140th Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan begins on Dec 25

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 17

Classical music lovers will soon hear voices of vocalists, soul-stirring strains of sitar, thundering sounds of the Pakhawaj, cascading notes of flute and other classic musical instruments as the 140th Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan will be held from December 25 to 27 at Shri Devi Talab Mandir here.

Like always, renowned musicians from across the country will participate in the event that will include Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Ustad Moinuddin Khan, Pandit Salil Bhatt and Mattias Muller Pandit Uday Bhawalkar, Vijay Ghate and Bhawani Shankar, Dr Meeta Pandit etc.

Besides, winners of the music competition, held in 2014, will also be given a chance to perform in the elite presence of noted musicians of the world.

The Sammelan that is continuously touching souls of music lovers for the past 140 years has been dedicated to late Padma Bhushan Ashwini Kumar and late Jatinder Kumar Beri this time.

Though the Limca Book of Records has recognised Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan as the oldest festival of Hindustani classical music in the world, the Union Ministry of Culture is yet to grant heritage status to the event.

The first sammelan was held in 1875

Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan, the oldest festival of the Indian classical music in the world, is organised in the last weekend of December every year at the sacred seat of music, the Samadhi of Baba Harivallabh – a saint and an exponent of Hindustani classical music.

The first Sammelan was held in 1875 at the sacred Samadhi situated at Shri Devi Talab in Jalandhar. Since then it has been held every year. The Sangeet Sammelan, which has grown from strength to strength in the last 139 years, has been attracting audiences and artistes from all across the country and abroad.

All prominent artistes of Hindustani classical music from India and Pakistan have come and performed at the Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan at one time or the other during the past 139 years.

Trivia

• Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, accompanied by Pandit Vishnu Digamber, visited Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan in the year 1919
• Vasant Utsav, Malhar Utsav and Hemant Utsav are seminars organised under the aegis of Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet & Research Academy in the months of February, August and October every year.
• Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Mahasabha established a modern ‘Gurukul’ – an institution for imparting rigorous training in Indian classical music to the students of music by competent guides and maestros in 2007. A resolution to this effect was passed by the general body during meeting held on 12th December, 2007. The plan got a boost when Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, declared a grant of Rs 1 crore, for the establishment of the academy during the Sangeet Sammelan in 2007.
• Three awards were instituted in the year 1995 in the memory of Baba Harivallabh to honour the music maestros, the patrons and for the individuals for their selfless service to Indian classical music. These awards have been named Harivallabh Sangeet Samman, Harivallabh Life Time Achievement Award and Harivallabh Sangeet Sewa Award. A citation, cash and shawl is presented to those being honored.
• The Music archives of Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Mahasabha have a huge collection of recordings of great maestros in various video and audio formats. These also have a big collection of photographs and other literature on Indian classical music.