Anindya Banerjee (in picture) sprang a pleasant surprise when he deftly handled a compact alaap delineating Jhinjhoti with its salient features on the surshringar. This remodelled variety of Seniya Rabab with a history of 175 years is rarely heard now. For a change, the grandeur of alaap with all its 12 angas was the central theme of the golden jubilee celebration of Geetikunja (Birla Academy, May 13). Usually blamed for the dwindling tradition of alaap, the audience, fascinated by this idiom along with two ideally suited instruments, was bent upon flouting the myth.

Veteran Santosh Banerjee played a sombre Mian Malhar. Its deep resonance, a la veena, complimented the regal romanticism of the raga. The melodic beauty encouraged requests and the master obliged with a majestic raga ? Darbari. The alaap being their forte, both surshringar and surbahar used to precede the recitals of sarod and sitar respectively; unfortunately not any more.

Dhrupad exponent Subodh Ranjan Dey presented an elaborate alaap in Nat-Kamod, with Sudip Pal (vocal) and Ratnankur Mitra (pakhawaj) providing support. The initial mood indulged in a dialogue with rhythmic phrases, which brought exuberance to the climax.

Earlier, Shankarlal Bhattacharya declared that alaap, rather than the preface, is the book itself. How right he was!