Mumbai's Century-Old Musical Shop Moves To New Address

Dadar's iconic 'Haribhau Vishwanath Musical' has been frequented by legends like Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Lata Mangeshkar, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Pt. Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Shankar Mahadevan and Avadhoot Gupte

Mumbai: The 'Haribhau Vishwanath Musical', which stepped onto the centenary with a legacy in classical music, will soon move to a new address in the Prabhadevi from Dadar here.. The decision has taken aback musicians and music aficionados alike.

Started by Haribhau Vishwanath in 1925 from a shop with a paper shed in the area west of Dadar Railway Station, the shop churned out legends in the music industry.

Regarding the decision to change location, Dinesh Divane, the proprietor said, "Haribhau Vishwanath is a musical instrument shop. Who would want to change a hundred-year-old shop in a prime location like Dadar? We must have been helpless, right? Although the location is prime, there are crowds of hawkers, the noise of vehicles and no space for walking. Where will the customers park their cars? This is a big question. The most important issue is that when a person visits our shop to either buy a musical instrument or try it out, he can't hear the sound of the instrument properly due to noise. How will the shop continue amid such hustle and bustle? Therefore, we are compelled to relocate to Prabhadevi."

The shop has been an identity of Dadar and legends like Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Lata Mangeshkar, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Pt. Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Shankar Mahadevan and Avadhoot Gupte frequented it. "Haribhau Vishwanath's shop has a very important place in my musical journey," Mangeshkar said.

"The location in Dadar was iconic for Haribhau. However, it faces many difficulties due to the narrow road. Many celebrities who visit this shop find it difficult to commute and park their vehicle," Mahadevan said.

The shop has a deep connection with legendary music director Padma Bhushan Naushad Ali, who composed popular songs like 'Do Hanso Ka Joda', 'Madhuban Mein Radhika Naache' and 'Nanha Munna Rahi Hoon', which is still played on Independence Day and Republic Day.

A sixteen-year-old Ali used to stand outside the shop looking at harmoniums as he could not afford them. Seeing him frequenting the shop, Haribhau Vishwanath, the owner, called him to know more about his curiosity. Ali gathered courage and told Vishwanath about his love for music and his inability to buy instruments. Seeing his passion, Vishwanath gave him a harmonium worth Rs 40.

"Give whatever you can," Vishwanath told Ali, patting him on the back.