Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and vocalist Girija Devi at the ITC SRA silver jubilee in 2003. A Telegraph picture

Yehudi Menuhin thought this instrument expresses the very soul of Indian feeling and thought. For the one instrument that must have helped a real-life Chandramukhi to enchant Devdas in the mahals of her kothi, the sarengi has been faring poorly for itself of late.

At last year?s silver jubilee celebration, ITC Sangeet Research Academy (SRA) had decided to promote the sarengi ? the instrument that comes closest to resembling vocal music.

This year?s ITC Sangeet Sammelan promises to be a special treat, starting with a sarengi recital on November 19. Amit Mukherjee, director, ITC-SRA, said: ?In keeping with the plan we had chalked out last year, our inaugural session will have a performance by sarengi maestro Ustad Sultan Khan. In comparison with music conferences elsewhere, starting a sammelan with a sarengi recital is an exemplary move.?

He added: ?For the past few years, we have had no students of sarengi at our institute because the instrument is dying a slow death. This is a pity. Ustad Sultan Khan?s recital on the first day will be our way of underlining our intention.?

Apart from the sarengi statement, the first evening of the sammelan will also see a surbahar and sitar recital by Ustad Irshad Khan and a vocal recital by Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan.

The second day?s programme will begin with a vocal recital by ITC-SRA scholar, youngster Arshad Ali Khan. This will be followed by Pandit Basant Kabra?s sarod recital and a vocal performance by Gokul Utsav Maharaj, whose music promises to take fans of Ustad Amir Khan on a journey down memory lane.

Flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia will wrap up the evening with a recital.

The last day?s programme will begin with Drums of India, a composite percussion ensemble led by Mallar Ghosh, followed by a vocal recital by Shruti Sadolikar. Later, there will be a violin recital by Sangeet Natak Academy Award recipient Pandit D.K. Datar.

The finale will be provided by the vocal duo of Pandits Rajan and Sajan Mishra of the Benaras gharana.

While students of ITC SRA gear up with festive abandon to host the show, Calcutta can get set to enjoy an eclectic fare of classical music this weekend.