Shriram Shankarlal Music Festival: A celebration on music

Shankaral Music Fest in Kamini. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Classical music was formally introduced in the capital through the Sri Ram Shankarlal music festival nearly eight decades ago. Prior to its establishment, a personal invitation from the host was required to participate in a concert. The festival replaced it due to being open to all, held in one ShamianaTo make classical music accessible to the public. Initially, ₹ 2 tickets were sold, but a few decades ago, it was decided to free the festival for everyone.

Delhi’s oldest and most prestigious classical music festival returns to the end of this week as a three -day program from 21 to 23 March. Over the years, it has hosted every prominent person in North Indian classical music, stopping rare exceptions-Pandit Kumar Gandharva was never invited in the early years, and when he was finally, he fell. Violin was also rarely painted, Dr. l. Subramaniam performed only once and Dr. N. Rajam and his daughter were the first Northern Indian violin players to go on stage a few years ago.

Program should keep running

Sri Ram, the President of the Indian Arts Center, Shoba Deepak Singh, who has been driving on the back of the festival for the last 50 years, shares, “This would be my first festival without my husband, Deepak, which was a strong support. But as he always said, ‘Show should go.”

This festival opens with Rahul Sharma on Santoor, followed by the outspoken recurrence of Ashwini Bhide Deshpande. The next day begins with flute sisters Debopriya and Suchismita Chatterjee, who is a disciple of PT. Hariprasad Chauosia. Debopia, who is reflected on the occasion, says, “This will be my first performance at this level. GurujiThere is a sense of responsibility in furthering their legacy. We are nervous to perform on such a prestigious platform but are excited. ,

The second concert of the evening includes the first -time artist Prabhakar and the disciples of Divkar Kashyap, Pandit Rajan and Sajan Mishra of Banaras Gharana as a sitar of Pandit Budhadata Mukherjee.

Grand finale

This year, there will be no morning session in the festival. In the evening, the veteran singer of Kiran Gharana Pandit Vinayak Torvi will be performed, followed by Ustad Amjad Ali Khan.

Considering his long association with the festival, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan shared, “As a child, I am standing today where Kamani Auditorium was standing, and now, I live at the place where the festival is currently held. I have been playing in Shankarlal since the early 1960s and I have always been trying to make time in modern schools. Is.”

When asked about his performance this year, he says, “Our music is always fresh – two rendering of the same raga are never the same. The or Darbari I played tomorrow will not be different from what I played today. I believe that there is an Atma (soul) in every raga. When I respect the tradition, I have no gifts.”

At the Open Air Theater, Sriram Indian Art Center, Copernicus route; 21 to 23 March; at 6 pm