The Chennai edition of the Akashvani Sangeet Sammelan (2019), a much-awaited annual event among music lovers, featured two concerts – a Hindustani sitar recital by Pt. Harvinder Kumar Sharma followed by the Carnatic vocal recital of vidushi T.S. Rama. In an age of dwindling audiences, it was heartening to witness a full-house turnout at the All India Radio’s in-house auditorium on the Marina in Chennai.
The first concert showcased the distinctive vision of Pt. Sharma from Jalandhar, Punjab. Hailing from a family of classical musicians, the sitar exponent, who was initially trained by his father, Pt. Megha Raj Sharma and later by Pt. Jitender Kumar and Pt. R.D. Verma, went on to become a direct disciple of the legendary Ustad Vilayat Khan.
Accompanied by Rupak Bhattacharjee on the tabla, the artiste embarked on a detailed exposition of raag Barwa, the main piece of the evening. A relatively rare raag, similar to Desi (a morning raag), Barwa is considered Desi’s evening counterpart. Derived from Kafi thaat, Barwa follows a shadav-sampurna scale and employs both nishadhs. The presentation comprised alap, jod and jhala, succeeded by a masitkhani (slow paced) gat in teen tal and a razakhani (drut) gat in teen tal.
True to form, Pt. Sharma’s strings nurtured the gayaki ang that is at the heart of the Imdadkhani gharana, with the expansive course charted by the alap illuminating mesmerising episodes at every turn. His was a narrative of strength laced with gentleness that voiced the unexpressed in mandra saptak prayogas that cruised through alternating nishadhs, with reflective pauses, before heading for fruition at the adhar shadja. While rishabh-gandhar sancharas were brushed by pathos, the madhya saptak opened up shining pathways to the tara saptak, milestoned by vadi-samvadi ( ri - pa ) linked sancharas in which meend was a thing of beauty.
Delightful surprises
If alap tapped into emotive wellsprings, the imperceptible transition to jod and jhala with its masterful medley of rhythmic-melodic statements, held you equally rapt. Gliding into the madhya lay-drut cusp, the layakari matrix was subtly woven in, punctuated by two tabla interludes in which Rupak Bhattacharjee’s solo skills garnered rasikas’ appreciation. On the menu were misra, khanda and tisra permutations with delightful surprises thrown in, in the form of corresponding melkala snippets which were stars glinting from the little interstices into which they had been artfully manoeuvred. As pace revved up to the drut, the mirror imaging of phrases in lower and higher octaves complemented cascading taans in which clarity continued to rule.
The concluding Himachal folk tune-based Pahadi air was one from the heart. Its laid-back charm transporting one to gently lapping waters and rustic quietude, the melody spoke volumes for the artiste’s eclectic approach.
The programme will be broadcast on November 11 at 10 p.m. on Chennai 1 and FM Gold channels.
