The three-day Delhi Classical Music Festival comes to an end at Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi. The festival, which began on 10 February, 2023, was organized by the Delhi Government’s art and culture branch, Sahitya Kala Parishad, and featured various maestros playing on a same stage.
The first performance was by one of the world’s leading and most innovative percussionists and composers’, world renowned Tabla maestro Pandita Anuradha Pal. She dazzled the audiences with a scintillating performance of her unique musical innovation titled ‘Anuradha’s Tablas Sing Stories’. This fan favourite musical offering featured an interactive rhythmic dialogue between the traditional repertoire of 6 Tabla Gharans as well as contemporary stories from everyday life as well as Indian mythology, establishing an instant rapport with the masses. In celebration of Maha Shivratri, Pandita Anuradha Pal also presented a special performance dedicated to Lord Shiva, that she has conceptualised and composed.
This performance was followed by another mesmerising presentation on Sarod by the famous brother duo Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash. Their association with Sahitya Kala Parishad dates back to the year 1991 so it’s indeed a full circle to return to perform for them. They presented traditional Ragas and taals for the occasion. The last performance of the evening was by Hindustani classical vocalist and Tabla artist Nitin Sharma. Nitin started his initial training of North Indian Classical Vocal Music under the guidance of Great Guru Pandit Krishna Kant Jha from the age of 6 in his home town Jhansi Uttar Pradesh. After completion of diploma in Hindustani Vocal and Tabla and lots of basic Taleem and Manners of Music, Nitin went to Mumbai for learning from Great Vocal Maestro Pandit Ajay Pohankar in 2004 where he learnt about all the Gharanas like Kirana, Patiala, Sham Chourasi, Gwalior etc, Improvisation of The Raag, Performing Techniques, Riyaz Patterns and Techniques, Voice Through, Voice Modulation, Listening Music, etc.
The Delhi Classical Music festival saw some amazing artists from day one. The celebration began on the first day with a mesmerizing performance by Padma Shri Sumitra Guha, where she presented , “Maa tanga tanaye madhushali,” set in Jhaptaal in Raag Hansdhwani. Followed by “Kaise jau tumhare paas oo giridhari” set to Teentaal in Raag Hansdhwani. She concluded the performance with her own composition “Maane na mann mera” in Raag Kaushik Dhwani set in Drut ektaal. The next performance was by ace flautist Pt. Ronu Majumdar where his presentation was in Raag Bageshri in Taal Jhaptaal and Teentaal. The composition was in Alap Jor Jhala and later Bandish Jhaptaal Vilambit and Drut Teentaal. The event concluded with a duet performance by the Mohan brothers, Lakshay and Aayush Mohan. They played a jugalbandi of Sitar and Sarod in the style of Indian Classical Music’s Maihar Gharana. They began with a brief Alaap and Jor in a very rarely heard Raga called Sindhura. Following that, they performed two pieces set to slow and rapid Teen Taal in the same raga. The performance featured several “sawal – jawab” segments of Sitar and Sarod, which were the centerpiece of their playing style. They ended the concert with a Pt Ravi Shankar composition in Raga ‘Tilak Shyam’ set to Teen Taal. Pt Ramkumar Mishra on Tabla and Dr N. Padmnabhan on Mridangam gave accompaniment.
On the second day, renowned singer Sudha Raghuraman started the evening with her Carnatic concert with Jaya Jaya Swamin in Raagam Nattai and Talam Adi composed by Narayana Teertha in praise of Lord Ganesh. The main piece of the concert is a kriti by Papanasam Sivan in Ragam Mohanam and Talam Adi in which Lord Shiva is described. This was followed with the evergreen popular Krishna Nee Begane in Ragam Yamuna Kalyani and Talam Misra Chapu. Sudha ji concluded her concert with a Tillana in Ragam Tilang and
Talam Adi composed by Violin maestro Lalgudi.G. Jayaraman. The second performance was by Tantri Samrat Pandit Salil Bhatt, the creator of ‘Satvik Veena’ and he displayed his virtuosity and command over his Veena during his performance. Pt. Salil Bhatt presented raga Jog, one of the most popular ragas. He was accompanied by Pt. Ramkumar Mishra on Tabla. Pt. Salil Bhatt played the traditional alap, Jod alap, jhalaa, vilambit and drut compositions set to teen taal. The last performance of the evening was by versatile Santoor player Rajkumar Majumdar where he played Raag Kirwani. Starting with Aalap followed by Jod and Jhala which was without Tabla. He later played two compositions, first one is in Rupak Taal followed by second composition in Teen Taal along with Tabla. Rajkumar Majumdar was accompanied by Sh. Durjay Bhoumik, an eminent Tabla player of Delhi.