Just like that: Navras School, a ray of hope to revive Patna’s cultural scene

For the last three decades and more the once verdant artistic landscape of Patna has become more like a cultural desert

There was a time when the great classical music and dance artists would refuse to accept any another engagement if it clashed with their imperative commitment to be in Patna around Dussehra. This was the time when Patna was the hub for discerning enthusiasts of these classical arts, and performances of classical music and dance would last for the entire night.

Jaya Seal Ghosh, Bickram Ghosh, Dr L. Subramaniam, and Kavita Krishnamurthi at the Festival of Literature on Music in Patna (bickramghoshofficia)

Alas, no longer. For the last three decades and more the once verdant artistic landscape of Patna has become more like a cultural desert. No great festival of classical music and dance takes place here, as is common in almost other state of India. Audiences, due to prolonged lack of exposure, no longer miss what they have lost. Patrons have dwindled to the point of extinction. Venues of calibre are hard to find. Resources to finance such events are lacking. The frenetic pace of soulless politics and rampant misgovernance has almost asphyxiated Patna’s finely nurtured appreciation for our great musical and dance heritage.

However, in the last few years, a new ray of hope has risen with the emergence of the Navras School of Performing Arts. This driving force behind this organisation is Dr Ajit Pradhan and his wife, Anvita. Ajit is a cardiac surgeon, with his own hospital. But equally, his passion is classical music, dance and Urdu poetry. As such, the culturally barren landscape of Patna is seeing a new splash of colour in the arena of music, poetry and dance. For several years now, Dr Pradhan, with his own money and that of sponsors—which were very difficult to find to begin with—has been organising a series of finely curated events which are once again enticing Patna’s audiences, and providing them exposure to the greatness of our artistic heritage. Even more importantly, it is making the great artists of today aware that Patna is still on the cultural map of India.

Over 1st and 2nd March this month, Navras had organised a unique ‘Festival of Literature on Music’ in Patna. Conceived as a tribute to the ‘Gaan Saraswati’, Kishori Amonkar, it brought together 42 musicians and authors, 19 engrossing sessions, and 3 concerts. The festival was inaugurated by the cultured and refined Governor of Bihar, Arif Mohammad Khan. I have known him for long, and we have spent many hours discussing poetry, history and culture. I wanted to visit him when he was Governor of Kerala, and he was keen that I do so, especially after he read my last book, ‘The Great Hindu Civilisation’. Perhaps not everybody is aware that apart from his deep knowledge of Islamic theology, Khan Saheb is an authority on Hinduism. Now, I look forward to meeting him much oftener in Patna.

The festival was replete with luminaries. In classical dance, there was Dr Sonal Mansingh, Shovana Narayan, Prerna Shrimali and Manjari Chaturvedi; in classical music, artists like Ashwini Bhide, violinist Dr L. Subramaniam, his wife, Kavita Krishnamurthi, and the tabla maestro, Bickram Ghosh were among the participants. In addition, there were scintillating discussions among well-informed and articulate experts. The finale was a Dastangoi, written by Danish Iqbal, and performed by Fouzia and the Chitrahaar ensemble. Its irresistible theme was the life and times of the famous actress, Madhubala.

The festival had two key-note addresses. One was by poet and scholar, Ashok Vajpayee, on the subject: ‘Music, Time and Eternity’. The other was by me titled: ‘Is Our Classical Music Heritage Under Threat?’. It was—and was meant to be—a provocative subject, especially in the presence of so many great classical music artists. My essential point was that ancient traditions cannot be trifled with beyond a point. Our classical music has its origins in Bharat’s Natya Shastra, circa 400 BCE. It is, thus, millennia old, and its meditative structure of the slow elaboration of the raga, vilambit, gradually leading through the madhyam to the crescendo, the drut, cannot be unmindfully telescoped, otherwise the very purpose of the raga, which is to create a specific mood, rasa, of the time of day, or season, or emotion, is lost. Of course, even ancient traditions cannot be written in stone, and there must be change. But what kind of change? Modification, adaptation, fusion—but only in the hands of a maestro—is inevitable, but distortion, that leads to mimicry or gimmickry, is not. Classical artists, to preserve the authenticity of this great tradition need to educate audiences, rather than adopting the path of least resistance, and pandering to the lowest common denominator.

Finally, a word about Anvita and Ajit Pradhan themselves. They are the most welcoming hosts, taking personal care of each participant, and always unstinted in their hospitality. May their activities revive once again the glorious cultural traditions of Patna and Bihar.