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Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pandit Kumar Bose and Malini Awasthi paid musical tribute to Girija Devi
Padma Vibhushan Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, tabla maestro Pandit Kumar Bose and Padma Shri Malini Awasthi gave a musical tribute to Padma Vibhushan Girija Devi
Padma Vibhushan Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, tabla maestro Pandit Kumar Bose and Padma Shri Malini Awasthi gave a musical tribute to Padma Vibhushan Girija Devi during the Pushpanjali event organised by the department of culture and Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Academy in Lucknow.
Pt Chaurasia opened his performance with Raag Maru Bihag, followed by Bangla folk and closed his performance was with bhajan Om Jai Jagdish. The audience clapped throughout the final performance, and some were left teary eyed.
“Meri iccha hai ki aise karyakram har saal ho... aatma tript ho jati hai... bacchon ko bhi seekhne ko milta hai. I was so happy and overwhelmed to perform in Lucknow after a long time. Due to the pandemic, our music lovers and musicians were deprived of festivals like this for a couple of years, but it feels very good to see the cultural scene back in action with full enthusiasm. Our dear Girija Devi was such a great gem of a person and artiste. It was my honour to perform and offer my Pushpanjali to the great daughter of Uttar Pradesh,” said Pt Chaurasia.
He was accompanied by disciples Jay Gandhi and Debopriya Ranadive. “Every opportunity to accompany Guruji and to connect with his musical spirit is a blessing and inspiration. The audience in Lucknow was also wonderfully attentive. Their sincere love and respect for Guruji and his music was palpable in the air,” says Gandhi.
Earlier, Bose opened the evening with his tabla performance. “I am performing here after many years and love the audience response I get,” he said. He was given huge applause for his tabla recital. Bose, first learned from his parents and later became the disciple of tabla legend Pt Kishan Maharaj of Benaras Gharana.
A disciple of Girija Devi, Awasthi started by paying tribute to her guru. She also remembered theatre legend Padma Shri Raj Bisaria and renowned classical singer Kamla Srivastava who had passed away recently.
She opened with thurmi Hori Khelo Mujse Nandlal in Raag Khambavati. “Appaji (her guru) isey bahut pyaara gaati thi and unhey bahut pasand thi. Unhi ki sikhi hui hai yeh thumri,” says the singer. Awasthi followed it up with dadra Baiyaan Choro Na Balamwa, hori Rang Daarongi... and chaiti Bin Saiyyaan and Bairan Re Koyaliya.
“Rang Daarongi was also her favourite. My last presentation was originally a Benaras gharana ki chaiti and she taught us in Gaya shaili. It was her greatness that she used to teach her us (disciples) traditional forms of other gharanas as well, so this one is a special tribute to her,” said Awasthi.
Earlier, culture and tourism minister Jaiveer Singh with UPSNA director Shobhit Kumar Nahar, Bhatkhande Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya vice-chancellor Mandavi Singh lit the lamp. Department of culture secretary Mukesh Meshram, bureaucrats Awanish Awasthi, Hari Om and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.
