It was a rare and emotionally inspired concert by Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia when he played on the occasion of “Shashthi-Purti”, the 60th birthday celebration of Pandit Rajendra Prasanna; the nephew of Pandit Bholanath Prasanna, his Guru of early years. The special event was organised by the disciples of Guru Rajendra Prasanna at the India Habitat Centre this past week.
Pandit Rajendra Prasanna hails from the Benaras Gharana and is a master of both flute and shehnai. Initiated into music by his grandfather Pandit Gauri Shankar and father Pandit Raghunath Prasanna credited to bring the flute into the Prasanna family; he was further groomed by his uncle Pandit Bholanath Prasanna and Pandit Vishnu Prasanna.
Cheered by a jam-packed Stein auditorium; Hariprasad Chaurasia blessed his younger Guru-Bhai with a memorable concert on his special day. After a long time one saw Chaurasia in his elements that evening, playing the flute the way only he could play. His admirable breath control and the magic of his “Phoonk” (controlled blowing technique) pervaded the melodiousness in whatever he played that evening.
Opening with Jait, a rarely heard pentatonic evening Raga of Marwa Thaat that omits Madhyam and Nishad; he played a reposeful Aalap, traversing the lower octave “Mandra-Saptak”, exploring the inner secrets of the challenging raga. His well-groomed disciple Devapriya followed him intently with remarkable sensitivity providing just the delicate touches of his “Nyas” Swaras in the corresponding scales. The detailed Aalap-Jod-Jhala in the main raga was followed with compositions in Rupak Tala of seven beats time cycle and Teental. Rashid Mustafa Thirakwa provided the tabla accompaniment with admirable restraint and joy.
The lilting Dhun in Khamaj set to Dadra was a comely contrast after the sombre Jait. Khamaj also had a faster traditional composition in Teentala where the most common raga like Khamaj was presented in the most uncommon way, reaching to the climax of an interesting “Sawal-Jawab” tete-tete with the brilliant percussionist.
The evening had opened earlier with the debut sarod performance of Rohan Prasanna, the gifted son and disciple of late Rakesh Prasanna, the first cousin of Pandit Rajendra Prasanna. The young artiste played raga Puriya-Dhanashri so well that Hariprasad Chaurasia invited him on the stage and offered him the rose-garland with which he was welcomed with!
