A cornucopia of refined melody

Clockwise (from left): Anup Barua and Rabiul Hossain (C) perform vocal music; Pandit Gopal Mishra (L) with Ashim Chowdhury during an evocative performance. Photo: Golam Mahbub

A two-day classical music festival (vocal and instrumental) has ended at the main auditorium of Chhayanaut Shangskriti Bhaban. Eminent music exponent Pandit Ram Kanai Das formally inaugurated the festival as chief guest on December 22. The festival comprised three sessions.
The second session of the festival started at 9 am and continued till 1 pm on December 23. Apart from a choral performance by the artistes of Chhayanaut, Satindranath Haldar rendered vilambit and drut kheyal in Raga "Nat Bhairav" while Tapash Datta's passionate performance of Raga "Aahir Bhairav" won the hearts of many. Swarup Hossain on tabla, Alamgir Parvez Suman on harmonium and Aloke Kumar Sen on tanpura accompanied Tapash.
Accomplished vocalist Priyanka Gope was on a musical high as she performed both vilambit and drut kheyal on Raga "Tori", set on vilambit ektaal and teentaal respectively. Based on Raga "Kirwani", a kaharba performance by the artiste followed. Priyanka's ecstatic presentation of a dadra was next. The romance of Bhairavi melted out through her voice diffusing the pristine melody in the morning air.
Sarod artiste Md. Yousuf Khan's dhun performance on Bhairavi raga further augmented the ambience of romanticism among the music connoisseurs. Sheuli Bhattacharjee's violin also enlightened the crux of Raga "Bilashkhani Tori" at the session.
The third session of the festival commenced on the same day at 7:30 pm, and continued till the next morning. A number of vocalists and instrumentalists performed in the night long session.
Chhayanaut artistes inaugurated the soiree with a performance of kheyal in Raga "Hangsadhwani". A Chhayanaut classical guru, Asit Dey, directed the performance. Badal Chowdhury on tabla assisted the artistes.
Latifun Julio's solo kheyal performance on Raga "Bhimpalashree" eased the day's exhaustion while Salok Hossain's presentation of a colourful Raga "Bhinnosharoj" hinted at the onset of spring on a winter night.
Santoor recital by Shantanu followed. Shantanu played Raga "Puria Dhaneshree" while Pinu Sen Das accompanied him on tabla.
Mrityunjoy Das played Raga "Marubehag" on his banshi. Bishwajit Natto on tabla and Mohit Khan on tanpura accompanied him. Mrityunjoy extraordinarily showcased his brilliance during a speedy taan performance. The sweetness of melody had a heart touching quality on a smoggy night. Bishwajit Natto generated several tabla lahora during the performance.
Chhayanaut Secretary General Khairul Anam Shakil's fondness of fashioning taan during kheyal performance on Raga "Joyjayonti" caught the attention of the packed audience. His emotional offering coupled with his guru Madan Gopal Das' thunderbolt beats captivated the music lovers. The artiste also presented a chhoto kheyal set on Raga "Kaunshikdhwani". Bizon Chandra Mistry's melodious harmonium permeated the hall. Rabiul Hossain rendered Raga "Jog" while seasoned artiste Suman Chowdhury tamed the melody of Raga "Bageshree" to his vocal.
Anup Barua's pristine performance of Raga "Darbari Kanara" will remain etched in the memory of many music lovers. An immaculate performance definitely owes much to many accomplished instrumentalists as well. Pinu Sen Das on tabla, Shantanu on harmonium and Parag Pratim Chakrobarty and Partha Pratim Roy on tanpura accompanied the artiste for more than an hour long poignant musical journey which seemed to recall past pain. The artiste also performed a chhoto kheyal on Raga "Chandrakauns" and a thumri on Raga "Pahari".
Shushen Kumar Roy presented a solo pakhawaj recital at the festival. He started his performance with "Chautaal". The artiste played several qaida, a bit of experimental compositions and several important pakhawaj based compositions. He also produced several bol (beats) prior to performing the qaida. Alamgir accompanied the artiste on the harmonium.
Asit Dey rendered vilambit and drut kheyal on Raga "Lalit". He also presented an unusual Raga "Bedi Ki Lalit" at the festival. One of the prominent gurus of Hindustani Classical Music Dilip Chandra Bedi created the Raga in 1936, according to the artiste.
The last performer of the festival was Indian sitar player Ashim Chowdhury (from Kolkata). Pandit Gopal Mishra of Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, High Commission of India, Dhaka accompanied him on tabla. The artiste duo presented a gamut of the finest form of classical music on their respective instruments.
Alap recital on Raga "Basant Mukhari" by Ashim Chowdhury seemed like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. His jor, jhala, and chakradar performance was evocative too. Pandit Gopal Mishra fashioned several tabla rela and lahora along with frequent improvisational beats. And last but not the least the artiste duo presented Raga "Bhairavi", as the dawn, in the meantime, had depleted the darkness of the night.
Mobile Phone Operator Robi sponsored breathtaking festival. Maasranga TV recorded the entire festival.