Sawai has something for connoisseurs & amateurs

PUNE: The audience that gathers at the Sawai Gandharv has a mix of discerning, knowledgeable listeners and those who love and appreciate music without really being able to analyse its fine aspects. The artists who performed on the fourth day at this year's event brought high-quality entertainment for both the genres as they presented raagas such as Yaman, Bhimpalas or Malhar all of which have found place in popular music forms such as naatya sangeet or film songs.
Aarti Anklikar took charge right from the introduction of her rag Bhimpalas with vilambit composition ''akhinyaa mori lag rahi…''. She was accompanied by Ramdas Palsule on tabla and Suyog Kundalkar on harmonium. Anklikar enunciated the nuances of the raag with excellent taan work with clinically aggressive singing. She went on with an extremely powerful rendering of drut composition ''jaa jaa re apane mandiravaa…'' in which she underlined the predicament of a young woman turning away her lover saying she is under the watchful eyes of her mother-in-law and sister-in-law.
Anklikar offered, in memory of late Bhimsen Joshi, a composition - dhanya dhanya bhaag suhaag tero in raag Kala Shree, crafted by the maestro himself. She chased it with a tarana set to raag Kalawati before ending her part with a Sawariya pyara lage… set to the Daadra beat. Getting some extended timie Anklikar made a brief statement of an abhang composition ''bolaavaa Vitthhal….'' Before she quit the stage.
Tabla maestro Swapan Chaudhary, in his tabla solo, demonstrated complete mastery of beats with his teen taal in which he proceeded with peshkaar, kaayda and relaa. Chaudhary presented some classy percussion in the drut bandish weaving in tukda components to the delight of listeners.
Bhimsen's son Shriniwas was very convincing in his Miya ki Malhar, getting close to the level his father had taken this raag. Shriniwas' Kareem naam tero….unfolded in a matured flow while indicating his command of Miy ki Malhar. His fast compositions ''barasan laagi re…'' and ''ata dhoom dhoom..'' demonstrated perfection, creating the proverbial Malhar effect of rain showers. Shriniwas then went into light composition ''More saiyaan ji utarenge par…'' before closing with abhang ''Teerth Vitthal….,'' Which Bhimsen has permanently carved in the minds of music lovers. Avinash Dighe accompanied Shriniwas on harmonium and Ravindra Yavgal gave tabla support.
Samrat Pandit opened the day's proceedings with raag Yaman. It was unusually early for raag Yaman but the Patiala Gharana youngster captured the attention of the listeners with his accurate delivery of the pleasing notes of the early night raag. Avinash Dighe accompanied him on harmonium and Prashant Pandav on tabla. Pandit then presented composition thumri ''yaad piya ki aaye…''
Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan had started his performance in raag Zira Kafi at the time of going to press. He had the c ompany of Vijay Ghate on tabla and Raja Ray on tanpura.
Sunday's session is split into morning and afternoon, with Santoor exponent Shiv Kumar Sharma slated to perform in the morning part along with Kalpana Zokarkar and Vijay Koparkar - both vocal. Evening session will feature Apoorva Gokhale, Pallavi Joshi, Shaunak Joshi, Upendra Bhat - all vocal, Shahid Parwez - Sitar and Atul Kumar Upadhye - violin. The 60th Sawai Gandharv Bhimsen Mahotsav will come to a conclusion with the customary vocal recital by Kirana Gharana exponent Prabha Atre.