A tradition continues...

HYDERABAD: Music lovers of Hyderabad thronged CCRT (Centre for Cultural Resources and Training - Madhapur), clad in woollens and silks. Braving traffic, long distances, they came in droves, for nothing can stop them from attending their favourite annual festival of music that lasts for three to four days. Braving the cold they sat for hours to listen to the maestro who makes a sacred annual visit to the city, every year without fail.

That is when he connects with the people of Hyderabad, on more than one level. One is through music and the other is through a special bond: he grew up here having lost his father when he was four; also this is where his father’s memory lies - for here he breathed his last. To commemorate his father’s “punya thithi” (death anniversary) on November 30, he sings. It is a musical offering by Pandit Jasraj to his ancestors, to strengthen the Mewati Gharana and seek blessings of the elders from the above.

It is on the 30th of November that Panditji sings; sings from his heart; sings surrounded by his disciples on the dais; and sings with a total surrender to the Supreme, his ancestors and his musical lineage, thus elevating his Parampara. This has been going on in Hyderabad for the last 44 years. And the 45th was no different.

The festival started with the youngest disciple of the Mewati Gharana, Swar Sharma inaugurating with his tender 17 years of musical lineage and training. He is the son of Pandit Rattan Mohan Sharma, the nephew of Pandit Jasraj, who again had the good fortune of being under the guru/uncle’s training and guidance all his life. The familiar prayer starts, the familiar notes in the familiar format, and there is no deviation. It is the traditional prayer that has been coming for ages: Mangalam bhagavan Vishnu, mangalam garuda dhwaja……listening to the young Swar Sharma uttering this prayer was like going back in time. He had taken up a tough raag like Nat Narayan and elaborated like a pro.

He won laurels singing this raag, which many of his predecessors attempted at a much older age. According to Panditji, he himself sang it at the age of 40 and his brother Maniram at age 25. Well, Swar Sharma won everyone’s heart with his sincere and melodious presentation.This was soon followed by Takahiro Arai on Santoor. Speaking chaste Hindi, Takahiro Arai opened his santoor recital with Raag Hamsadhwani. Formerly into western drums, this Japanese musician, ever since he was smitten by the gentle strains of the santoor, has been its ardent devotee, took his first lessons in his home country Japan from Mr Setsuo Miyashita, a senior disciple of Pandit Shivkumar Sharma. Later he joined Pandit Shiv Kumar and shifted base to Mumbai.

Being a former drummer, Takahiro seems to have a special love for the beat. Though santoor has an intrinsic melody, it is not an instrument with great range. But Takahiro gave a different treatment by inducing a fine rhythm, thus enlivening the rather monotonous music. Pandit Ramkumar with his excellent accompaniment further uplifted the melody. Hailing from the prestigious Benares gharana, Ramkumar was initiated into tabla by his mother, Smt Manorama Mishra. His fingers dance on the tabla and the beats just flow effortlessly.

Takahiro, with a fine grip on the instrument and his music, created magic weaving endless melodies fully exploiting the improvisation part of the Indian classical tradition. His mastery over santoor and the years of rigorous practice that have gone into his training were evident: he made his guru mighty proud of him! Living in India, learning Hindi, imbibing Indian culture has enriched his education. No wonder he was awarded Pandit Jasraj - Rotary Club of Hyderabad Award for Cross-Cultural Understanding 2012.

The best was reserved for the last. Well past 10 pm, Pandit Jasraj, along with his students began his annual homage to his ancestors. His usual robust voice did not cooperate initially but his loyal disciples were there to lend support. Tripti Mukherjee, Rattan Mohan Sharma took the lead in lending support, and soon Ankita Joshi followed. By the time a bandish in Bageshree was finished, Panditji came into full form and he had taken up a tarana, which was elaborated by Rattan Mohan Sharma with his inimitable taans.

But the finale was “Mata Kalika” in Raag Adana that moved every soul in the audience. It is said that reaching the divine through music is one of the many ways a devotee can follow. It appeared as though the fervent prayers of Panditji along with the inheritors of Mewati Gharana were heard by both the Mother Goddess as well as the Gharana heads sitting up there, for one could feel a shower of blessings.
(The author is a documentary filmmaker and travel writer; she blogs at vijayaprataptravelandbeyond.com)