A singing star from Delhi
By Jyoti Mahajan
THE singing sensation from Delhi, Shibani Kashyap, who recently bagged the Channel (V) award for the Best Indian Music Video for her song Ho gai hai mohabbat...enthralled a select audience with her famous numbers at Shilon Resorts while performing at the Shimla Queen contest recently.

Folk art in Shiva lingam
By Suman Sachar
THE 2000-year-old Baijnath-situated Shiva temple, known worldwide for its architectural merits and beauty, presents a festive look when the Shiv lingam-popularly believed to have been brought to the place by Ravana, the Ramayana figure — puts on an artistic appearance and effulgent aura.

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Old order changeth...

By Ramesh Kapila

LOOKING at the list of artistes due to perform at the ensuing Bhaskar Rao Nritya and Sangeet Sammelan, one is easily convinced to say that some of the leading lights of the Indian classical music currently dominating the scene, have assiduously begun to nurture their next generation with a view to turn them into big-time performers in their own right.

The 29th edition of this annual feature opens at Tagore Theatre, Chandigarh, on March 26 to herald the five-day feast of music and dance, bringing to the city a judicious mix of experienced, established and the new.

It is not without significance that departing from the beaten path, the organisers Pracheen Kala Kendra have entrusted the task of inaugurating the Bhaskar Rao sammelan this year to the country’s best known sarod player Ustad Amjad Ali Khan.

Incidentally, his sons, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, who are fast emerging as true representatives of the Bangash Senia gharana associated with their grandfather Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan of Gwalior, are scheduled to perform on the opening evening.

Calcutta-based vocalist Ajoy Chakrabarty and Kathak dancer Shobha Koser perform on the second and third days of the sammelan, whereas santoorist Pt Shiv kumar Sharma is the sole performer for the fourth evening i.e. March 29

However, another young brothers duo, Ritesh and Rajnish Mishra, sons of vocalist Rajan Mishra of the Benaras gharana who sings at classical music concerts along with his younger brother, Sajan Mishra, present their recital for the first time in this part of the country on March 30, the concluding day of the five-day sammelan. On that day listeners will also have an opportunity to witness the vocal recital of Ustad Hussain Baksh, the Lahore-based popular figure of music concerts in Pakistan nowadays.

Only on March 11, the kendra had hosted another promising heir to his father’s fame and tradition when Salil, son of the Grammy Award-winner Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt of Jaipur, presented his maiden recital of Mohan Veena to the invited audience at the kendra complex.

The arrival of so many of the young, budding performers on the Indian classical scene may well be a sheer coincidence of time if not the design of the parents concerned. The event comes as a confirmation of the concerted efforts by Pracheen Kala Kendra and its secretary M.L. Koser to be the first to familiarise audiences in this part of the country with the performers who hold promise for the future.

In the early 1970s, the kendra was responsible for introducing similarly Begum Parveen Sultana, among others, to listeners who eagerly await such performances.

Pakistan’s Hussain Buksh too will be performing in Chandigarh for the first time, though he has been keen to make a beginning for a proper rapport with Indian listeners.

A look at the list of accompanists, slated to take part in this year’s sammelan, reveals that the backup line is equally strong and superior. Tabla player Shafaat Ahmed who will feature along with Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash in their performance on the opening evening, will also accompany Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma, according to details of the programme.

Shobha Koser, whose Kathak will be followed by taal-vadya-kacheri by Pt Tej Prakash Tulsi and his group the same evening, has the highest number of four supporting artistes, namely Jwala Prasad (vocal), Tej Prakash Tulsi (bakhawaj), Fateh Singh Gangani (tabla) and Vijay Sharma (sitar). Chandigarh-based tabla player Pawan Kumar will be seen in action with Ustad Hussain Buksh as also with Ritesh-Rajnish Mishra.

As more and more young performers have come to create a place for themselves, it is only natural that dynastic trends get reflected also in the increasingly lucrative field of performing arts.

A singing star from Delhi

By Jyoti Mahajan

THE singing sensation from Delhi, Shibani Kashyap, who recently bagged the Channel (V) award for the Best Indian Music Video for her song Ho gai hai mohabbat...enthralled a select audience with her famous numbers at Shilon Resorts while performing at the Shimla Queen contest recently. The lively and vivacious youngster with a sensuous voice treated spectators with her hits Ho gai hai mohabbat.. Thoda wakht hua hi hoga and Dil se dil ko ... in the biting cold.

During a chit-chat with this writer immediately after the performance, Shibani said performing in the mountains was a wonderful experience especially for the revival of the Shimla Queen mega contest. "I love the hills as they inspire me to perform and the ambience is great. One feels one with nature and it is a thrilling experience", she added.

The slim and petite singer has been singing for a decade now. She trained at the tender age of four under the tutelage of her mother, Parveen Kashyap. She says her mother has been a major influence her life. At the age of 18 she sang The teenage queen...which won her numerous accolades. A former student of Delhi Public School and Lady Shriram College she feels that her early training in classical music has helped her in maintaining a soothing voice. Four years ago Shibani composed her album, "Thodi Thodi Saanjh." It was released under Padmini Music which also received good reviews.

The girl with dusky looks shot into popularity with her album Ho gai hai mohabbat for which she won the award. Since then there was no looking back for her. She says she enjoyed working on her album with the lead singer Aslam who has worked for A. R. Rehman and renowned photographer Santosh Sivan.

Talking about her album Shibani reveals that although her leaning is towards purely classical, she is now experimenting with Indian and Western music. She considers Remo Fernandes as one of the best live performers of the country. "He is so alive and genuine on stage", she says. Among her other favourites are Lucky Ali and Colonial Cousins.

When asked if she is interested in singing for films, she says she would like to sing in Bollywood but being based in Delhi and having a hectic schedule she is unable to spare time.

Shibani is equally adept at dancing, thanks to the choreographer, Ronica Jacob of the dancing group, Planets. "Ronica guides me with my steps", she candidly admits. The youngster has to her credit composing and producing prominent TV shows like "Akanksha", "The Amul India Show" and "Toofan Mail." She does not believe in lip singing and enjoys performing live as it gives an instant response.

Recalling her memorable experiences abroad, Shibani says she enjoyed performing in Khazakistan where she was selected to represent India at the International Festival of Music. Others who represented at this festival were Remo Fernandes and Alisha. "It was a great honour where I met 25 musicians and singers from all over the world", she excitedly informs.

Shibani is soon going to participate in MTV’s show with Anaida, Kamal Khan, Shankar Madhevan and Hariharan.

Folk art in Shiva lingam

By Suman Sachar

THE 2000-year-old Baijnath-situated Shiva temple, known worldwide for its architectural merits and beauty, presents a festive look when the Shiv lingam-popularly believed to have been brought to the place by Ravana, the Ramayana figure — puts on an artistic appearance and effulgent aura.Faithfully toeing the centuries old tradition, the temple priests tastefully build a towering structure of many kilograms of butter on the sanctified lingam. Local cosmetics are applied for sketching out wide-open eyes of Lord Shiva and his crown with various patterns and designs. Interestingly, only dry fruits like almonds, dates, kismish and coconut are used for the unique butter-built structure of Lord Shiva.

The legend has it that the butter-and-dry-fruit-made pindi (the phallic figure) symbolises the architecturally-embellished building of the main temple — a rare art form of micro in the macro. The mythic interpretation reveals the beauty of God’s varied and mysterious creation as exhibited in the designs and patterns in the crown. And the folk belief persists that the expensive eatables in the radiant lingam are man’s humble offerings for craving a divine boon for the prosperity and well-being of the entire mankind.

Seen and examined with local sensibility, the dry-fruit bedecked crown of Lord Shiva contains numerous representative Kangra-folk art forms. The aesthetically patterned squares, triangles, circles, dots etc have their genetic roots in the rangoli art form. The rangoli (multi-colour design) sketches are usually made on flour during festive times. Proportionate colour-matching of shapes and patterns displays a universal human attempt at the fusion of art and life in any cultural artefact.

Tribute to Mother Teresa

MOTHER OF THE NATION (Venus): The bejewelled Bappi Lahiri is not heard in films these days as much as he was at one time. No, that does not have anything to do with the drying up of creativity; just one of those lean phases which come in the life of every artiste. As if to prove that he is still very much around, he has come up with this private album in the memory of Mother Teresa, which may earn him more respect than his film songs did.

Music is of course his. He has also sung these besides writing two of the songs. The remarkable thing is that both songs written by him are outstanding. Perhaps the reason is that these do come from the heart. Bappi Lahiri was quite a regular at Missionaries of Charity during the Mother’s lifetime.

Other songs have been penned by Rajesh Johri, Sunil Jha, Deepak and Suraj. Some may find these excessively emotional but if there was one person who deserved such adulation, it was Mother Teresa. The commentary by Shamuli Sarkar (without rhythm and chants) is graceful.

DIL LA LEY (Magnasound; Rs 65): Shweta Shetty has proved to be one of the most enduring icons for Magnasound, next to Daler Mehndi. Dil la ley is her fourth album and seems destined to strike paydirt as well.

This is the first time that Anand Raj Anand has composed music for a private album. Lyrics are by Shyam Anuragi.

Shweta here mixes pop with out and out folksy tunes. The amalgam is as unusual as her almost masculine voice, which reminds one of Mika. She goes soft toned in Naee naee re dagariya …. But is at her full throated self in the rest of the songs. Language is also of the street, especially in songs like Banda bada good lagda …. No, this is not Punjabi.

MERA WALA MIX (Archies Music; Rs 65): Remix spells megabucks . Archies have latched on to it with a big bang, coming up with not one, not two but three cassettes of this type of music, one each in Hindi, Punjabi and even English.

It is the Punjabi one which gets a metamorphosis at the hands of Jawahar Wattal. Sare pind wich puade paye hai nee tere gore rang ne …, doongi tainu reshami rumaal …, etc are all recharged for the dance floor. But what is Reshami salwar kurta jaali ka … doing there?

In Hindi, it is old film songs which have been given a workover. Among these are Ae dil mujhe bata de…, Ghar aaya mera pardesi …, Kabhi aar kabhi paar …, Jhumka gira re …, O mere sona re … etc.

And in English there are Could you be love …, Dancing queen …, Night fever …, Tarzan boy …, Red red wine …, Daddy cool …, Funky town …, Pretty woman … and Voulez vous … etc.