Classical music, classic show
MANJARI SINHA
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The dhrupad experience was in full flow at the music festival organised by Nad Chakra
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FINE PERFORMANCE Marianne Svasek gave ample proof of her sound training
With a mission to bring India's rare and classical arts into limelight, Nad Chakra organised a two-day music festival featuring various genres of Indian classical music with focus on dhrupad at the Stein Auditorium in New Delhi's India Habitat Centre this past week. The festival was preceded by a two-week dhrupad workshop conducted by Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar, the well-known guru of the Dagar-Bani who has groomed a host of drupad singers, from Gundecha brothers and Uday Bhavalkar to Nirmalya Dey at Drupad Kendra, Bhopal and in his own residential Dhrupad Ashram at Mumbai.
The festival was flagged off with the Rudra veena recital of Suvir Mishra, who played a detailed alapchaari in raga Kambhoji followed by two compositions in slow Chautaal and drut Sultaal respectively accompanied on pakhawaj by Anil Chaudhury. He showed a good grasp of the raga, but he needs to devote more time to this demanding art.
Nirmalya Dey opened his drupad recital with raga Hamir, in the rich backdrop of the perfectly tuned pair of taanpura. With the meditative alap adorned with various gamakas he gradually conjured the architecture of the raga before starting the composition `Saras Maas... .' in Chautaal of 12-beat cycle, which was followed by a drut composition in Sultaal. The contemplative style of his singing was not only spiritual but aesthetically appealing too. The rhythmic play of bol-baant was enhanced by the alluring accompaniment of Sanjay Agle on pakhawaj. Nirmalya concluded his recital with a Dhamar composition `Saanvare Rang Daar Diyo... ' set to Dhamaar taal of 14-beat cycle.
The first evening concluded with the impressive khayal singing by Madhup Mudgal, who started his recital with raga Jhinjhoti, a delightful melody of Khamaaj Thaat. The bara khayal set to vilambit Ektaal went `Thaaki Ri Main Piya... 'was followed by a chhota in Teentaal. His deep sonorous voice and the meditative style of singing perfectly matched the profound atmosphere of dhrupad that Nad Chakra conceived to create through the festival. Madhup also sang a lovely Kaamod before concluding his recital with a nirgun bhajan.
The second day opened with a dhrupad recital by Marianne Svasek, a Dutch disciple of Ustad Fariduddin Dagar who sang a dhrupad in raga Puriya preceded by a detailed vilambit (slow), madhya and drut alap. Her humphit and other gamakas spoke volumes of her hard work and the persistent training under the guru , but Puriya was a challenging enough raga for her. Sanjay Agle's pakhawaj accompaniment gave her sumptuous support.
In sync
Pandit Debu Chaudhuri who came next played a detailed alap jod in raga Bageshri followed by a slow and a drut composition where there was not a single phrase, which was contrary to the dhrupad style. He elaborated the raga beautifully with his charming `meends' avoiding the murki, zamzama type of techniques normally prevalent in sitar. Ustad Sabir Khan accompanied him on the tabla. Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar concluded the festival with a detailed alapchari and a dhrupad in raga Bihag followed by a Sultaal Bandish in raga Sohani, assisted by his disciple Nirmalya Dey that transported the audience once again to the sublime realm of dhrupad. When asked what is the secret of his profound impact Nirmalya says, "Dhrupad is an experience and not merely a rendition. Its melodic movement is embellished with defined techniques, `dasa-lakshana'. We try to follow the pathway of a raga with right embellishment, intonation and shade of the tones that create the mood of a raga (melody) right from the first `akaar'".
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