Vocals, sarangi, jal tarang enthuse crowds

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 24

The second day of the 142nd Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan began with the beats of pakhawaj, the sweet sinuous winding strains of sarangi and the bold, booming vocals of vocal exponents Ashwini Bhide and Kalapini Komkali.

The evening’s classical music splendour peaked with the final performance of the day by vocal virtuoso Kalapini Komkali. In her booming, sonorous voice, which brings forward the care and vocal assertions reflected in the revolutionary style of her father, Kalapini’s voice is a reassuring reminder that the legacy of Kumar Gandharva is in appropriate hands. Her rendition and music have a typical transcendental quality which transports the listener to another space and time.

Presenting Raga Lagna Gandharva – her father’s creation – the talented artiste presented another rendering in Soni Bhatiyar – “Rang na daro shyam ji”, ending the recital with a Nirguni bhajan from, Sant Kabir – “Sunta hai guru gyani – gagan mein awaaz ho rahi jheeni-jhneei”. She was accompanied by Ramendra Singh Solanki on tabla and Rahul Dhananjay Gole on harmonium.

Earlier in the day, while the performance started with an aroused pakhawaj rendition from Ravishankar Upadhyay along with his disciples – sons Rishi Upadhyay, Rahim Upadhyay, disciple Deepak Das Vadkar, he was accompanied on harmonium by daughter Milan Upadhyay. On sarangi, they were accompanied by Samninder Pal Singh.

The pakhawaj recital was followed by mellifluous vocals from Swani Shende Sathaye who was accompanied by Arun Bhagwan Gawaye on tabla and Rahuk Dhananjay Gole on harmonium. Coming from the Kirana Gharana and Gwalior Gharana traditions, her vocals were laced with the rustic charms of both.

After Sathaye, came the gentle, restrained performance from Jal Tarang virtuoso Milind Tulankar. While reproducing an intricate discipline like Hindustani classical music on an instrument like Jal Tarang is seemingly a difficult task, Tulankar has earned acclaim for being one of the rare Indian artistes who have revived the dying instrument. Tulankar presented Raga Puriya Kalyan. He was accompanied on pakhawaj by Krushna S Salunke.

Followed by Tulankar, vocal virtuoso Ashwini Bhide performed Raga Bageshwari. Having come to the Harivallah before, Bhide’s bold, high-pitched vocals brought to fore the magnificence of the Jaipur-Atruli Gharana tradition that she represents. Performing in the land of the gurus, she ended her recital with a shabad rendition from the Maharashtrian saint Bhagat Namdev who spent more than 20 years in Punjab.

Bhide’s recital was followed by Ustad Kamal Sabri on sarangi. Rendering a composition in Raga Hemwanti, Sabri, the seventh-generation scion of his family weaved sombre notes on the sarangi. A Senia Gharana musician, Sabri’s melancholy notes in Raga Hemwanti, followed by delicate rendition of a thumri in Mishra Khamaj, brought his recital to a close. He was accompanied by Sabir Hussain on tabla.

Earlier in the day, the programme began with Saraswati Vandana from students of the local HMV College.