Shubha Mudgal, Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan and Ustad Rashid Khan perform in Guwahati on Monday. Pictures by Eastern Projections

Music lovers of Guwahati were treated to a special evening at the Pragjyoti-ITA Centre for Performing Arts in Machkhowa on December 15.

Organised by the Asom Sangeet Sanmilani, the programme featured a sumptuous spread of rich classical music with stalwarts like Shubha Mudgal, Ustad Rashid Khan and Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan — setting the stage alight.

Vocalist Mudgal was accompanied by Murad Ali on the sarangi, Gitanjali Barua on the tanpura, Anish Pradhan on the tabla and Sudhir Naik on the harmonium. Her rendition of Raga Purvi as Ram Raga, composed by her guru Pandit Ram Ashreya Jha, transported the audience to a completely new world. This was followed by renditions of Baali umar lag gayo na chero and Rang dalo na Kanha, depicting Holi being celebrated by Lord Krishna and his female companions.

The evening’s second presentation saw Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan play the sitar in his very own distinctive style of improvising every aspect of layakari. Shubhrojyoti Guha’s skills on the tabla and Rashmi Sood on the tanpura played the perfect foil to Shahid Parvez Khan’s awe-inspiring performance.

Khan’s perseverance towards presenting music with minute technical details was obvious from the way one could hear the last vibration of each string. His mastery of this most intricate art form was evident throughout his entire performance that started with Raga Bageshri.

In the final presentation of the nite, Ustad Rashid Khan with his tremendous voice and application of notes mesmerised one and all. Accompanied by Shubhankar Banerjee on the tabla, Pankaj Sharma and Prabiyan Barua on the tanpura, Jyoti Guha on the harmonium and Murad Ali on the sarangi, Rashid Khan’s clarity and innate musical sense was like a fountain cascading straight into the hearts of the listeners. A natural musician, Khan performed with the ease of a swan taking to water.

Earlier, eminent classical singers of the state Bhaben Roy Patgiri, Shiben Banerjee and Shankar Thakuria were felicitated by music personalities J.P. Das, Bhupen Uzir and Pulak Banerjee.