The magic in music happens only when the artiste serves it with love and joy and the listeners receive it with the same spirit” believed Pandit Ravi Shankar and it was proved time and again during the lovely biopic on the man and his music, screened during the “Classical Music & Dance Festival” held in celebration of the 97th birth anniversary of the legend at the Ravi Shankar Centre in New Delhi. The festival was also dedicated to his disciple late George Harrison.
One could feel the aura of Panditji’s esteemed spirit pervading the whole ambiance during the festival that concluded with a melodious surprise when one of his senior disciples Arun Bharat Ram played sitar.
As he could not even sit on the floor, a seat was provided for him but when he opened with the aalap-jod in Ramdasi Malhar, his totally tuneful meends encompassing several notes captured the attention of audience. After this impressive rendering of this raga that he learnt from his revered Guru, he switched over to Khamaj and offered a slow and a medium tempo composition accompanied by Uday Majumdar on tabla. He, for a change, treated the romantic raga seriously, which is normally used for lighter veins like the Thumri-Dadra or a Dhun. But for missing the ‘Sam’ after a Taan or Tihai, the mature sitarist exhibited complete command on his instrument and his music.
Sonorous sitar recital
The festival opened with a sonorous sitar recital by Supriya Shah who played Yaman, one of the most melodious ragas of the evening, for her solo performance. She was later joined by the seasoned shehnai player Sanjeev Shankar and both of them played together a Thumri in Manjh-Khamaj, a lovely raga created by his Guru Ravi Shankar. Malini Awasthi, the other attraction of the inaugural evening, regaled the audience with her mesmerising treat of Thumri, Dadra, Chaiti and Sohar.
Tabla virtuoso Bickram Ghosh, who is known for his fusion music and also his band Rhythmscape, remembered his memorable years performing world over accompanying Ravi Shankar; before he started his tabla solo on the second evening.
Keeping in mind the importance of the occasion, he chose to play teentalna for a change, and that too in the traditional way, starting with a very slow tempo, gradually going faster. The leisurely Aalap like Peshkar paved the path for his treasure of Qayedas, Relas and the other intricate rhythmic work inviting repeated applause. Indrani Mukherjee impressed the audience with her Khayal singing in raga Yaman and Thumri and Hori in Kafi, the next evening.
