Fragrance of Classical renditions ride the night breeze
   Date :05-Jun-2023

Pt Sajan Mishra
 
Students listening intently to Pt Sajan Mishra during the concert in the small hours of Sunday, reflecting the rich
Indian tradition of learning from the guru. 
 
 
 
When maestros offer nectar of their Sadhana
When maestros descended on the city of Nagpur for the 8th International Convention of SPIC-MACAY to ignite young minds, ‘The Hitavada’ welcomed them with its head and heart. For, the convention was not just an event to be reported; it was an expression of the core value that art forms the foundation of a good civilisation. The convention also was in tune with the core belief of ‘The Hitavada’ that young minds have to be oriented to arts so that their personalities assume a finesse that endures through life, making them better persons. That belief led us to pour our best resources into the coverage of the week-long event that generated so much interest in young minds about art in its various forms presented by masters. As the convention concludes with an overnight vigil of arts, ‘The Hitavada’ also concludes its coverage with two impressionistic pieces by two of its senior-most interpreters of melody that art eternally is. - Editor
 
 
 
By Kartik Lokhande :
 
The daytime on Saturday was marked by ‘Vat Pournima’ festival, reflecting the respect for grandeur of Banyan tree, full moon, and Indian tradition. As the day slipped happily into the cosiness of night, the maestroes rose like moon and emitted silken rays of their performances, illuminating the rich Banyan tree of the Indian Classical art forms. The connoiseurs and impressionable children, who had gathered at VNIT Auditorium for the ‘Classical Overnight’ concert ‘Shruti Amrut’ that marked the conclusion of the six-day 8th International Convention of SPIC-MACAY, felt enriched. Acting like escorts of the maestros, the cool night breeze gently dropped them to the entrance of the auditorium. From there, the enthusiasm guided them to their seats. As the night matured with each performance of the stalwarts, the ‘Pournima’ moonlight outside also turned softer. People did take a break for human reasons and moved out of the auditorium, but the sound of music in all its riches ensured that they did not lose touch of the cultural extravaganza. The night’s performances started with the tone-setting Mridangam performance by ‘Padma Vibhushan’ Umayalapuram K Sivaraman.
 
 
The percussion maestro successfully took the audience on a journey to the zenith, through joyful experience of seamless blend of Classical and fusion. One realised the artiste’s quality that led him to perform alongside the legends like ‘Bharat Ratna’ M S Subbulakshmi, Pt Ravi Shankar, Ustad Bismillah Khan and Pandit Jasraj. Then came the performance of ‘Padma Shri’ Pt Ulhas Kashalkar, the acclaimed Classical Vocalist of Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana. His unique style and emotive renditions took the musical experience of the connoiseurs to the next level. The response Pt Ulhas Kashalkar’s singing prowess evoked could be judged from the fact that even as he was leaving the venue well past midnight, there were people trying to speak a line or two with him just to hear his voice beyond singing. He smilingly obliged to quite a few of them. ‘Padma Shri’ ‘Vidushi’ A Kanyakumari steered the night towards small hours of Sunday with her mellifluous Carnatic violin performance.
 
The swift movement of her fingers on the string instrument and able support by the accompanists evoked rounds of applause from the audience. She offered rendition of Classical as well as popular notes. Her performance was interspersed with a captivating ‘jugalbandi’ by accompanists Visvesh Chandrashekar and Anirudh Athreya. Later, when she presented ‘Vande Mataram’ on her violin, it prompted the members of the audience to rise from their seats in respect till the rendition was over. It reflected that the performances had refreshed the people in the auditorium. The small hours of Sunday were ushered in with the beautiful Classical Vocal performance of ‘Padma Bhushan’ Pt Sajan Mishra. The maestro of the famous duo -- Pt Rajan and Pr Sajan Mishra -- is known for ‘Khayal Gaayki’. Since the passing away of his brother Pt Rajan Mishra in 2021, this was his first performance in Nagpur. Pt Sajan Mishra delivered Classical performance with his son Swaransh, starting with ‘Na Kar Gumaan’ in ‘Raag Jogkauns’, gradually building up to an engaging musical. ‘Vidwan’ D Sesha Chary of Hyderabad Brothers presented Carnatic Vocal rendition as the dawn drew closer. Known for compact pattern of presentation, the maestro made a deep impact on the listeners. The listeners appreciated his grip over ‘Sruthi’, ‘Laya’, and ‘Sahitya Bhava’.
 
Sunday morning was ushered in with scintillating performance of ‘Padma Shri’ Ustad F Wasifuddin Dagar. The happiness of audience was reflected in gestures in sync with remarkable singing of the Dhrupad maestro. He played with the ‘swar’ beautifully and audience appreciated his wide and varied repertoire. At the outset, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari addressed the gathering and appreciated SPIC-MACAY for preserving Indian Classical music and exposing the younger generation to richness of the art. Dr Pramod Padole, VNIT Director; and R M Tiwari, National Chairperson of SPIC-MACAY, also graced the occasion. While the other Nagpurians woke up to an indolent Sunday morning, those who had attended the ‘Shruti Amrut’ came out rejuvenated. The beneficiaries of the divine musical intervention welcomed the Sunday morning with all the brightness in heart and radiance on face. That, was a befitting culmination of a cultural extravaganza...