Jaltarang Vidushi Shashikala Dani is a Hindustani Musician. She is presently the only female performing Hindustani exponent of a unique instrument – Jaltarang. She is a multi-instrument artiste with concert and teaching experience for over four decades. She is an All India Radio graded artiste both in Jaltarang and Light Vocal Music. Her magical Jaltarang performances are spread across several genres viz. hindustani classical, semi-classical, light music, and folk music. Her mastery over Jaltarang has been witnessed and appreciated by musicians and connoisseurs at various places across the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradhesh, Maharashtra, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Arunachal Pradesh.
Media Coverage (Interviews and Documentary) on DD News
Awards
- ‘Karnataka Kalashri’ Award from Govt. of Karnataka, India
- ‘Gaan Ganga’ Award from Padma Vibhushan Dr. Gangubai Hangal
- ‘Kittur Rani Chennamma’ Award from Govt. of Karnataka
- ‘Mareyada Manikya’ Award from Ashakiran Kala Trust®
- ‘Giants Music Ratna’ Award from Giants Welfare Foundation
- ‘Scholarship’ (twice) by Karnāṭaka Sangeet Nrutya Academy.
Biography
Shashikala was born in Kalaghatagi, a village in the district of Dharwad in the Karnataka State of India, to Rukmini and Dhondiba Warang. Born in a musical family, she started learning music at a tender age from her guru, her father Pandit D. R. Warang. Growing in the atmosphere of music, she imbibed the nuances of Hindustani music all through her childhood as she accompanied her guru (father) to his music classes and concerts.
Shashikala has earned a Bachelor of Arts and currently lives in Hubballi, married to Shri Arun Dani, son of eminent Journalist, T.S.R. Awardee late Shri Surendra Dani. Being the only female performing Hindustani Jaltarang artiste, she overlooks all the severe drawbacks of the instrument during her play. After being employed in State Bank of Mysore for 33 long years, presently she is one among the countable number of Jaltarang artistes, striving hard to preserve, develop, and promote this unique instrument.
Versatile Musician
Shashikala is a daughter & disciple of multi-faceted Musician and Tutor, Pandit D. R. Warang. Being so, she was fortunate to receive training in Vocal and multiple instruments of Indian Hindustani Music viz., Harmonium, Sitar, Tabla, Violin, Flute, Dilruba, and Jaltarang. Being a gifted and talented girl, she grasped the technicalities of all the instruments at a very early age of 15. She performed at numerous concerts showcasing her talents in these instruments. Particularly fascinated by Jaltarang, she decided to dedicate & develop her classical music career in Jaltarang, as per instructions of her guru.
After having done many experimentation with Jaltarang, Shashikala has imbibed both Gayaki & Tantrakari ang-s in her playing style. Being trained under Gwalior gharana, she has also developed multiple other styles over the years. Her specialty is Layakari which is a never-miss master-stroke during her concert. Audience get mesmerized watching her play Jaltarang with such ease. She has gained mastery in an instrument which is considered as one of the most rare musical instruments in Indian Music.
Hard-times & Sports Career
Struggling from a non-supportive financial background, Shashikala was bound to take charge of her family since her teen age. She had to set aside her musical studies to financially assist her family by working in several part-time jobs. These emotional struggles rather made her strong and determined towards pursuing higher-education. But seeing the financial condition of her family, it was not evident for her to even think of it. Apart from Music and Academics, Shashikala was a Kho-Kho and Kabaddi champion during her school days. This came-in as a boon to her to get an admission into SJMVS Women’s College under sports quota, to pursue her Pre-University Education.
Shashikala’s sports journey evolved and apart from getting championships in Kho-Kho and Kabbadi, she became the most-recognized athlete in the twin city of Hubballi-Dharwad, exclusively under long-distance running (400m, 800m, 1500m and cross-country running). Based on her achievements in Sports, particularly in Track and Field category of Athletics, she was invited to pursue her graduation in Arts under sports quota and was also selected into the Relay team by Karnataka University. Her selection brought-in laurels during inter-university tournaments after which she was awarded with the prestigious University Blue.
Shashikala never pursued Sports at the cost of her academic & musical studies. With an unparalleled intelligence and strong commitment, she ranked First in her graduation in Bachelor of Arts under Karnataka University, and later was recruited to State Bank of Mysore. With an immense passion & dedication towards Hindustani Classical Music, particularly in Jaltarang, she bagged the prestigious Annual Music Scholarship by Karnataka Sangeeta Nritya Academy, twice, during her graduation period.