About Bal Gandharva

Narayan Shripad Rajhans (Marathi: नारायण श्रीपाद राजहंस), better known as Bal Gandharva (1888 - 1967) was a Marathi singer and stage actor. He was famous for his roles of female characters in Marathi plays, since women were not allowed to act on stage during his time. Bal Gandharva got his name after a performance in Pune as an aspiring singer. Lokmanya Tilak, the great freedom fighter and the grand old man of the Indian independence movement was in the audience, and after the performance, reportedly patted Rajhans on the back and said that Narayan was a \"Bal Gandharva\" (which means \"Young Gandharva\"). Narayanrao Bal Gandharva acted in numerous classic Marathi plays and was one of those who were responsible for making Sangeet-Natak (musicals) and Natya-Sangeet (the music in those musicals) popular among common masses. He was a disciple of