Legendary artists enthrall audience at Bengal Classical Music Festival
Dhaka, Dec 28 (IANS) Santoor maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma was the cynosure of all eyes alongwith khayal artist Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar on day two of the Bengal Classical Music Festival at the Abahani ground here.
The living legend took the packed crowd on a musical journey with a sweet Raga-Jhinjhoti to start off on Wednesday.
Supported on the tabla by the masterful Pandit Yogesh Samsi, Sharma created magic on the santoor with his compositions on rupak and teentaal, closing with a calm, mellifluous dhun on Raga Pahadi.
Later in the night, Kashalkar forced audiences to beat the dipping mercury and stay on with his Raga Jogkauns and Raga Sohini. He was accompanied by Suresh Talwalkar on the Tabla.
The opening performance of the night was a Kathak recital by Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company.
The opening episode symbolised “festivala using the inherent styles of Kathak.
The second one epitomised the longing for one’s beloved.
The last number was a traditional Kathak dance with a Tarana created by Shubha Mudgal and Aneesh Pradhan.
Aditi Mangaldas, Gauri Diwakar, Minhaz, Amrapali Bhandari, Anjana Kumari, Manoj Kumar and Sunny Shishodiya were the performers of the Kathak numbers.
Next up was an ensemble on the Tabla by the students of Bengal Parampara Sangeetalay, under the guidance of Pandit Suresh Talwalkar.
The likes of Prashanta Bhowmik, Supantho Majumder, M. J. Jesus Bhoobaun, Fahmida Nazneen, Nusrat-E-Jahan and Shrestha Priyodarshini lit up the festival with their synchronisation in a Teen Taal and Raga Kirwani Nagma composition.
After Shiv Kumar Sharma and Kashalkar enthralled their discerning audience with their performances, Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan gave a rendition of Raga Bageshree on the Sitar.
The penultimate performance of the night was Dhrupad by Avijit Kundu of Bengal Parampara Sangeetalay.
Eminent flautist Pandit Ronu Majumdar graced the stage along with Pandit Debojyoti Bose on the Sarod for the final performance of the night.
Pandit Abhijit Banerjee and Pandit Yogesh Samsi accompanied him on the Tabla.
The duo performed Raga Ahir Bhairav. They called it a night by playing a Bhatiali dhun on the audiences’ request.
