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| Classical singer Mita Pandit performs at IIBM in Patna on Thursday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh |
Indian Institute of Business Management (IIBM), Patna, students undertook a two-hour musical journey on Thursday with the assistance of classical artistes Mita Pandit and Rajendra Prasanna.
Spic Macay organised the musical show at the institute where around 150 students not just enjoyed pleasing performances but also learnt various facts about classical music.
Pandit, a vocalist from the Gwalior gharana, took the stage first. She began with vilambit (a form of classical music) based on the raag, Miyan ki todi. She continued on to chota khayal and tarana on the same raag.
Shyam Mohan and Santosh Anishabadi accompanied Pandit on the tabla and harmonium respectively.
In course of her performance, Pandit acquainted the IIBM students with her instrument, swar mandal, and explained various taals, including Ektaal and Rupak, to her audience.
“Music and dance are inseparable from Indian culture. Through my performance, I want to give you an insight into the rich classical heritage of India,” said Pandit, before starting her last performance — a thumri based on raag Pahari.
Kiran Kumari, a bachelor of business administration (BBA) student, said: “I enjoyed her performance a lot even though I don’t have much knowledge about classical music.”
Once the vocalist stepped down from the stage, flautist Rajendra Prasanna, from the Benaras gharana, took his turn. Prasanna began his performance with a Carnatic raag, Charukeshi, based on saat matra taal. The performance ended with a beautiful jugalbandi with Shyam Mohan on the tabla. The flautist then went on to perform chaiti and Kajri, folk songs of Bihar.
Sourav Kumar, a BBA student seated in the audience, described Prasanna’s performance as magical. “For the first time I was listening to some professional flautist and the experience was awesome,” he said.
Prasanna also interacted with the IIBM students during which he urged them to remain rooted to their culture. “Nowadays, foreigners come to learn classical music from eminent singers of different gharanas. But it is sad to see very few youngsters in India want to learn classical music. You should not forget your cultural heritage,” Prasanna advised the IIBM students.