Trigarta refers to an ancient kingdom, nestled in the valley of three rivers of the Ravi Beas and Sutlej. Its capital was in Jalandhar, and it included Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, and perhaps even Multan. The Kangra fort, still extant, was a part of this great kingdom. There are references to Trigarta as early as the Mahabharat. Panini refers to it, the “Rajatarangini” has references to Trigarta. The notion of this ancient kingdom and its arts is being revived in a celebration called the Trigart Kangra Valley Festival, to be held in Dharamsala and nearby areas from 1-10th November. The festival is being organised by the Department of Language Art and Culture with the district administration in Dharamsala and includes a film festival, an exhibition of Kangra paintings, and much else.
Notable amongst the festival’s many components, is a uniquely curated classical music and dance five-day event, linked to the world famous Kangra Ragamala paintings. Since the 18th Century, the art of miniature paintings in the Kangra valley have evolved to a fine degree; amongst them the Ragamala paintings depicting ragas visually are notable.
At this festival, 5-6 ragas, including Khamach, Bhairav, Bhairavi, Kamod and Malkauns will be rendered in different styles (Hindustani khayal, thumri, folk, Carnatic classical and North and South Indian instrumental) during the festival from 1st to 5th November.
Padmashri Malini Awasthi, who opens the festival will be confining her concert to thumri and folk songs. The next day, a concert entitled “7 essences” will explore the same ragas using kathak, (Mahua Shankar), sarangi (Ustad Murad Ali Khan), sitar (Ustad Fateh Ali Khan) and vocals (Shuheb Hasan) to depict the different raga moods. The other three “essences” are Ustad Akram Khan on tabla, Ashish Gangani on Pakhawaj and padhant presentation by Nupur Shankar.
The third day of the festival will see Bharatanatyam by Chennai-based Kumari Jai Queheini, accompanied by Carnatic vocalist Kumari Vijayshri Vittal, also from Chennai, who unusually will be singing the same ragas in their Carnatic “avatar” (Khamas, Hindolam, Mayamalavagowla). The entire performance has been specially conceived and given form by their gurus, Padmashri Chitra Visweswaram and Grammy nominated Bombay Jayashri. The conclusion of the Ragamala festival is a flute recital by none other than Pt Ronu Mazumdar, accompanied on tabla by Durjay Bhaumik.
Golden opportunity
Awasthi says, “I love taking classical music to the interiors, to audiences who may not have been exposed to live concerts. Singing in Dharamsala, though logistically difficult for me, as it’s in the middle of our music season, is a golden opportunity and I laud the organisers for conceiving a festival linked with Ragamala paintings. Though it’s a challenge to remain confined to certain ragas, I welcome this opportunity to celebrate our aural and visual heritage.” Accompanying her on the tabla is Ustad Akram Khan, khalifa of the Ajjrara gharana.
Jai Queheini was equally upbeat. “I am really looking forward to participating at the festival in Dharamsala, depicting Ragamala paintings through Bharatanatyam. My Guru, (ChitraViswesewaran ji) has not taught me dance as South Indian or North Indian, though technicalities are important. All that doesn’t matter to her, ultimately it’s the spirit behind the dance; that is what people watching take home. It’s the same with music – I am sure for Bombay Jayashri ji, it’s not Malkauns or Hindolam, it’s the mood and spirit of the raga that matters. I personally believe there is no divide between North and South as far as the arts are concerned; the arts bring us all together. The beauty of art itself is that it wipes away the borders and divisions that we ourselves have created. This performance is going to be a beautiful culmination of North Indian ragas and South Indian dance. It’s been a lot of fun studying reading and wondering how to depict the mood of the ragas through dance; it’s been a wonderful journey. I hope you all will enjoy what we present.”
Three ragas
Ronu Mazumdar
Ronu Mazumdar, who truly creates magic with his “singing flute”, says, “Music and painting are both supreme expressions of fine art. One is abstract, the other is concrete with abstract thought. I have collaborated musically once with a great painter in Bombay; my father was also an oil painter in addition to playing the flute. For my concert in Dharamsala, I plan to present three Ragas – Kamod, Khamach and finally, Bhairavi, the raga that we call “sadaa suhaagan” that can be sung at any time of day or night.”
