Songs of yore

BENGALURU: Hindustani classical music, one of the oldest forms of organised music in Indian heritage, seems to have found a new- found appeal among the younger demographic. Esteemed classical musician, Pandit Nayan Ghosh, who plays both the sitar and the tabla, feels it is because of the internet. 

“Nowadays, the popularity of classical music is catching up very well all across India. Since the boom of the internet, the musical awareness of citizens has grown a lot. YouTube has especially helped younger people discover classical music in all its capacity. I see a lot of youngsters attending concerts nowadays, which is very encouraging,” says Ghosh, who was in the city to perform at the 40th year of Varshikotsav held at Canara Union in Malleswaram. 

Ghosh was one of the main acts of the concert, who performed along with his son Ishaan Ghosh. The concert was organised by Sursagar, a not-for-profit organisation founded in 1982 that aims to bring the art of Hindustani classical music to the public. What separates Sursagar from most is that they do it all for free. 

Shashank Sanade, the honorary secretary of the organisation, says the planning of the concert had begun as early as July. “Since we always try to bring out the some of the best artistes in the field, we start our planning five-six months ahead. Our goal has always been to encourage people into Hindustani classical music. When Sursagar started, there was hardly any presence of Hindustani classical music in Karnataka, especially in Bengaluru. Since then, it has grown in leaps and bounds. Our concerts are open to all. There is no ticketing system and no one in the audience is charged for their attendance,” says Sanade. 

Ghosh, who has been performing for over 50 years, feels the city offers a great crowd for classical music. “I have performed in at least 40 concerts in this city over the last few decades. Bengaluru is very musically-conscious and the audience response has always been very pleasant,” shares Ghosh, who has performed in the city with many prominent musicians, including MS Gopalakrishnan and L Subramaniam. 

This concert also graced the presence of Pandit M Venkatesh Kumar. His companion on stage of about 20 years, Satish Kolli, who plays the harmonium, was also present at the event. “The experience was fantastic. The concert was well organised and all the acts performed very well. I performed with Pandit M Venkatesh Kumar, which is always a lot of fun. I am grateful to have shared the stage with him in all these years,” concludes Kolli.