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A Night of Hindustani Splendour: Celebrating the Birth Centenary of Acharya Bimalendu Mukherjee


‘Acharya devo bhava’, a musical soiree to honor the birth centenary of the esteemed Acharya Bimalendu Mukherjee, was recently organized by Kailas Sangeet Trust at the Chowdaiah Memorial Hall in Bengaluru. This elegant event saw the participation of two distinguished Hindustani musicians, sitarist Anupama Bhagwat and vocalist Kaushiki Chakraborty, who paid rich tributes to the Acharya through their heartfelt performances.

The event commenced with Anupama Bhagwat, one of the foremost disciples of Acharya Bimalendu Mukherjee and an exponent of the Imdadkhani/Etawah gharana, as she took to the stage for her solo sitar recital. Opting for the evening melody raag Shyam Kalyan, Anupama embarked on an expansive and meditative alaap. She skillfully built up the raag with profound introspection, delicately stretching the gandhar note and emphasizing the Kalyan and Kamod ang, thus distinguishing it from raag Shuddh-Sarang. Her prelude in the ‘anibaddh’ alap section showcased her mastery and deep connection with the raag.

Anupama’s improvisational prowess became evident as she developed the raag through the intricate phases of alap and rhythmic patterns of the jod and swift jhalas. In the gat section, she chose a vilambit (slow tempo) composition in Teen taal, meticulously exploring the raag’s dimensions. Meghashyam Keshav on the tabla provided impeccable support, enhancing the meditative quality of her music. Her performance, devoid of any gimmickry, was indeed a refreshing experience of pure classical music.

Following the vilambit Teen taal, Anupama transitioned to demonstrating her swift taans in Drut Teen taal, building up to a magnificent and reverberating climax. The audience was left in awe of her intricate displays and profound musicality.

Next, celebrated Hindustani vocalist Kaushiki Chakraborty graced the stage. She began her late evening recital with the night melody Rageshree. Her soul-stirring alap in the vilambit khayal composition ‘Sakal sukh devo kartar’ was enhanced by the nuanced sangat from Murad Ali Khan on the sarangi and Tanmay Deochake on the samvadini.

Murad Ali Khan’s sarangi accompaniment was flawless, providing the right backdrop for Kaushiki’s vocal improvisations.

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. Kaushiki’s voice effortlessly traversed across three octaves, her rendition of the sringar pradhan raag truly noteworthy. She showcased her wide repertoire of bandishes by presenting a trio of drut bandishes in Rageshree: ‘Kar phool sohe virajan par, chanda sohe amal gagan par’ (Teen taal), ‘Jao jao giridhari’ (Roopak taal), and ‘Sundar naveli nar’ (Ekwai taal), each delivered with vibrant, speedy taankari. The contrast between the slow vilambit and the energetic drut renditions was beautiful.

Young tabla virtuoso Ishaan Ghosh made a significant impression with his exuberant performance. His handling of the rhythms in Teen, Rupak, and Ekwai taal was masterful. The tihais he executed were precise and inventive, and his exploration and variation of the taals added a creative layer to the evening’s performances.

Kaushiki then captivated the audience with her bol banav thumri in raag Mishra Piloo, rendering ‘Jiya mora na lage bairi balamva’. Her poignant delivery was complemented by musical contributions from Tanmay Deochake and Murad Ali. Ishaan Ghosh’s expertise shone brightly in the Laggi section of the Thumri’s climax, particularly as Kaushiki sang the plaintive refrain ‘saiyya na ja’.

The evening culminated in a mesmerizing jugalbandi featuring both artists performing a kajri in raag Manj Khamaj and Dadra. They performed ‘Barsan lagi badariya rumjhum ke’, a piece popularized by the legendary Girija Devi, seamlessly interspersing Manj Khamaj with Malhar. Upon the audience’s request, they concluded with raag Bhairavi. Kaushiki rendered a tarana while Anupama played a composition by her guru, Acharya Bimalendu Mukherjee.

Overall, ‘Acharya devo bhava’ was a night to remember. Through the remarkable performances of Anupama Bhagwat and Kaushiki Chakraborty, the legacy of Acharya Bimalendu Mukherjee was celebrated with great honor and musical excellence, leaving the audience with an unforgettable experience of Hindustani classical music at its finest.

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