Chhayanaut's Shuddha Sangeet Utshab ends
The two-day (December 20-21) long Chhayanaut's Shuddha Sangeet Utshab, featuring both vocal and instrumental music, concluded early morning yesterday at its main auditorium in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. The annual festival comprising two sessions, was the 11th iteration of the event.
Renowned music exponent and Guru Ustad Mihir Lala from Chattogram inaugurated the festival while General Secretary of Chhayanaut Laisa Ahmed Lisa delivered the welcome address and vote of thanks.
The festival, aiming to inspire the practice of classical music in Bangladesh, began with the lighting of candles as a symbol of spreading knowledge, followed by the rendition of the National Anthem. The artistes of Chhayanaut set off the event with a choral performance of Raga Bhimpalasi. Guru Asit Kumar Dey directed the performance.
Promising vocalist Supriya Das was next to take the stage to perform Raga Multani. Renowned vocalist Satindranath Halder rendered Raga Puriya, while Layeka Bashir sang Raga Narayani. Renowned artiste Khairul Anam Shakil performed Raga Shudh Kalyan along with a 'chhoto khayal' based on Raga Rageshree. Ahsan Zulqarnain presented Raga Bageshree while Monsieur Jovial Jesus Bhuban presented tabla lahora at the festival.
The nightlong second session of the festival also featured group vocal and instrumental (tabla and violin) performances by Chhayanaut artistes. The vocalists beautifully showcased the raagdari along with akar and sargam taan during their performance of vilambit and drut bandish set on Raga Madhuvanti. Chhayanaut Guru Sangeetacharya Razwan Ali directed the performance. Violinist Dr Sheuli Bhattacharjee led her students to perform Raga Mishra Kafi while Swarup Hossain directed a group tabla recital by the artistes of the school at the programme.
Renowned vocalist Suman Chowdhury performed Raga Yaman Kalyan. Ebadul Huq Shaikat recited Raga Kedar and Raga Hemant on sitar while noted violinist Sheuli Bhattacharjee played Raga Bageshree at the event.
Renowned and upcoming vocalists and instrumentalists -- Razwan Ali, Asit Kumar Dey, Md Alauddin Mian, Mohammad Shoyeb, Salok Hossain, Sanchita Trisha, Supantha Majumdar, Abhipriya Chakrabarty, Arpita Chakrabarty, Kaniz Husna Ahammadi Simpy and Susmita Debnath Suchi -- performed in the concluding session of the festival that featured many evocative musical moments.