Damodar Hota


Pandit Damodar Hota is an Indian classical musician based in Odisha, India. He is an exponent of Hindustani classical music as well as classical Odissi music.

Background

A Top Grade artist of Doordarshan and All India Radio, he represents the traditional singing style of the Gwalior Gharana. He is a disciple of Padmashree Nada Maharishi Pt. Balwant Rai Bhatt and Sangeet Martand Pt. Omkarnath Thakur. His compositions bear the pen name 'Swara Ranga'.
Pandit Hota started his training in music from his father Gopinath Hota, who was an expert in Odissi music as practised in the Jaga-Akhadas of Puri and the Jagannath Temple. Gopinath was well-versed in both vocal music as well as playing the traditional percussion instrument used in Odissi music, the Mardala. Later he started training under Guru Nrusinghanatha Khuntia, who had learned Odissi music from the respected Adiguru Singhari Shyamasundar Kar of Puri. Guru Nrusinghanath taught him both Odissi as well as Hindustani classical music.
Pandit Hota was a student scholar of the Odisha Sangeet Natak Academy. He studied at the College of Music and Fine Arts at Banaras Hindu University. For his Doctor of Music degree, he was awarded the Pandit Mirashi Buwa Puraskar. Pandit Hota holds Madhyama Purna in Tabla and Visharad in Pakhawaj.
He served as senior faculty of Hindustani vocal music and principal at Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya.

Present

Pandit Hota has been teaching music in the gurukula tradition since 1963. He is the founder and chief guru of Swara Ranga, an institution of Hindustani Classical and Udra Paddhatiya Sangita. He has authored twenty books on practical, theoretical, and historical aspects of both forms of music, many of which are used as syllabus work across Odisha. The music society he founded organises frequent classical music programs. Since 2007, Pandit Hota has chaired the annual Tridhara National Music Conference which features Udra Paddhatiya music alongside the Hindustani and Carnatic forms.

Publications

  1. Kisora Chandrananda Champu Lahari
  2. Udra Paddhatiya Mela Raga Tala Lakhyana
  3. Lakhyana O Swara Malika Lahari
  4. Srimandira Sangeeta Mala
  5. Sangeet Shashtra
  6. Bharatiya Sangeeta Ra Itihasa
  7. Udra Paddhatiya Mela Raga Tala O Prabandha Lakhyana
  8. Hindustani Sangeeta Lahari