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As the curtain falls
GAUTAM CHATTERJEE
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A recent two-day festival was a fitting end to Varanasi’s music calendar.
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Dedication A recent festival was dedicated to Ustad Bismillah Khan, Pandit Bade Ramdas and Pandit Sundar Lal
Varanasi ended its annual music journey with a two-day classical performance, Poorvacharya Music Festival, at Banaras Hindu University, organised by the faculty of performing arts.
“This festival is dedicated to three great maestros, Pandit Bade Ramdas (vocal), Ustad Bismillah Khan (shehnai) and Pandit Sundar Lal (dance) as the disciplines they practised comprise the whole of music,” said Ranjana Srivastava, Dean and senior Kathak dancer of Lucknow gharana. He also described the contributions of Pt. Sundar Lal.
Young talents
On the podium of the University’s Pandit Omkarnath Thakur hall, four young talents enthralled listeners. Their performances raised hopes for their future.
First was Supriya Shah who sung raga Hemant on her sitar, with a fresh mould and with dignified energy. This raga was created by Ustad Allauddin Khan saheb and Supriya sung here skilfully using its prominent notes, Risabh (Re) and Pancham (Pa).
Old ragas
After Supriya, vocalist Sharda Velankar sang the notes of an old raga Sarasvati combining it with raga Vachaspati using Komal Nisad (Ni) and Tivra Madhyam clearly.
Rajesh Shah took the stage after her to open his recital on the sitar with Raga Hameer.
The listeners of Benaras came across this raga played on the sitar after a long time. Pundalik Krisna Bhagwat accompanied him on the tabla.
Rajesh chose this raga at the appropriate time, which is in the evening, as the festival began in the morning with other performances.
Kathak dance
Finally, a Kathak dance deservingly concluded the festival. Vidhi Nagar, from Lucknow, by staying in Varansai, gracefully performed all the musical nuances of her gharana.
Vidhi maintained the balance between pure dance (Nritta) and emotion (Nritya) in a dignified manner.
It proved that an artiste from a music institution can also make a space of their own.
She is a disciple of Pornima Pandey (ex Vice Chancellor of Bhatkhande Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya) and late Subhas Dixit (disciple of Pt. Birju Maharaj).
From Shiva stuti to bhava nritya , she displayed a controlled energy, which grew steadily.
Her hand and foot movement were impeccable, as were her hand and face gestures.
The Festival began with words on Bismillah Khan by noted musicologist Lipika Dasgupta.
It concludedwith a Ramdhun, a favourite of Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya,the founder of Benaras Hindu University.
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
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