A music university where guru is still ‘God’

Lucknow: The time -honoured mentorship system known as Guru Shishya Parampara ( master-disciple tradition), which was an intrinsic part of ancient Indian education system and a unique and innovative pedagogical approach to imparting knowledge, may be on the decline elsewhere, but in the city of etiquette Lucknow, it is still very much alive and practised to the core in Bhatkhande Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya (BSV), a renowned music university. This is perhaps one of the reasons this university has produced several musical maestros who have made a name for themselves.

Music is an art form that transcends time and connects generations. Through this Guru Shishya Parampara, the BSV students imbibe the essence of what they are taught.

Respect comes foremost--in India a seat of education has been considered a temple and a teacher next to God. As soon as a student enters the BSV premises in the morning, he or she touches the ground as a mark of respect for the seat of learning and then seeks blessings of Goddess Saraswati ( Goddess of learning and music) and then the guru. The same routine is followed at the end of the day.

As per the Guru Shishya Parampara, a guru transcends subject knowledge and serves as a mentor to the pupil for life. In olden times, a music guru used to tie the ‘ganda’ (ceremonial thread) to mark his acceptance of a disciple. The disciple would then stay with the guru till he or she learnt all the important aspects and nuances of the art form. Some famous music ‘gharanas’ still follow this.

The most important part of this tradition was the devotion and respect of a disciple for his/her guru which continues in BSV till date.

Talking to HT, head of the vocal department, Srishti Mathur said, “When students enter our classroom, we give them an idea about the tradition and how it helps them in life.

“Abiding by the tradition they not just learn to be humble and gain knowledge of their subject but also get an insight into life . They eventually understand that they might learn to sing using YouTube and other social media platforms but it is their guru who would provide a detailed knowledge about swar and taal.”

She also shared that this tradition helped in creating a never-ending bond between teachers and their students.

Assistant professor of kathak and examination controller Ruchi Khare said that the university tried connecting the students to their roots. “This tradition allows the students and teachers to connect rising above all materialistic things in life. We also try instilling virtues like humility, mutual respect and patience which are taking the back seat these days. We play different roles for them, at times we help them as their parents or their elder siblings and while imparting knowledge in the classroom we are teachers,” said Khare.

Shweta Tiwari (24), an MPA kathak student who lives in a hostel, said that everyday she not just learned kathak but a way of living. “Living away from home, I never feel left out even a bit. Anytime I need help my guru is always there . After joining BSV I have undergone several changes, including emotional and mental ones, due to the training imparted by my guru,” said Tiwari.

Shweta Rajvanshi (29), another MPA kathak student who is also a lecturer of journalism in a private institute, said that learning from a guru is not just from a 30-minute class, for it continues throughout the day. “In the fast progressing world when we find it difficult to be calm, our guru helps us in becoming more patient in life. We not just receive knowledge about our subject but also a legacy which is being passed on from generation to generation,” said Rajvanshi.