I was eagerly waiting to attend a "Classical Music Festival" live in person after a gap of almost 4-5 years. These festivals in Pune, in line with the likes of Sawai in past are more like "Jalsa" to me. They display us a variety in classical music, from instrumental to vocal, Hindustani to Carnatic and Western, from the upcoming young talent to the established, from the auditory to visual experience of "Sangeet" involving dance.
Like many traditional classical loving Punekars, I had stopped attending the "Sawai" since its move from the traditional venue of Ramanbag to "the Gultekdi Market", sensing the decline in overall quality of the "classical festival".
The lineup of artists for the 10th year of GaanSaraswati Mahotsav attracted me to the festival. I had prebooked my season pass well in advance online and was ready for reviving my interest in the "Musical Jalsas". The weekend of Feb 23rd to 25th was hence blocked for the "experience".
GaanSaraswati Mahotsav Day 1 - Review and experience
The arrangements at the venue and the overall management and ticketing experience did not disappoint me. I am glad that the organizers have adapted to most of the modern day systems and arrangements, but still retaining the "Traditional Sawai" template of Musical Jalsa. The festival has "only chairs" seating arrangement and that is more comfortable for the young and elderly alike.
Day 1, Friday evening by 5 pm, the festival kicked off with the rendering of Traditional "Mantra" recitation by religious pandits. This created a unique experience to the audience and I am sure many music lovers instantly settled into a calming soothening milieu, that imparts a kind of "Theharaav"
The young trio of Manas Kumar (violins), Abhay Nayampally (Carnatic Guitar) and Ishan Ghosh (Tabla) was delightful and assuring. They started with a Ganesh Stuti in Hansdwani by Abhay Nayampally followed by Patmanjiri alap by Manas Kumar on Violins. The trio together rendered a beautiful fusion of Carnatic and Hindustani melodious experience that was based around PantuVaraLi of Carnatic style and Puriya Dhanaashree of Hindustani style. This young brigade has already won the hearts of not just the youth but also the "traditional" classical lovers. Their fusion was definitely not a confusion but a perfect mix of Carnatic and Hindustani, the progressive classical experience tradition and modern, an experience of intellectual performing art that has strong roots in traditional training and riyaaz. No doubt that the "trio" has a bright future ahead. They were presented with "Young achievers" Award.
By 6.30 pm the pandal was full, as the darling of crowd, Kaushiki Chakravarty was on stage accompanied by Ojas Adhiya on Tabla, Murad Ali on Sarangi and Tanmay Deochakke on Harmonium. She started with Shuddha Kalyan (May be as a tribute to the Gaan Saraswati Kishori Amonkar ) with Patiala vilambit bandish "Aaj ki shubhghadee" (आज की शुभ घडी ) followed by "Mat kar gumaan" (मत कर गुमान ) in madhya lay and the classic Patiala gem "Baajo re baajo" (बाजो रे बाजो ). A thumri in Maanjh-Khamaj "Prem agan jiyaraa" (प्रेम अगंन जियारा ) and a Marathi abhang "Maaze maaher Pandhari"(माझे माहेर पंढरी) . She concluded by 8.45 with "Mhaaro pranaam" (म्हारो ) as a tribute to GaanSaraswati.
Pt Ronu Majumdar with Pt Ramdas Palsule on Tabla, arrived on the stage for the final concert of the day at round 9pm and was filled with emotions as he remembered his association with GaanSaraswati. With his alaapi in Abhogi Kanada, he calmed down the crowd and continued a pleasing rendering, ably accompanied by appropriate soft Tabla. His Pahaadi with a stress on Shuddha Nishadh was the icing on the cake. The concluding Bhairavi brought about the perfect "bhaav" of Karuna and surrender. Audience were filled with peaceful emotions as they left for their homes for the day, eagerly awaiting Day 2 of the festival that will feature young vocalist Saurabh Kadgaonkar, Aarti Ankalikar and Niladri Kumar.
GaanSaraswati Mahotsav Day 2 - Review and experience
Day 2 , Saturday Feb 24th evening started with performance by young vocalist Saurabh Kadgaonkar of Pune who has been a disciple of Pt Raghunandan Panshikar. He started the concert with Bhimpalas vilambit followed by a drut "Naad Samudra" and a tarana. The highlight of his performance was a raagmala that was composed by his friend Rohit Marathe, involving Gaavati, Sarang, Kalyan, DwiGandhaar, Kanada, Malhar, Hansdhwani, Nand, Bhatiyaar, Yaman and Des.
He concluded with the famous bhajan "Bolava Vitthal, pahavaa vitthal" (बोलावा विठ्ठल , पहावा विठ्ठल)
Aarti Ankalikar was on stage with Purva-Kalyan in ati-vilambit Jhaptaal "Hovan lagi saanjh" (होवन लागी सांझ). An expansive ati-vilambit that created a very serious mood for almost 45 minutes was followed by a tarana in madhya lay and a drut "Piharava aajaa re,begi begi aavo more mandirava" ( पिहरवा आजा रे, बेगी बेगी आयो मोरे मंदिरवा) The second raag she chose was Hemant with a bandish by guru Dinkar Kaikini, "aavo ri aavo ri aavo ri sakhiyaa gaao, rituraaj hai" (आयो री आयो री आयो री सखिया) and jod "jhanan jhanan jhanana baaje, sakhi mori" (झनन झनन झनन बाजे , सखी मोरी )
Niladri Kumar with his sitar started aalaapi in Khamaaj, displaying his mastery over the instrument. The raag chosen by him was .. obviously Jhinjhoti! An ample scope for the accompanist Tabla player, entertaining the crowd with more gimmickry than "pure soft classicalness". To me this performance sounded loud and below par the standards set by his father Kartik Kumar and he himself previously. However, the rendition of Bhairavi bandishes overcame my disappointment, concluding the final concert of day 2.
GaanSaraswati Mahotsav Day 3 - Review and experience
Day 3 Sunday morning session was enjoyable with young vocalist Jashan Bhumkar presenting Gunkali, Father and son duo violinists Milind & Yadnesh Raikar presenting Bilaskhani Todi and Pt Jayteerth Mewundi presenting Lalat, concluding the session with "Sou Bhagyada lakshmi baramma" (सौभाग्यदा लक्ष्मी बरम्मा )
Evening session began with young santoorist Shantanu Gokhale presenting Hansdwani followed by Kathak presentation by Sharvari Jamenis.
The highlight of the evening was Pt Vishwamohan Bhatt and his Mohan Veena accompanied on Tabla by Abhishek Mishra and supported by his son and disciple Salil Bhat on Satvic Veena. He presented his own creation raag Vishwaranjani followed by his famous composition that had won him Grammy award. He was presented with "Mongubai Kurdikar Award"
The final concert of the festival was by Pt Raghunandan Panshikar who started with Sawani Nat in Vilambit "Anahat Naad" (अनाहत नाद ) with the typical Jaipur style of slow phrasic progression of aakaar taans. He also aptly commented that the Jaipur gayaki sounds like "Rushi muni chanting their mantras in soft and slow manner". It was followed by a tarana.
A beautiful Bandish "Dekho shyam gehri neend baiyaan mori" (देखो शाम गहरी निंद ) of Chandrakauns ang Bageshree was short but soft and soothing. He concluded with a bhajan of Raghavendra Swami in Kannada.
The festival concluded by playing a recorded Bhairavi of young Kishori Amonkar.