Calcutta Performing Arts Foundation, Kolkata and Kaladharmi BAAG (Begum Akhtar Academy of Ghazal), Delhi jointly organised ‘Aahang’ Thumri Festival at the Chaudhury House, Kolkata recently. The festival, curated by Prof. Rita Ganguli, was organised as a tribute to Bade Ramdas ji, the reputed vocalist, composer and doyen of Banaras Gharana; through the thumri performances by the torchbearers of different gharanas, including his own.
Breaking myths
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Introducing the festival on the first day, Ganguli, herself directly trained under three great thumri singers of yesteryears, Pt. Shambhu Maharaj, Siddheshwari Devi and Begum Akhtar, explained that the purpose of this festival was basically to tell people that thumri is thousands of years old style of Indian classical music which unfortunately got associated with the wrong notion of ‘thumak’ or thumakana.
This ‘thumak’ style associated with dance was never the original thumri. ‘Aahang’, she continued, literally means modulation of sound, melody, and words; emphasising the importance of correct pronunciation of lyrics in this genre which gives utmost importance to sahitya, the text. The aim of the festival, she continued, was also to show the thumri singers, the correct path in order to take it intact further.
Aniruddha Chaudhury, the founder of Calcutta Performing Arts Foundation, added, “The festival is also associated with the kind of spiritual aura this Foundation has maintained by presenting the classical Dhrupad sangeet by the topmost stalwarts of classical music here at Chaudhury House to date. Thumri also leads to the spiritual path that leads us to be one with the almighty. He invited the esteemed guest Swami Suparnanand from Ramakrishna Mission, to further elaborate on the ‘spiritual element of music’.
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Ganguli explained that thumri is not confined just to Banaras gharana. Stalwarts of all the gharanas excelled in thumri singing. Who can forget ‘Jamuna ke teer…’ or “Piya ke milan ki aas…” sung by Ud. Abdul Karim Khan of Kirana Gharana, “Na manungi…” and “Banao batiyan…” sung by Ud. Faiyaaz Khan of Agra gharana, “Aaye na Balam, ka karun Sajni…” sung by Ud. Bade Ghulam Ali Khan of Kasur Patiala Gharana and so on? The festival therefore, was conceived in a manner where a short video film on a particular gharana was screened before the torch bearers of that particular gharana ignited the lamp of his or her gharana and rendered thumris in immaculately perfect diction of words they chose to interpret with total restraint, devoid of jugglery, underlining the special features of thumri singing in their own gharana.
Authentic flavour
The two-day Festival celebrating Bade Ramdas Ji, presented Pt. Rajeshwar Prasad Mishra, the grandson and a direct disciple of Bade Ramdas JI, to showcase the most authentic flavour of Banaras gharana opening with thumri Des “Thhaadhi Gori chitwat badra ki ore…”.
His thumris in Bihag and Khamaj were also equally impressive with the emotive Bol-Banaav of Banaras Ang evoking the rasa-bhava, musically translating the true meaning of ‘Aahang’. Ably accompanied by his well-groomed disciple Aasheesh Mishra, Rajeshwar Prasad also assured about carrying forward the tradition with due earnestness.
Earlier the festival had opened with the present generation torchbearer of Banaras gharana, Shoma Ghosh, who is the disciple of Bageshree Devi in turn trained under Pt. Ganesh Prasad, another direct disciple of Bade Ramdas Ji.
Ustad Raja Mian created the authentic ambiance of Agra gharana with his very first sur-lagav, when he presented a couple of bandishi thumris in Khamaj adorned with the playful rhythmic Bol-Baant, his gharana is known for, before concluding his nostalgic performance with the famous Bhairavi “Banao batiyan chalo kahe ko jhoothi…” immortalised by the Aftab-e-Mausiqi Ud. Faiyaz Khan.
Madhura V. Sohani, the young torchbearer of Jaipur Atrauli Gharana and Nabhodeep Chakraborty representing the Kasur Patiala gharana were the two youngsters who vouched for their proper training under Vidushi Shobha Gurtu and Uds. Mazhar-Javed, the grandsons of Ud. Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, respectively. Rageshshri Das representing Banaras gharana also seems to be a promising talent with huge potential.
All-encompassing
Accompanying artists like Ghulam Ali and Allarakha Kalawant on sarangi, Hiranyamoy Mitra, Jyotirmoy Bannerjee and Ratan Bhattacharya on harmonium, Soumen Sarkar and Biplav Bhattacharya on tabla enhanced the musicality of the performance.
The festival was remarkable in the sense that it offered not just the thumri recitals by some of the best voices of different gharanas but also initiated the audience into understanding the origin, history and intricacies of thumri with Prof.
Rita Ganguli intervening to explain them all to facilitate their Rasaswadan or relishing of the art-form; at times at the cost of intruding the Thumri recitals.