The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Legends make it a momentous occasion

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Aug 13, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Legends make it a momentous occasion

Staff Reporter

Such an opportunity will never come again, says Hariprasad Chaurasia

EMOTIONAL MOMENT: Seshagiri Hangal (sitting) Gangubai Hangal and Hariprasad Chaurasia at a felicitation function in Bangalore on Saturday. Governor T.N. Chaturvedi looks on. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: The tears rolling down the eyes of many in the audience said it all: it was a momentous occasion. "Aisa mouka kabhi nahin aayega," (such an opportunity will never come again) declared flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia several times.

The audience got to see Gangubai Hangal and Mr. Chaurasia perform together and separately. What made the event great was that the nonagenarian Ms. Hangal was singing on the stage only for the second time in recent years. She stopped singing after the death of her daughter Krishna Hangal two years ago.

Thus, a function to felicitate the two artistes and the tabla player Seshagiri Hangal here on Saturday turned out to be an emotional affair for the musicians and music lovers. The function was organised by Sri Rama Kala Vedike.

The event got its first twist when Ms. Hangal was seen in a corner of the stage sitting on a wheelchair even as Mr. Chaurasia was presenting raag "Durga."

The renowned flautist stopped his concert, invited her close to the dais, amidst thunderous applause from the audience. At the behest of Mr. Chaurasia, the vocalist joined him in the rendition of the raag. "Aa... Chaturasura... " she started adding words to the beautiful tune being played by Mr. Chaurasia. She even entered into brief sessions of "sawaal-jawaab" (one artiste imitating another in their respective genre) with the flautist. The two gestured at each other several times appreciating each other's "taans." The two artistes came on the stage again when Governor T.N. Chaturvedi felicitated them. This time, Mr. Chaurasia hugged Ms. Hangal as she alighted from her wheelchair. Later, Ms. Hangal began with "Abhogi" after taking medicine.

Her rendition left nobody in doubt that her voice is still as potent it has always been, though longer "taans" are no longer possible for her. After "Abhogi," she presented another raag. When she was asked render a "Bhairavi" to end the concert, she complained of chest pain even as many in the audience could not hold back their tears. As she ended, she herself was in tears.

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