Ustad Amjad Ali Khan performing at the samaroh
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Pt. Chintamani Raghunath Vyas (1924-2002) was a prolific performer, composer, scholar and a dedicated guru who trained many disciples. To propagate Indian classical music, he founded the Maharashtra Lalit Kala Nidhi in 1973, and started the Gunidas Sangeet Sammelan in memory of his guru Pt. Jagannath Bua Purohit (Gunidas). Recently, the Maharashtra Lalit Kala Nidhi organised the Pt. C. R. Vyas Janm-Shatabdi Sangeet Samaroh in Delhi’s Kamani Auditorium. The two-day music festival’s finale featured Ustad Amjad Ali Khan’s sarod recital.
Pt. C. R. Vyas held a full-time job with the ITC, but his passion for Hindustani classical music saw him train under renowned gurus of the Kirana, Gwalior and Agra Gharanas. Inspired by his guru Gunidas, Vyas also created new raags and compositions under the pseudonym ‘Gunijaan’. Remembering his compositions, Amjad Ali Khan said: “Artistes go away but what remains are their creations.” He also paid tribute to Ustad Zakir Hussain by getting Aditya Kalyanpur and Amit Kaothekar, disciples of Ustad Allarakha (Zakir’s father), to accompany him.
The Ustad eschewed the customary alap-jod-jhala and, with just a short introductory auchar, played traditional compositions in raag Tilak Kamod and Bihari (an old raag with similar romantic fervour) in the slow and medium tempos of Teentaal, respectively.
Amjad Ali Khan chose raag Durga next and portrayed the predicament of women through the discordant notes in the alap, before playing compositions in the conventional swarup of the raag in six-and-a-half beats time cycle and drut Teentaal followed by a scintillating jhala. Concluding his recital with the Carnatic raga Charukesi, instead of the customary Bhairavi, he incorporated the Ram Dhun ‘Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram’ and followed it with shades of other Carnatic ragas such as Saraswati and Hamsadhwani. He provided ample scope to both the tabla players.
Pt. Suhar Vyas accompanied by Pt. Vinod Lele on the and Vinay Mishra on the harmonium
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The evening opened with a vocal recital by Pt. Suhas Vyas, the son and disciple of Pt. C. R. Vyas. He was accompanied on the tabla by Pt. Vinod Lele and Vinay Mishra on the harmonium. Kushal Sharma, a young disciple of Pt. Madhup Mudgal, provided vocal support. He chose the timely raag Shree and presented a bada khayal set to vilambit Ektaal composed by Gunidas. The chhota khayal in Teentaal was his father’s composition. Suhas’ full-throated voice and meticulous performance brought alive the memory of his father. Raga Shuddha Kalyan was a comely contrast after the sombre raag Shree, before he concluded with a nirgun bhajan.
The main attraction of the inaugural evening was the vivacious vocal recital by Pt. Sajan Mishra along with his gifted son Swaransh. Pt. Sajan Mishra thoughtfully chose raag Jog-Kauns, created by Gunidas, and presented two compositions of Bade Ramdas Ji, known for the melodic and philosophical content of his bandishes. He was accompanied on the tabla by Pt. Vinod Lele, who provided perfect theka, and Dr. Vinay Mishra, who mirrored the vocal nuances on the harmonium.
Pt. Sajan Mishra along with his son Swaransh
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
It was a delight to watch Sajan Mishra negotiate both the gandhars while elaborating the raag. Swaransh brought out the bhavas of the compositions ‘Kahe guman kare Bavare’ and ‘Jagat hai sapana / Kou nahin apna’ set to Vilambit and Drut Ektaal, respectively. The duo complemented each other, playing hide and seek with aol alap and a variety of taans. One only wished they had more time for another raag instead of concluding with a short Sohini.
Pt. Satish Vyas, Pt. C. R. Vyas’s son and Suhas’ brother opened the Samorah with his santoor recital. He trained under Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma. He played Dhankoni Kalyan, a raga created by his father. As the name suggests (Dha-na ie dhaivat nahin and Ko-ni ie komal nishad) there was no dhaivat, nishad komal and teevra madhyam of Kalyan.
Pt. Satish Vyas, the curator of the festival, playing a tribute concert in memory of his father.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
He played a detailed alap-jod and jhala in this raag, followed by three compositions set to slow Jhaptaal and medium and drut Teentaal. Pt. Ram Kumar Mishra provided him superb support on the tabla. Since he was also the host, it would have been wonderful if guest artiste Sajan Mishra had been offered more time
Published – January 28, 2025 06:18 pm IST
