Madhavrao Valavalkar was born in Sangli and faced the loss of his parents at a young age, subsequently raised by his maternal uncle in Zarap village. He completed his primary education there, using Marathi as the medium of instruction. At the age of fourteen, he relocated to Mumbai, where he worked as a clerk from 1904 to 1914. His initial salary was Rs.8 per month, and the job involved maintaining accounts in the Modi script, requiring long hours of dedication. During this time, he resided in the Lohar Chawl, also known as the Princess Street area.
Madhavrao developed an interest in theatre early in his Mumbai journey. In 1908, he witnessed Bal Gandharva perform the role of Subhadra at the Bombay Theatre. At that point, his salary had increased to between Rs.15 and Rs.20, yet financial constraints made it difficult for him to afford a ticket. Despite this, he attended the performance and caught snippets of two songs from the play while standing in the corridor.
In 1913, his passion for music led him to join Anant Manohar Joshi’s Guru Sangeet Vidyalaya. Within days of his enrollment, Joshi recognized Madhavrao's talent and physique, prompting him to suggest a career in theatre for potential financial gain and fame. He invited notable figures from the Lalit Kaladarsh Natak Mandali, including Keshavrao Bhosale, to audition Madhavrao. Bhosale offered him the role of Narada in the play Soubhadra, with terms of employment to be determined thereafter. Madhavrao trained daily from 8 to 10 a.m. while continuing his clerical job until noon. However, he hesitated to pursue theatre due to societal perceptions of actors.
In 1914, Bhosale made another attempt to engage Madhavrao in theatre, and this time, he accepted the invitation to join the Lalit Kaladarsh Natak Mandali. After taking a month’s leave from his clerical job, he moved to Amravati, where Bhosale offered him a salary of Rs.40 per month. His previous experience as an accounts clerk was beneficial, as he earned an additional Rs.10 for maintaining the company's accounts. The theatre company also provided lodging and meals.
Initially, Madhavrao took on the role of sutradhar (narrator) in various productions, portraying characters such as Vasishta in Ramrajya, Narada in Soubhadra, and Sharvilak in Mricchakatika. Over the course of a year, he received training in vocal music, stage presence, and performance techniques, primarily under the guidance of Keshavrao Bhosale. During his tenure with Lalit Kaladarsh, he gained recognition for his performances in plays like Hach mulacha baap and Sanyasacha sansar. However, in 1920, after a disagreement in Solapur, he left the company and returned to Mumbai to join the Gandharva Natak Mandali, where he would remain for thirty years. At the time of his departure, his salary at Lalit Kaladarsh was Rs.110.
Joining the Gandharva Natak Mandali in 1921, Madhavrao began his journey with a role as Shukracharya in the play Vidyaharan. His portrayal of Krishna, however, earned him significant acclaim. Around 1931, he took on the role of Chokhoba, which deepened his devotional sentiments. After retiring from theatre, he developed a fondness for harikirtan and began performing kirtans.
Throughout his long association with the Gandharva Natak Mandali, Madhavrao encountered numerous memorable experiences. In 1925-26, during a music conference in Ahmedabad organized by Narayanrao and Shankarrao Vyas, he represented the Mandali after Vinayakrao Patwardhan was unable to attend. While in Baroda for Sayajirao Gaikwad's birthday celebrations, Madhavrao also engaged with life at the Sabarmati Ashram, where he connected with Narayan Khare, a disciple of Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, who had set bhajans to various raags.
Madhavrao's resilience and strength are evident in his own accounts. In 1937, he performed at a concert for Faiyaz Khan despite the reluctance of his peers to face the eminent artist. He also stepped in for an unwell actor, demonstrating his preparedness and eliciting enthusiastic applause from the audience, even while battling a high fever.
Known for his beautiful voice, clear speech, and strong physique, Madhavrao celebrated his 70th birthday at the Laxmi Baug Hall in Mumbai, attended by notable figures including historian N.R. Phatak, Bal Gandharva, harmonium player Vitthalrao Korgaonkar, music director Vasant Desai, and lawyer Sushil Kavlekar.
References:
G. F. Aajgaonkar (ed.), Abhinayapatu Natavarya Madhavrao Walawalkar, (Marathi), Prabhodhan Research Association, Mumbai, 1983. (This source contains an autobiographical note by Madhavrao Walawalkar.)
Biographical note prepared by Aneesh Pradhan.
