There are a number of Hindustani music lovers in Vijayawada but it’s been long since Hindustani music concerts were organised here. Twenty five years ago, Sadguru Sangeeta Sabha and Kanakadurga Kala Samithi – which have not been active for many years – used to host great masters like Ustad Bismilla Khan, Pandit Vinayak Rao Patwardam, Pandit Ravishanker and Parveen Sultana to the city. After several decades, Charles Williams Hindustani Sangeetha Parishat has been established by Varikuti Amrit Kumar exclusively for Hindustani music. A well known tabla player and staff member of G.V.R.Government College of Music and Dance, Vijayawada, Amrit Kumar is the son of (late) Charles Williams, a reputed tabla vidwan and retired staff artiste of Vijayawada Akashvani .
The inaugural event of the Parishat coincided with the 85th Jayanthi of (late) Charles Williams. The event at Gokaraju Laila Gangaraju Kala Vedika was attended by a large crowd but began a hour late due to the unbearable summer heat prevailing in the city. The inaugural function was followed by two brief but impressive Hindustani music concerts. A special feature was the colourful felicitation of Chilukuri Raghunath, a reputed table maestro and a retired tabla lecturer in the Government Music College, Hyderabad. .
The concerts started with a solo tabla performance by Varikuti Suryaprakash, son of Amrit kumar. He brilliantly played the mathematical intricacies in Vilambit and Drut tempos in Peshkar, Khaida, Rela, Mukhda and Chakradhar gaits which thrilled the audience. The Lehra for the tabla vinyas was played in raga Kalavathi (Valaji in the Carnatic tradition) by Dhanwant of Hyderabad.
Following this, vidwans Modumudi Sudhakar, Pemmaraju Surya Rao, music director Premji, N.Ch.B.Acharya and K.S.Govindarajan, Principal of the Music College spoke briefly congratulating Amrit Kumar for starting the Hindustani Sangeeta Parishat and hoped that the Sabha would present good Hindustani music concerts on a regular basis. This was followed by a sitar concert by Irfan Ahmed Khan of Hyderabad. Irfan played delightful items in ragas Yaman and Piloo in Vilambit and Drut tempos showing command over his instrument. He was ably accompanied on tabla by Ravikant . Earlier, winners of tabla competitions were awarded certificates and mementos. In the juniors category, first and second prizes went to Tarun and Srivatsava respectively and in the senior category the first and second prizes went to Aditya and Eswar respectively.
