Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan begins with shehnai performance

Jalandhar, December 23

The 147th edition of Shree Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan started off with the melodious notes of shehnai with three jharokhas for a traditional backdrop.

After four days of Harivallabh Sangeet Pratiyogita that witnessed budding classical artistes from across the country, the sammelan got underway from the environs of Devi Talab Mandir in Jalandhar on Friday.

The enchanting notes of shehnai wafting out of a pavilion, comforted the city residents who were all agog for the annual event.

After two years of getting hosted in small auditoriums because of the Covid pandemic, this time the sammelan is being hosted in a pandal. Pt Ajoy Chakravarty from Patiala gharana performed on the first day.

The performances are pegged to go on until 10.45 to 12.30 pm at night as per the stipulated time this year. The day started with the mangal dhwani of shehnai performed by Bhaskar Nath. He performed raga Puriya Kalyan and Mishra Khamaj. He was accompanied by Ustad Athar Hussain on tabla and Bhagwat on sur shehnai. Considered an instrument heralding an auspicious beginning for an event, shehnai has customarily been chosen as the instrument to start the sammelan for decades now.

The shehnai recital was followed by dhrupad recital by Dr Madhu Bhatt Tailang who performed raga Hans Kinkani, followed by a composiiton by Swami Haridas. She was accomanied by Dr Ankit Parikh on pakhawaj and Pt Bharat Bushan Goswami on sarangi. The unqiue Dhrupad singing style being among the oldest techniques marking Indian classical prowess, the Dhrupad recital is also traditionally hosted on the first day of the festival.

The next performance was a Pakhawaj recital by Pt Parveen Kumar Arya, who was accompanied by Chaavi Joshi and Aishwarya Arya on Pakhawaj and Pt Munna Lal Bhatt on harmonium.