Bengal Classical Music Fest
Chaurasia cheers up charming dawn
Over thirty thousand audience in the early hours on Sunday waited till the dawn at the Army Stadium to enjoy pundit Hariprasad Chaurasia’s morning ragas on the flute. And the legendary Indian flutist satisfied the thirst of Dhaka audience with the melody of the wind instrument in a refreshing morning.
The much-awaited musician of the third day programme of Bengal Classical Music Festival appeared onstage at the last part of the night and started playing raga probhateswari, under the bhairavi category, to celebrate the beginning of a new day. The melody of his flute carried by the chilly breeze slowly created a spell on the thousands of listeners.
For a whole hour, Chaurasia played three compositions based on raga probhateswari with different instruments: one accompanied by another flautist Vivek Sonar, the next accompanied by percussion instrument pakhwaz played by pundit Bhabani Shankar and the last with the rhythm of tabla played by pundit Samar Saha.
As the twinkling stars becoming fade in the late autumn night, the legendary flutist started playing the devotional morning raga lalit to celebrate the serenity in nature that waited for the beginning of another day. The enthralled audience forgot to notice the slit of the golden ray appearing in the horizon of the eastern sky.
And the new day was welcomed by Chaurasia playing an improvisational number based on the traditional kirtan tune on his magical flute.
Earlier, maestros of the classical music in the subcontinent presented different ragas through vocal recitals and diverse instruments such as sarod, santoor, sitar and tabla on the third day of the festival, which began on Saturday evening with sarod recitals by Rajrupa Chowdhury.
The talented musician began his performance playing an evening raga called shyam kalian. He also entertained the audience by playing raga rajeshri, a night-time raga.
The only Bangladeshi performer of the day sitar player Reenat Fauzia, the granddaughter of the creator of many ragas Ustad Ayat Ali Khan, played a midnight raga called kirwani.
The other attractions of the day were santoor played by pundit Shiv Kumar Sharma, tabla played by pundit Swapan Chaudhuri and vocal recitals presented by Vidushi Padma Talwalkar, pundit Uday Bhawalkar and Kumar Mardur.
Kumar Mardur, a representative of the Kirana School, presented a night-time raga shuddha kalayan. Mardur also entertained the audience rendering a bhajan composed by the Indian mystic poet Kabir.
Vidushi Padma Talwalkar entertained the audience through her soulful presentation on raga jogkosh. Her improvisational presentation on the tilok kamod moved the audience.
Pundit Uday Bhawalkar entertained the audience by presenting the alap (beginning part) and its long elaborated form of the formal section, expressed as jor, of the late night raga dorbari kanada.
The veteran santoor player pundit Shiv Kumar Sharma moved the audience playing raga jhinjhoti and misra koushaki in the programme.
Renowned tabla player pundit Swapan Chaudhuri created a storm in the chilly midnight with the rhythm of his short compositions following the Lucknow school of classical music.
‘It is great opportunity and pleasure to be here and to listen to such music. I thank Bengal Foundation for such a big festival,’ said noted cultural personality Ramendu Majumdar.
‘A remarkable night it was and a remarkable dawn it was,’ said renowned Nazrul singer Fatima-tuz-Zohra.
The third day was dedicated to Bangladeshi dance guru and pioneer Bulbul Chowdhury.
-With New Age input
