Suromurchhana’s annual celebration of the legacy of Indian classical music, which is also a tribute to Pandit A. Kanan and Vidushi Malabika Kanan, was held at Uttam Mancha recently under the supervision of Sanjoy Banerjee. The evening began with a dynamic tabla ensemble by six students of Tanmoy Bose along with Sajal Das on the harmonium. Their melodic synchronisation and rhythmic verse were a demonstration of their talent. This was followed by a vocal recital by Namami Karmakar, with Parimal Chakraborty on the tabla and Anirban Chakrabarty on the harmonium. Karmakar’s sweet and soothing voice captured the spirit of Raga Madhuvanti perfectly. She was adept at the movements of the notes in three octaves through the vistaars and taans and concluded with a Tulsidasi bhajan.
Manjusha Patil’s style was uniquely methodical and she had appreciable vocal clarity; in Raga Multani, she showcased a blend of strength and tunefulness, especially in the traditional composition, “Gokul gao”. Bivas Sanghai on the tabla and Rupashree Bhattacharya on the harmonium supported Patil (picture, left) exquisitely. The audience also cherished her rendition of a Meera bhajan. Hetal Mehta’s tabla solo was captivating along with accompaniment from the skilled Hiranmay Mitra on the harmonium. Mehta’s performance began with a vilambit dhamaar and was followed by a madhyalaya and a drut teental, featuring traditional compositions of the Benaras gharana.
The evening came to an end with a soulful vocal performance by Bhuvanesh Komkali, who bears the legacy of the celebrated vocalist, Kumar Gandharva. Supported by the adept Samar Saha on the tabla and Deepak Khasrawal on the harmonium, Komkali’s rendition of Raga Nand was a balanced mixture of melody, emotion and purity. He was able to create a serene atmosphere with the movements of the keynotes in all the octaves. He also presented a rare nirgunipad, a devotional piece seldom heard in the eastern part of the country; it was thoroughly enjoyable.
Harshotsav 25, organised by SMIPAC Trust, turned out to be an enjoyable evening of classical music at the Bharatiya Bhasha Parishad auditorium. The concert presented a remarkable array of versatile performances. The evening commenced with a soulful “Saraswati vandana” followed by a melodious flute and tabla recital featuring Paramananda Roy and Samir Dey, respectively. Roy played Raga Shuddha Kalyan with great care. The vocalist, Omkar Dadarkar, along with Samar Saha on the tabla and Kamalaksha Mukherjee on the harmonium, was a real treat for the audience. The performance in Raga Chandrakauns set to tilwada was a beautiful blend of virtuosity and intricacy, creating an immersive ambience.
Indrayudh Majumdar
The final performance was a sarod recital by Indrayudh Majumdar (picture, right) with Shailendra Mishra on the tabla. Majumdar started with a dhamar in Raga Miyan ki Malhar, choosing a traditional approach to express the charm of this monsoon raga. He also created a playful mood with Raga Sindhu Bhairavi, striking up an interesting exchange with Mishra on the tabla. This was the perfect way to end the concert.
A highlight of the event was the presentation of the SMIPAC 2024 Sangeet Shree Award to Armaan Khan, the son of the renowned late vocalist, Ustad Rashid Khan, in recognition of his contribution to Indian classical music and to encourage him to further promote Indian music.