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After 2-year hiatus, crowd swells at Sawai as classical music aficionados throng the fest
Audience experienced stellar performances by classical vocalist Avinash Kumar, an exponent of the Kirana Gharana and noted Sarod player Alam Khan on Thursday
After two years of forced break, the footfall at the 68th Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav exceeded beyond previous editions as music aficionados from the city experienced stellar performances by classical vocalist Avinash Kumar, an exponent of the Kirana Gharana and noted Sarod player Alam Khan on Thursday.
According to the festival organisers, around 7,000 people attended the festival on weekdays, and the number will rise on the weekend.
The day began with a performance of Avinash Kumar, a first-time performer at the mega classical music Mahotsav.
He said, “To perform at this festival is huge and I don’t have words to describe it. It is a dream come true for me and I thank Shrinivas Joshi and his wife Shilpa, who considered me capable to perform at this Mahotsav.”
He started with slow tempo Khyal in ‘Raag Puriya Dhanashree’ and then in the same Raag presented a fast-tempo Bandish in Drut teen taal ‘Paayaliya Jhankar Mori’, which was popularised by Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. He mesmerised the audience with another fast-tempo Bandish in Ektal and concluded a memorable performance with a Bhajan of Sant Kabir ‘Man Phula Phula Phire Jagat Mein’ as the audience heard in rapt attention.
Kumar was accompanied by Avinash Dighe (harmonium), Pandurang Pawar (tabla), Adarsh Sharma and Pranav Kumar (tanpura).
Sarod player Alam Khan, son of Sarod maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, left the audience spellbound. Alam, who belongs to the Maihar-Senia Gharana and based in the United States of America, said, “I am so honoured to perform at this festival, where I wanted to perform for a long time. I am pleased to have the opportunity today.”
He asserted that it was his first performance post the pandemic, which he would cherish and would like to come to India to perform every year.
Alam started his performance with Raag Hindol-Hem, created by his father Ali Akbar Khan as it was the Sarod maestro’s birth centenary. He then performed Raag Hemant to applause by the capacity-crowd. He concluded his performance with Raag Mishra Pilu in Rupak Taal.
Alam Khan was accompanied by Satyajeet Talwalkar (tabla).
Earlier while introducing Alam Khan, Arya Sangeet Prasarak Mandal’s executive president Shrinivas Joshi recalled that his father Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and Ali Akbar Khan shared a close bond, and they had a passion for driving. He expressed optimism that the same would be continued by his generation.
