Third Day....... at Sawai

Day three of the 54th Sawai Gandharva festival saw the audiences hear in rapt attention as first timers presented their classic acts.

The day began with vocalist Hema Upasni presenting a bandish in Raag Madhuwanti followed by a composition in Raag Hansdhawani. The audience, clearly impressed by the performance, then requested for a gazal. They were definitely not dissappointed as Upasni presented Poet Himanshu Kulkarni’s composition that was aapplauded by many of the Punekars ...............

Next, to perform was sitarist Manju Mehta, disciple of Pandit Ravishankar and younger sister of Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhat the lineage of the Bhats of Gwalior Ghanrana ..... she enthralled the gathering with Raag Purvi. Mehta was brilliantly accompanied on the tabla by Ramdas Palsule.

Then came the performance for which every one was egarly waiting for .... and that of Rahul Deshapnde grandson of the legendary Dr.Vasantrao Deshpande.
I myself had listened to Vasantrao Deshpande very less since you cannot listen to everthing and everyone all around and that too with a person like me of very less knowledge with classicla music it was difficult.

Legacy continued .................

He began with Raag Marwah followed by a bandish in Raag Maru Bihag. Even as the crowd applauded, it was his rendition of the famous Surat Piya ke chinn bisarayi from Sangeet Katyar Kaljat Ghusli that left them wanting for more. To listen to him was Rahul's grandmother wife of Dr.Vasantrao Deshapande and Rahul sang all his grandmothers choice list of favourites.His performance was too good and the crowd was at times thinking that as if it was Dr.Deshpande taking the stage again after almost 25 years he last performed at the Sawai Gandharva Festival.

It was then Pandit Debu Chaudhary who enticed the audience with his sitar recital in Raag Bageshree. The finale of the evening was Malini Rajurkar who performed Raag Jogkauns, Puriya Dhanashree followed by semi-classical renditions.

The Second Day ....... at Sawai

After missing the first day i was right on time for the evening session of the second day .It started with Kamlakar Naik whose rhythmic aalap Baaje More Paayaliya in Raag Barva, before he switched to Hoon Jo Gayi in the rare Raag Ramgauri. But it was the bhajan Sab Jhooti Jag Ki Mehmani in Raag Bhimpalas that set the evening’s musical pace.

As vocalist Padma Deshpande took over in an aalap in ek taal in Raag Shudh Kalyan, she showed off her perfect tonal balance with the fast-paced taana, Mandarva Bajo Re. Added to that, the perfect rendition of Roop Bali To Tar Shardul Saacha in Raag Kaafi (from the Marathi musical Sangeet Swayamwar) made for an exquisite set of whirling taanas.

There was a loud appaluse when it was announced that Pt.Shivkumar Sharma was to take the stage .The recital started with a very rare Raag Rasik Priya — one of his favouriteswith . In fact, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi arrived just in time for the first half of Sharma’s recital. Deconstructing the raag with a slow aalap, jor and jhala and, Sharma then presented three of his compositions in roopak taal and teen taal.

The performance was a perfect symbiosis of his santoor with accompanist Aneesh Pradhan’s tabla beats. Sharma even presented his signature Raag Pahari when he got a ‘once more’ from the audience.

Then came the surprise packeage of the evening and i will not be wrong if that would be of the 54th Sawai Gandharva festival.When it was announced that Kaushiki Chakravarty was to take the stage half of the Punekar's typical..... went out to have tea as if it was a tea break party or something and there were more ppl outside the pandal than inside .

And the same crowd was back to their seats in not more than 15 minutes into the recital including myself and thats the best thing i did to get back to my seat .Because what was heard after that was the most mesmering performance i have ever listened to in my life .

Kaushiki Chakravarty ...... mesmerising the audience .......

She had a perfect control over the aalaps and tanas in Raag Rageshri, the highlight of her performance being the Boltana Sab Sukh Deho and a thumri in Raag Pahari that won her many an accolades.

Then to evening came Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj whose presence made the whole crowd in a common wave of praise.He started his rendition of Jai Jai Shri in Raag Jaijaiwati accompanied by Kedar Pandit on the tabla and Appasaheb Jalgaonkar on the harmonium.He was in his usual jolly mood of pleasing the audience and he did that to the best.Its just he beeing on the stage the crowd gets attracted to his aura and then rest when he sings ...... ohhhhhhhhhh yes he is GOD to say ...... with the Shankarachyarya recitals ...................Panditji led the audience to a musical climax with the fast-paced bhajan Govinda Damodara before ending his recital with the pleasantly slow-paced Nirajani Narayani in Raag Bhairavi.

The programme started at sharp 4:00pm and ending at 1:15 am with the Bhairavi of Panditji.It was the time limit that made both the audience and Panditji to come to the end of the day ..He was eager to sing more and the people like me never want to get up and leave.

One Step Forward .....

With my first marathon done i got to practice for the coming Mumbai marathon as said .From today onwards increased my distance to 10kms from the previous 5 kms i was doing .But that was along with the 2 kms swimming i was doing .But then the long run practice was a must ..... and so started with the extra mile to be added ...........

But it was quite tough as i started slow and completed the 10km sucessfully was completely tired by the time i was in my room .But then it has to be done to complete the half marathon at Mumbai .......... yes and i am sure will make it .......

54th Sawai Gandharva Music Festival 2006

Was egarly waiting for this years Sawai Gandharva Festival to attend it and the day came on 8th of December 2006.Actually the festival started on the 7th but could not attend it on the first day.
My liking for classical music has been ramping up over the period of time though i admit that i cannot sing or play any instrument but like to listen .

So this year it was decided that me,rohit,abhay and nd would be attending the concert and i took the repsonsibility of the tickets .The baithak tickets were taken and so began the excitment to attend the concert .

This years artists :-

Details:

54th SAWAAI GANDHARVA SANGEET MAHOTSAV, PUNE.

7th December 2006 - 10th December 2006:
Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Venue: New English School, Ramanbaug, Pune


Performing Artists:

SHAILESH BHAGWAT, SHENAI

SARANGI JUGALBANDI - DILSHAD KHAN & SABRI KHAN

FLUTE - RAKESH CHAURASIA

SATAR - MANJU MEHTA

VOCAL -
SHASHVATI MANDAL, KAMLAKAR NAIK, KAUSHIKI CHAKRAVARTI, HEMA UPASANI, RAHUL

DESPANDE, ANANT TERDAL

DANCE - DIPAK MAHARAJ

OTHERS:
USTAD AMJAD ALI KHAN, PANDIT SHIVKUMAR SHARMA, PANDIT DEBU CHAUDHARI,
USTAD RASHID KHAN, MALINI RAJURKAR, PANDIT JASRAJ, ASHA KHADILKAR, SHUBHA

MUDGAL, PARMESHWAR HEGDE, MADHAV GUDI, HEMANT PENDSE, PANDMA DESHPANDE,
MEENA PHATARPEKAR.

SAMAROP: VOCAL : DR. PRABHA ATRE.