‘Raag appeals more to Chennai rasikas,’ says Sarod artiste Arnab Chakrabarty

Sarod artiste Arnab Chakrabarty talks about audience appreciation

Sarod artiste Arnab Chakrabarty performing at Crossroads in Chennai

Toronto-based Sarod artiste Arnab Chakrabarty seems to have felt the pulse of the Chennai audience. “They certainly know their music, although they may take Carnatic music more seriously,” he observes. Arnab describes how he sees differences in the way in which they listen to both streams. He feels that a large part of their appreciation for Hindustani music is for the raga and its aesthetics rather than for the lyric.

Arnab was sharing his thoughts post-concert on the second day of the Crossroads festival organised this past weekend at the Rasika Ranjani Sabha, Chennai. With him was the versatile Pt. Ravindra Yavagal, one of the finest tabla players in the country. He had come from Bengaluru for the event.

At 38, Arnab has 22 years of stage experience behind him, and his concert was heard with rapt attention by a gathering that could enjoy the aesthetics of his involved playing. About how he sees himself as a player of repute going up the ladder, he says, “I am all against hierarchies. And I don’t think frequent appearances at festivals is any marker of excellence.” And he is not in favour of soliciting opportunities to perform.

At the day’s recital, the artiste began with Raag Poorvi playing alaap, jhod and jhala. In a slow teen taal, the composition was exclusively created for the sarod. Hindustani music has set compositions for the precise language of the instrument, Arnab explained. That is, all compositions do not follow the themes of those used for vocals.

Smooth raga phrases

Beginning the elaboration of Poorvi with languorous strokes and glides on the strings, Arnab guided the phrases smoothly into the higher octave. Pt. Ravindra Yavagal’s tabla elevated the presentation, a fact acknowledged with frequent applause from the audience. Arnab eschews drama in his playing, and brings out both the soft and strong notes succinctly in a calm style. Perhaps he could enhance faster passages with more clarity.

As time was short, the artiste concluded with a composition in Raag Shahana, a gat in teen taal. “Time permitting, this composition would have been elaborate,” he later observed.

Arnab, who is playing in the city for the second time after 2011, says his favourite raags are those of the Kalyan and Bhilawal Thaat-s. He grew up in Mumbai learning from sarod exponent Brij Narayan, and later, Buddhadev Das Gupta. Arnab’s early training was rooted in the Maihar and the Shahjahanpur Gharanas. He has also trained under Kalyan Mukherjee, a master of the Shahjahanpur Gharana.