When Chowdiah Hall reverberated with monsoon melodies

The Bengaluru edition of Barkha Ritu, the monsoon music festival, organised by the Banyan Tree, recently took place at Chowdiah Hall. The evening commenced with the Hindustani classical vocal jugalbandi by Shounak Abhisheki and Anand Bhate.

In consonance with the theme of monsoon, the duo commenced with raag Miyan ki Malhar, the creation of which, according to the prevailing lore, is attributed to Miyan Tansen.

They took up the most celebrated vilambit (slow tempo) khayal bandish, ‘Kareem nam tero’, an Adarang composition, skilfully blending the ‘raagangas’ Malhar and Kanada, and essaying the signature phrase ‘pakkad’ with imagination and gravitas in Vilambit ek taal avartans of twelve beats.

The unique prayoga with two nishads, an unmistakable signpost of the Malhars, glistened in the hands of the singers. While Anand Bhate improvised on the sargams, Shounak with his long meends, feasted on the bol alaps. The fast-paced drut ektal bandish ‘Mohammad Shah rangile balma’ was marked by taankari.

Shounak and Anand harmoniously wove a rich tapestry of taans, which in synchrony with the tabla accompaniment of Bharath Kamat made for an enjoyable listening. Anand’s exposition of the ‘uttarang pradhan’ raag Surdasi Malhar in the drut teen tal bandish, ‘Badarwa barsan ko aye’, was also marked by taankari, the intricate embellishments on the ‘samvadini’ by Ravindra Katoti added sparkle to Anand’s sophisticated gayaki. The tour de force of the jugalbandi was the soulful rendition of abhangs.

While Anand sang ‘Thirtha Vittala kshetra Vittala’, Shounak too presented the Sant Choka Mela abhang, ‘Abir gulal udhalita rang, natha ghari naache mazha sakha Pandurang’, popularised by his father, the legendary vocalist Pt Jitendra Abhisheki. Vinayak Joshi accompanied on the pakhawaj with elan.

Refreshing approach

Ustad Shujaat Khan performing at the Bengaluru edition of Barkha Ritu 2022.

Ustad Shujaat Khan began his sitar recital by choosing a monsoon raag from outside the Malhar family. Like his father, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Shujaat too displays a remarkable affinity to the vocal idiom, and his sitar recitals are often marked by an enchanting amalgamation of some of the finest khayal bandishes, thumris, geet, and bhajans often sung by himself.

Shujaat Khan began with a lyrical exposition of raag Tilak Kamod, creating a romantic mood with a melodious rendition of a folk song from Uttar Pradesh, ‘Ab kaise bachavoge gori’, traditionally sung by friends of the bride, on the eve of her departure to the groom’s house.

The senior sitar artiste was ably accompanied by Amit Choubey and Sapan Anjaria on the tabla, in the madhyalaya teental and drut teental ‘gat’ compositions, representing the quintessential aspects of Punjab gharana and Benaras style respectively.

Shujaat established a rapport with the audience by taking them through the nuances of Mishra Khamaj, singing ‘Chap tilak’, and ‘Vaishnava janato’, gliding through a myriad ‘avirbhav-tirobhav’ sanchars, in the rhythmic ‘Keherwa’ cycle of eight beats, negotiated with aplomb by Amit and Sapan.

The Bengaluru-based writer is a trained musician.