As a Devadasi, Yesubai often sang and danced at temple events and festivals. She is said to have had an unerring genius for music. Deenanath's father's surname was Hardikar, whose family performed the Abhishekam (ritual bathing) of the lingam of Shiva at Mangueshi Temple, thus they were known as Abhishekis. Deenanath adopted the surname Mangeshkar, which means from the village of Mangeshi in Konkani and Marathi.