How Pt. Vishnu Digambar Jayanti continues to uphold the Hindustani music tradition

The annual Pt Vishnu Digambar Jayanti music pageant is at all times an eagerly awaited occasion in Delhi’s cultural calendar. One of many causes within the impeccable selection of artistes. This yr, younger musicians, who’re at all times featured within the pageant, stole the present. Regardless of restricted time, they impressed with their performances.

The pageant opened with a sarod-sitar jugalbandi by Kolkata-based Kaushik Mukherjee and Kalyanjit Das, each exponents of the Senia Maihar gharana. Kaushik is at the moment studying from Pt Tejendra Narayan Mazumdar, whereas Kalyanjit from his father Pt. Kushal Das. The alap in raag Puriya Kalyan was calming, and was introduced in a scientific and an unhurried method. Kaushik, the elder of the duo performed extra impactfully on this part, slowly shifting into the upper octave from the bass kharaj. Within the jor part, Kalyanjit impressed together with his gamak-laden phrases. Pt. Ram Kumar Mishra, sitting between the 2, supplied wonderful accompaniment. Kalyanjit’s bolkaari and readability of taans and Kaushik layakaari had been notable Within the drut part, Ram Kumar’s ‘na dhin dhin dha’ performed with one finger, a speciality of his grandfather Pt. Anokhe Lal Mishra, drew appreciation. 

The night ended with Bhuvanesh Komkali’s vocal live performance. His Indore-based disciple Varshita Bansiwal supplied vocal assist. On the tabla was Delhi’s Shambunath Bhattacharya, and on the harmonium, Abhishek Shinkar. Bhuvanesh started with raag Nand, a minor raag that he deftly secured from different related raags. The vilambit Ektaal khayal was a conventional composition — ‘Govind been bajaye’. His leisurely exposition gave method to a sooner Teen taal khayal composed by his grandfather Pt. Kumar Gandharva. Subsequent, he performed Jaldhar Basanti, created by his grandfather. This was adopted by raag Basant. He ended with a Kabir bhajan. Bhuvanesh as at all times sings with an infectious ardour; it’s exhausting to not be taken alongside on his journey of music. 

The subsequent night started with a live performance by Bengaluru-based Siddhartha Belmannu, a disciple of Pt. Vinayak Torvi. His efficiency was wonderful when it comes to content material and presentation. Appropriately, he sang a composition in raag Mian Malhar ‘karim naam tero,’ inextricably linked with Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, a legend of the Kirana gharana to which Siddhartha belongs. Singing with adaa, Sidharath’s transient auchar was spectacular and set the tone for the live performance. Gamaks, good aakar taans, soulful meends, clear enunciation, open-throated singing, a touch of drama, a nice sense of proportion — he has all of it. ‘Bijuri chamake, barase megh’ was his drut khayal, adopted by Ati Drut Ek taal’ composition.

Siddhartha Belmannu
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Particular Association

On the tabla was Pune-based Pranav Milind Gurav, whose enjoying was empathetic. Vinay Mishra (harmonium) was at his typical wonderful self. Siddhartha sang ‘Kahe ko ab tum aaye’ in Sohni. The affect of the Agra model of singing was clearly seen in his imaginative and prescient of the raag. His ‘pukar’ reminded one among Ustad Faiyyaz Khan. His breath management within the tarana, composed by his guru Pt. Vinayak Torvi, added a dramatic component to his singing. He concluded with a thumri in Kafi, ‘Ab to piya maanat nahi’, ending with the notes of Mian ki Mahar, superbly linking to the place he started. 

Shashank performed solely the longer bass flute
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Particular Association

The night concluded with a flute recital by Shashank Subramaniam. He was accompanied on the mridangam by Patri Satish and on the violin by L. Ramakrishnan. Shashank has carried out many instances at this pageant, and he devoted his live performance to his guru in Hindustani music Pt Jasraj, whose anniversary it was. Shashank understands viewers expectations. He solely performed the longer bass flute that audiences in North India want. Some discover the tone of the smaller flute shrill.

He started with a quick racy varnam, a Tyagaraja composition in Raga Hamsanada. It got here as a heat up piece. He moved onto raga Vagedeshwari, an attractive mixture of Jog and Khamach raags,  to elucidate it within the context of Hindustani music custom. After a ragam tanam pallavi, Shashank moved on to his compositions with wonderful assist from the accompanists. He ended with a tillana in Sindhu Bhairavi, that he had composed. His live performance was lyrical, and thrilling, in flip. 

Adnan Khan skilled below his father Ustad Sayid Khan and vocalist Ustad Mashkur Ali Khan 
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Particular Association

The subsequent morning began with Mian ki Todi by Delhi-based Adnan Khan, a disciple of his father Ustad Sayid Khan of the Delhi gharana and vocalist Ustad Mashkur Ali Khan of the Kirana gharana. Adnan’s delicate contact is matched by his mature understanding of his instrument, a results of years of intensive riyaaz, making him a rounded performer. His expansive ‘alap jor jhala’ was deeply satisfying; his two compositions had been considerably related in development. Adnan’s ‘choot’ taans had been executed effectively. He was accompanied on the tabla by Delhi gharana exponent Babar Latif Khan, son of the late Ustad Latif Ahmed Khan.        

Pt. Venkatesh Kumar 
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Particular Association

Pt.  Venkatesh Kumar ended the pageant with Komal Rishabh Asavari, Deskar and Vrindavani Sarang; all executed crisply, inside 20 minutes every. This brevity which has now develop into his norm, however leaves one craving for extra. His ‘thumak chalat Ramachandra’ was additionally executed at a sooner gait than typical; he concluded with Bhairavi.