Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | NXg | Friday Review | Cinema Plus | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

CHAT CORNER

Meeta Pandit

As a cultural ambassador…

I was sent as a cultural ambassador of India to Pakistan during SAARC 2004. The meet was held at Islamabad and I had a fabulous concert. It was the most happening thing as the organisers there wanted to hear the present generation of the Pandit family, having great regard for my father and grand father and the Gwalior tradition. The people there loved our inimitable Tappa and wanted more of these workshops as it was a problem for them to come to India because of visa. On another occasion my father and I gave several lec-dems at Lahore and in Islamabad under different forums and realised how music is instrumental in building bridges and bridging gaps.

As a part of ‘An Artiste in Residence program’ in 2003, I was invited by the Government of France and was able to collaborate with artists there. The high point was the collaborative work with the well known Jazz pianist Allie Delfau. We had concerts in 11cities in India and also performed in Chennai.

As a part of the underlying gap between the artist and the audience, I am presenting a music appreciation series called ‘Swar Shingar’ on World Space, whose brand ambassador is A.R.Rahman. It is an Indian classical channel called ‘Radio Ghandharv’ and a great opportunity to interact with the audience. When I perform, I just sing but here I can connect with the listeners and also sing. While I dwell on the nuances, I also either demonstrate the style myself or make them hear the recordings of all time greats.

I also did a breakfast show for DD1 called ‘Sunehre Pal’ in Subha Savera where I would present a film song and then render a classical piece in the same raga. This was really enjoyed by the viewers.

A film was made by Prasar Bharati and public service Broadcasting Trust in 2004. It was titled ‘Meeta Pandit – Linking a Tradition with Today.’ It was an amazing film, in the sense, it speaks about artists like me living in free India without patronage. While the film shows me as a normal person going to college, it also gives snippets of live concerts done by me, and preparation that goes before the concert. We also had taken live sessions of classes held under Guru-Sishya Parampara in both Gwalior and Delhi. You know my great grand father Pandit Shankar Rao enjoyed the patronage of the Scindia family and was a name to reckon with. This movie establishes that link between generation and tradition.

I have participated in almost all the prestigious music festivals such as the ITC Sangeet Sammelan, Tansen Festival, Ganga Mahotsava, Sawai Ghandharva Music Festival, Swami Harballabh Festival, spirit of Unity Concert, Sriram Shankar Lal Music Festival, Sangeet Natak Akademi’s Swarnotsava, Jahan-e-Khusro, etc. and have also performed extensively in Europe, U.S., Russia and Bangladesh.

I am a fitness freak, love to do yoga, swim and jog and also advocate pranayam.

I take ten students every year both from India and abroad and in the gurukul parampara style, I teach them and also give them abundant chances to perform at home and in small gatherings. This commitment to the society is most important for me as due to a personal tragedy in 1994 when I lost my brother Tushar in a car accident the whole burden of imparting the Gwalior tradition fell on my shoulders. I also completed the Ph.D programme which was originally begun by my brother. It was, ‘The Contributions of Pandits of Gwalior to Hindustani Music.’

Yes, it is a passion with me and though my first concert was at the age of nine it was at the Sankat Morchan famous Hanuman Temple in Banaras, at fifteen in an overnight performance that I started my musical score.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail