The first Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, a music training school, was set up in 1901 by Vishnu Digambar Paluskar in
- Delhi
- Gwalior
- Ujjain
- Lahore
Answer: (d) Lahore
Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar
Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar (1872–1931) was one of the most influential figures in the revival and popularisation of Hindustani classical music in modern India. He played a pioneering role in institutionalising music education, which earlier was largely confined to hereditary musicians and royal patronage.
Paluskar believed that classical music should be accessible to the wider public rather than restricted to courts and elite circles. To achieve this, he introduced a structured system of music education through formal institutions.
Establishment of Gandharva Mahavidyalaya
- On 5 May 1901, Vishnu Digambar Paluskar founded the first Gandharva Mahavidyalaya at Lahore.
- The institution aimed to systematise the teaching of Hindustani classical music and promote it among the general public.
- It offered formal training, music notation, and organised teaching methods, which helped standardise music education.
The establishment of Gandharva Mahavidyalaya marked an important transition in Indian music history, as it shifted music learning from the traditional guru–shishya household system to institutional education.
Contributions of Vishnu Digambar Paluskar
- Popularised bhajans and devotional music, including the widely sung “Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram.”
- Played a significant role in standardising the tune of “Vande Mataram.”
- Worked to revive and democratise Hindustani classical music by making it accessible to students from different social backgrounds.
Later, several branches of Gandharva Mahavidyalaya were established across India, continuing his mission of promoting classical music education.
Thus, the first Gandharva Mahavidyalaya was established in 1901 at Lahore by Vishnu Digambar Paluskar.