All for the guru
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The Gunidas Sangeet Sammelan presented an eclectic mix.
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SOUL STIRRING Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia.
The Citygroup presented the multi-city annual Gunidas Sangeet Sammelan at Kamani auditorium recently. The festival has established a rich legacy of 30 years. It was first presented in 1977 in Mumbai by the legendary Hindustani classical vocalist Pandit C.R. Vyas in memory of his guru and the famed doyen of the Agra gharana, the late Pandit Jagannath Buwa Purohit, alias Gunidas, under the aegis of the Maharashtra Lalit Kala Nidhi (MLKN).
Over the years held in the three cities of Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi, the festival this year will reach Chennai as well, providing the discerning audience of South India an opportunity to listen to live concerts of Hindustani Classical music.
Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia's benevolent Bihag was the hallmark of his fascinating flute recital on the first evening of the two-day festival. The detailed alap-jod spoke of the vision according to which he develops a raga. The sustained and stable Shadja, the first note, alive with diverse feelings, in itself was soul stirring. He made the lower Nishad the focus of his early vistaar that went all the way to the Mandra Shadja.
The gradual development of the raga also followed in the slow composition set to Jhap tala, a 10-beat cycle. Vijay Ghate showed admirable restraint while accompanying him on the tabla. Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia's disciple Sunil Avachat was also perfectly tuned to his guru's wavelength, complementing him with the melodious touches of his flute whenever he was required to do so. Chaurasia played two compositions in raga Desh next, in light classical mode, on farmaish (audience request). The first composition was set to addha theka and was dealt like a thumri with a brilliant laggi on the tabla in the end.
Veena Sahasrabuddhe.
Gwalior flavour
Veena Sahasrabuddhe, the well-known vocalist of the Gwalior gharana performed the next evening. She very thoughtfully chose raga Jog-Kauns, a raga created by Gunidas himself, to open her vocal recital at the Gunidas Sangeet Sammelan. She also sang "Sughar var payo... ", a composition of Gunidas as a bada khayal — the slow composition set to vilambit (slow) Ek tala. Her elaboration of the raga during the alap, badhat and behlawa had not only the authenticity of Gwalior but also the shades of Kirana and Jaipur styles. This was followed by a tarana composed by K.S. Bodas in the same raga, sung with reposeful meends that gave it a very different flavour from the usual taranas one normally hears in every other raga. The last composition in Jog-Kauns, "Gopika chali Suran vana... " was a lovely composition of Balvant Rai Bhatta.
Next came raga Hemant with a composition of Pandit Ramashraya Jha in Roopak that went "Beet gaye ri... ", another "Hamari sudh lije" in addha theka and the concluding composition in drut Ada Chau tala, describing the Hemant ritu in all its glory "Sheetal Sukhakar... ", composed by Pandit Balvant Rai Bhatta. Veena regaled her audience, not only with her exceptional bandishes, but also with their captivating treatment.
Earlier in the evening Suhas Vyas, son and disciple of Pandit C.R. Vyas, opened his vocal recital with raga Poorva, which was popularised by Gunidas. He also sang a bandish (composition) of Gunidas before concluding his recital with a bhajan. Both Veena and Suhas were ably accompanied by Seema Shirodkar on the harmonium and by Vishvanath Shirodkar on the tabla. The Shirodkars, in fact, make a competent couple for enhancing accompaniment.
MANJARI SINHA
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