Shevanti's mother chose not to attend.

Deenanath and his second wife had five children: Lata, Meena, Asha, Usha, and Hridaynath.

Their first child was named Hema.

But Deenanath called her Lata in memory of his deceased daughter.

The name stuck and it was by that name that his legendary eldest daughter, Lata Mangeshkar, was widely known.

Deenanath took to alcohol during the days of financial hardship in 1930s.

He produced 3 films in 1935, one of them being Krishnarjun Yuddha.

It was made in both Hindi and Marathi, and a song in the film was sung by and filmed on Deenanath.

Mangeshkar had also studied Indian astrology.

Partly out of his interest in astrology and numerology, he believed that dramas with 5 letters, with anuswar (diacritical) on the third letter, were lucky for him.

Examples : Ranadundubhi (रणदुंदुभी), Rajsanyas (राजसंन्यास), Deshkantak (देशकंटक).

The dramas produced by Deenanath were extremely popular amongst the masses due to his masterly presentation of the songs composed by Vaze and their patriotic content.

Deenanath's first wife was Narmada (later renamed "Shrimati" by her husband).

She was the daughter of Gujarati Seth Haridas Ramdas Lad – a prosperous businessman of the town of Thalner (between Dhule and Jalgaon (Khandesh), Maharashtra).