Saz-E-Bahar
PRIYAANKAA MATHUR
An Insightful tale of rare instruments and their repertoire!
The eighth edition of Saz-e-Bahar organised by NCPA celebrated
the instrumental music fervour showcasing some rare
instruments, along with some interesting trivia on their origin
and evolution, giving an edge to many other music festivals.
Dr.Swarnalata Rao,Director NCPA openned the festival with
an elaborate talk on the instruments showcased in the two
day festival.She gave descriptions about the instrumental
techniques, the history and development of the instruments in
terms of their repertoire and style.Her pictoral presentation
also included classification of instruments as given by Bharata
in Natyashastra (500 BCE) in 4 categories namely Tata (string),
Avnaddha(membranous), Sushir( wind),Ghana(solid),based
on the materials used to make the instrument.After 2000
years it was adopted in the west thereby calling them as
Chordophones,Aerophones,Idiophones,Membranophones.
The festival began with a Vichitra Verna recital by Radhika
Veena Sadhika who played Raga Charukeshi with absolute
command on the ancient instrument,which is played with
an oval shaped shivaling stone, gliding it over the fretless
bridge, with 23 strings,that makes it more challenging to play.
Radhika said " Vichitra Veena is the most ancient string
intruments.I leant playing various instruments like Sitar, Sarod,
Surbahar,but at the age of 13, I felt a divine urge to play a Veena,
that no woman had ever played, so my father and I started
researching.Finally we came across the Vichitra Veena through
various ancient scriptures and created the one I play now."
Esraj Maestro Shubhayu Sen Majumdar played a melodious
rageshri followed by a Pahari Dhun.Shubhayu said"Esraj is a
fantastic blend of a sarangi and Sitar which has 22 frets and 19
strings and is played with a bow.One can showcase both the
'gayaki ang' and the 'tantrakari' elements like taan,toda,jhala
on the instrument.Esraj is a rarely played instrument and
I am trying my best to bring it to the main stream classical
music repertoire, so that people know it by its name."
Kamal Sabri enchanted the audiences with an elaborate yet
intricately carved Shyam Kalyan followed by a thumri on the
second day of the festival. Talking about Sarangi and it's evolution
Kamal said "In 13th century scriptures Sangeet Ratnakar and
Sangeet Parijat, we find references about the ‘Pinaki Veena'
that was considered as a forefather intrument of sarangi,which
had a bamboo with strings,that was played with a bow made
of a horse’s hair.The present form of sarangi was evolved by
Ustad Haider Baksh in the 15th century, which kept evolving
over time. The word Sarangi comes from the word ‘sau-rangi’
that means an intrument that produces 100 colours and can be
played with any genre namely Dhrupad,Khyal,Thumri,Chaiti,
ghazal but also classical fusion and Jazz. I want to make it sound
more enjoyable both to the classical and traditional audiences."
Pt. Nayan Ghosh and 17-year-old son Ishaan Ghosh presented
a scintillating Tabla duet (jugalbandi) recital. The father-
son duo showcased works of great mastersfrom the Dewlhi,
Ajrada, Farukhabad, Lucknow and the Punjab schools of
Tabla across last 300 years. They began with a grand Peshkaar
of the Delhi style,Farukhabad Baaj, Lucknow Baaj followed
by compositions of many stalwarts like Ustad Haji Sahab,
Miya Bakshuji, Ustad Amir Hussain Khan, Ustad Ahmedjan
Thirakwa, Gurudev Jnan Prakash Ghosh, Ustad Munir Khan,
Ustad Nannhe Khan, Ustad Masit Khan, Pt. Nikhil Ghosh
and of Pt. Nayan Ghosh himself. While the Relas were a treat,
creating a drone effect creating an aesthetic delight for all.
Elaborating on the characteristic elements of each style Pt. Nayan
Ghosh said “In the Tabla Art, every style is known as Baaj, and
not Gharana. Each Baaj has its own Bandishes (compositions) and
Bols that are distinct in style and execution, and are identifiable
by the techniques used, unlike Bandishes in Khayal singing or
instrumental music that can be sung in different Gharana styles,
like the Delhi Baaj, the oldest Gharana of Tabla is also known
as Kinaar-ka-Baaj or Do-Ungliyon-ka-Baaj. So the Bols like
Tirakita or Titakita need to be played with the exact technique
of Delhi and are not executed with the technique of Lucknow.
" The Lucknow gharana is an offshoot of Delhi gharana as
its two Ustads, Modu Khan & Bakshu Khan in the late 18th
century, migrated to Lucknow due to invasion of Nadir Shah.
To match the power and volume with Pakhawaj and Kathak
dance, the two art forms prevalent in the Lucknow Darbar, the
brothers were compelled to innovate newer techniques and
was known as Hatheli-ka-Baaj.Meanwhile, conservative Delhi
Tabla players were critical about the dilution of Tabla. It was
Ustad Haji Vilayat Ali Khan( Haji Sahab)disciple of Bakshu
Khan,a great composer,whos compositions included finesse of
the delicate Delhi style and the boldness of Lucknow, but devoid
of the influence of Pakhawaj or Kathak language. Thus, I feel
blessed to be a representative of the rich Farukhabad Baaj"
The
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