Q. The first Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, a music training school, was set up in 1901 by Vishnu Digambar Paluskar in
(a) Delhi
(b) Gwalior
(c) Ujjain
(d) Lahore
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Answer & Explanation:
✅Correct Answer: (a) Delhi
Explanation:
The first Gandharva Mahavidyalaya was established in 1901 by Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, one of the most renowned figures in the revival and popularization of Hindustani classical music in India.
Vishnu Digambar Paluskar was not only a gifted vocalist but also a visionary reformer who wanted to bring classical music to the masses. At a time when music was largely confined to royal courts or to hereditary families of musicians, he aimed to democratize music education and free it from caste and class barriers.
In pursuit of this mission, he founded the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya in Lahore in 1901 (now in Pakistan). This was the first institution of its kind to offer structured music education to people from all walks of life, including students who had no family background in music.
The school was revolutionary because:
- It introduced systematic training in Hindustani classical music with a well-organized curriculum.
- It aimed to restore dignity to the field of music, which was, at the time, often looked down upon by conservative society.
- It also promoted the use of music in nationalist and spiritual movements, with Paluskar even composing a widely sung version of “Vande Mataram.”
Although Gandharva Mahavidyalayas later opened in other cities like Delhi, Gwalior, and Mumbai, the first and original one was founded in Lahore.