Shobha Gurtu (English: Shobha Gurtu; born- 8 February, 1925, Karnataka; died- 27 September, 2004, Mumbai) was a famous singer of Indian classical style. His original name was ‘Bhanumati Shirodkar’. She was a classical artist who made the Thumri style of singing famous throughout the world. Shobha Gurtu is called the ‘Queen of Thumris’. Apart from Thumri, he also helped in saving the existence of sub-classical styles like Kajri, Hori and Dadra etc.
Gurtu was born on February 8, 1925 in Belgaum district of Karnataka. His mother Menekabai Shirodkar was also a dancer and learned singing from Ustad Alladiya Khan of Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana. Shobha Gurtu got the inspiration to learn classical music from her mother. He received his primary education in music from Ustad Bhurji Khan Saheb, son of Ustad Alladiya Khan. After this, the training he received from Ustad Natthan Khan, nephew of Ustad Alladiya Khan, strengthened the foundation of Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana in his tunes. But his singing got a new direction and identity under the tutelage of Ustad Ghamman Khan, who came to live with his family in Mumbai to teach his mother Thumri, Dadra and other classical styles.[1]
Shobha ji was married to Vishwanath Gurtu of Belgaum, whose father Pandit Narayanath Gurtu was a senior officer of Belgaum Police. Along with this, he himself was a music scholar and sitar player. Trilok Gurtu, the youngest of the three sons of the Gurtu couple, is a famous percussionist.
Shobha ji had a good command of pure classical music, but she gained fame in the country and abroad for the sub-classical styles like Thumri, Kajri, Hori, Dadra etc., in whose survival she played a special role. Later, she became known as ‘Thumri Queen’ for her mesmerizing Thumri singing. She sang not only with her throat but also with her eyes. From one song to another, she used to change her emotions like the characters in a poem, whether it was emotional or rejected by her lover or flirtatious or flirtatious. His singing was greatly influenced by Begum Akhtar and Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Sahab. He presented many of his programs with Kathak dancer Pandit Birju Maharaj, in which the ‘abhinay’ part of his singing was especially used.[1]
Shobha Gurtu also sang songs in many Hindi and Marathi films. He got the opportunity of playback singing for the first time in Kamal Amrohi’s film ‘Pakeezah’ released in 1972. In this he sang a Bhopali song ‘Bandhan Bandho’. After this, in 1973 he sang ‘More Saiyan Bedardi Ban Gaye Koi Jao Manao’ in the film ‘Phagun’. Then in 1978, in the film ‘Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki’ directed by Asit Sen, Shobha ji sang a thumri ‘Saiyan Ruth Gaye Main Manaun Kaise’, which became very famous.
Shobha ji remained famous as the ‘Queen of Thumriyas’ for almost five decades. On September 27, 2004, this star of Hindustani classical music named Shobha Gurtu passed away.[1]
