Hindustani classical aficionados are in for a grand treat as eminent vocalist of the Gwalior gharana, Pandit Mukul Shivputra, the son of the legendary vocalist, Kumar Gandharva, is set to undertake a tour of South India.
The tour will commence on April 8 and end on April 22, with six concerts scheduled to be held at Belagavi, Dharwad, Chennai, Bengaluru and Mysuru.
The objective of the tour is to pay rich tributes to his gurus — his father Kumar Gandharva (born Shivaputra Siddharamayya Komkalimath) and the celebrated exponent of Carnatic music, M.D. Ramanathan — as well as help establish a Gurukul, which has long been Pt. Shivputra’s dream.
Carnatic tradition
Known for his mastery over the Gwalior, Agra and Jaipur gharana styles of singing, Pt. Shivputra is equally dexterous in the Carnatic tradition, in which he was trained by M.D. Ramanathan.
Pt. Shivputra has long been considered as the enfant terrible of Hindustani classical music due to his temperamental and mercurial persona. His controversial behaviour — attributed to his personal tragedies — has often made news as have his rapturous and exhilarating performances, earning him a fiercely loyal following among the younger adherents of Hindustani classical music.
The first leg of the tour will begin at Belagavi’s Lokmanya Rangmandir on the morning of April 8 to coincide with Pt. Kumar Gandharva’s birth anniversary.
The same day at 5 p.m., Pt. Shivputra is expected to give another recital at Dharwad’s Srijan Ranga Mandir.
The third programme of the tour will take place at Chennai’s Kalakshetra on April 15.
“A four-hour musical marathon is scheduled on that day which is to act as ‘guru dakshina’ to Pt. Shivputra’s teacher, Dr. M.D. Ramanathan, at whose feet in 1978 he took instruction in Carnatic music,” said Pravin Kanvinde, president, Gandharvasabha.
Free entry
The first three programmes, being part of Pt. Shivputra’s guru daskhina tributes, are entry-free, said the organisers.
On April 18, a programme is scheduled at the Bengaluru Gayan Samaj. The last event of the tour, scheduled on April 22, is to be held at Bengaluru’s JSS auditorium, while the penultimate programme will be held on April 21 at Mysuru’s Kalamandir.
The tickets for the three events in Bengaluru and Mysuru will be available on the online ticketing platform BookMyShow .
