E-Paper
Magic and harmony mark the first day of 68th Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav
Bhat was conferred the ‘Vatsalabai Joshi Award 2022’, initiated by the Arya Sangeet Prasarak Mandal, by its executive president Shrinivas Joshi, for his contribution to Indian classical music
The gods of Hindustani classical music created magic on the first day of the 68th Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav which began on Wednesday. The festival began with a mesmerising performance of Pandit Upendra Bhat, a disciple of Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and an exponent of Kirana Gharana.
Bhat started with a Bandish ‘So Balma Mori’ in Raag Madhuvanti. He then presented the Bandish ‘Shyam Abtak Na Aaye’ and concluded the performance with an Abhang ‘Bijleecha Taal, Nabhacha Mrudang’, penned by Gangadhar Mahambare, which was originally sung by Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. He was accompanied by Niranjan Lele on harmonium, Sachin Pavgi on tabla, Farukh Latik Khan on sarangi, Manoj Bhandwalkar on pakhawaj, Anmol Thatte, Devvrat Bhatkhande, Dhananjay Bhate on tanpura and Mauli Takalkar on taal.
Bhat was conferred the ‘Vatsalabai Joshi Award 2022’, initiated by the Arya Sangeet Prasarak Mandal, by its executive president Shrinivas Joshi, for his contribution to Indian classical music. Mandal’s trustees Shilpa Joshi, Shubhada Mulgund, Anand Bhate, Prabhakar Deshpande, Milind Deshpande were present on the occasion.
Bhat said, “When I came to Pune, I did not understand Marathi. When I informed Pandit Bhimsen Joshi about it, he said ‘you perform well and the Punekars will always support you’. He was true. Over the years, the Pune audience has only given me happiness and joy. And so I dedicate this award to Punekars.”
Sawai Gandharva’s relative SG Joshi had travelled all the way from Hubli, Karnataka for the Mahotsav. He presented a special postal stamp on Sawai Gandharva, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi’s Guru, to Shrinivas Joshi. The stamp can be viewed at Sawai Gandharva Smarak in Shivajinagar.
Tributes were paid to the artists, who passed away during Covid-19
In the second session, vocalist Shashwati Mandal, an exponent of Gwalior Gharana, enthralled the crowd. She started with a Bandish in Raag Marwa. She was accompanied by Dr Mausum on harmonium, Bharat Kamat on tabla, Swati Tiwari and Akansha Grower on tanpura.
