Pandit Puttaraj Gawai is an most popular Indian musician in the Hindustani classical tradition, a scholar who has authored more than 80 books in Kannada, Sanskrit and Hindi, a music teacher and a social servant.
A member of the Gwalior Gharana (school), he is renowned for his ability to play many instruments such as the veena, the tabla, mridangam, voilin etc, as well as for his popular renditions of devotional music (bhajans) vachanas. He is the recipient of the Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian honour, awarded in 2008.
Pandit Puttaraj Gavai passed away today at his ashram “Veereshwara Punyashram” in Gadag, in north Karnataka. Born in 1914 he was 97 at the time of his death. He was admitted to KLE Society hospital 2 weeks ago as he was suffering from respiratory problem and had kidney failure. His condition deteriorated as he failed to respond to treatment at a hospital in Belgaum.
As per his last wishes the musician, Puttaraj Gavai was shifted in a well-equipped ambulance accompanied by a team of doctors to his ashram last Monday in Gadag. Shivalinga Shastri Siddapura, a preacher at the ashram, spoke to a News channel that Gavai’s condition remained better than on Monday when he was shifted from the hospital.
Pandit Puttaraj Gawai has authored over 80 books on spirituality, religion, history as well as biographies of many ‘sharanas’ of the Bhakti movement of the 12th century. He has authored books in Kannada, Hindi and Sanskrit. Some of his important works are listed below .
Books on Music
- Sangeet Shastra Jnana
- Tabla Shikshaka
- GuruSudha Part 1 & 2
Books in Kannada
- Akkamahadevi Purana
- Haveri ShivabasavaPurana
- Ankalagi Adavi Siddeswara Purana
- Huchala Guru Siddeshwara Purana
- Purathanara Purana
- Veerabhadreshwara Purana
- Kalikeri Guru Mahima Purana
- Sharana Basaveshwara Purana
Books in Sanskrit
- Shrimat Kumara Geetha
- Kumareshwara Kavya
- Shri Linga Sooktha
- Tatparya Sahit Sri Rudra
- Panchakshara Suprabhata
Books in Hindi
- Basava Purana (President Award winner)
- Siddha Linga Vijaya
- Sidhantha Shikamani etc.
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