Maharana Kumbha Sangeet Parishad Udaipur

On the 1^st day of the 56^th edition of Maharana Kumbha Sangeet Sammelan, there were performances by two reputed artists- young flute player Paras Nath of Varanasi and Hindustani classical singer and eminent Raghunandan Panshikar. In his welcome speech Dr Yashwant Kothari, Hon. Secretary, Maharana Kumbha Sangeet Parishad said that the Parishad had been organizing this three-day big music event for the last 56 years without even a single break. The music lovers of Udaipur and of places near and far get a golden opportunity to be enthralled by the recitals of top artists. Paras Nath began his performance with Lai Japtael in Raj Kirwani. At the end of his performance, he carried away the listeners with him by singing Thumak Chalal Ramachandran, Mohe Panghat Pe Nandlal, Govind Bolo, Hari Gopal Bolo etc. He was accompanied by Duajai Bhaumik on tabla.

The second artist Raghunandan Panshikar began his performance with Rag Ragesh. He sang Meera’s Bhajan Maine Ram Ratan Dhan Payo and then a Marathi Bhajan on public demand. He was accompanied on tabla by Bharat Kamath, on harmonium by Suyoga Kundalkar and on tanpuri by Amardeep Sharma.

On this occasion, Panshikar was honoured with M.N Mathur Award and given ‘uparna’, memento and cash.

The second evening of the Sangeet Sammelan started with the performance by Sonia Roy of Kolkata who had come to Udaipur for the first time. She began with Rag Puria Kalyan and impressed the audience deeply.

In the second session, Pandit Purbayan Chatterjee won the applause of the listeners with his quality sitar vadan.

In the concluding third session of the Samaroh at open-air theatre of Shilpgram, the country’s first women Strishakti Band captivated the audience with its nuances. Appearing on the stage for the first time in Udaipur, the President Award winner Anuradha Pal greeted the audience with Khamma Ganni.

With her unique style, Kathak dancer Richa Jain with her party mesmerized the audience. She began her programme with 16 Lilas of Lord Krishna with Kavit Natvari Bol and Gat Bhav.

Sonia Roy has received extensive training from Smt. Shanti Sharma, a renowned name among Indian classical musicians and the torch bearer of the illustrations Indore Gharana.

Noted for amalgamating traditional Indian classical music with contemporary world music genres, Purbayan Chatterjee is a sitar maestro. He has learned sitar from his father Parthapratim Chatterjee. His music is inspired by the sound of Nikhil Banerjee. He has performed as a solo artist and as a part of the groups, Shastriya Syndicate and string struck. He is also a vocalist with Shankar Mahadevan.

Paras Nath comes from an eminent family of musicians of Varanasi who have been in the field for over 250 years. His grandfather Pandit Shiv Nath Prasad, the Indian Shahnai Maestro introduced the flute in his family for the first time as well in his Gharana that otherwise is known as Shahnai players Paras had an opportunity to learn from his grandfather, his mother Meena Nath as well as his uncle Dinesh Kumar. He is the younger son of Pandit Amar Nath, one of the top flutists of India and a great composer known for Vadya Vrinda or Chestra.

He has also given background music in Bollywood films such as Oh My God, Sarabjeet, Dangal, Padman and Tare Zameen Par. He has been associated with several tv shows.

Born in 1963 in a family of Sanskrit scholars and classical musicians and son of the eminent Marathi stage actor and producer Prabhakar Panshikar, Raghunandan’s aptitude for music was fostered and recognized at an early age.

Daughter of pharmaceutical doyen, Devinder Poland painter-writer Illa Pal, Anuradha Pal started her table training under Shri Manikrao Popatkar and Pt. Madan Mishra, both of Benares Gharanas and finally became a disciple of Allah Rakha and Ustad Zakir Hussain of the Punjab Gharana. She is a ‘tabla’ virtuoso, multi-percussionist and music composer who has been described as the first professional female table player in the world.

A dedicated young Kathak dancer, Richa Jain started her formal training in Kathak at the tender age of three years under the guidance of her parents – Kathak exponents Guru Shri Ravi Jain and Guru Smt. Nalini Jain. She has the unique quality of dancing and singing simultaneously while presenting expressions on Thumri, Dadra, Ghazals, Geet etc.

To create awareness about Indian classical music and dance among people, especially the youth, and to acquaint them with the big contribution of the great Maharana Kumbha to this art, Maharana Kumbha Sangeet Parishad Udaipur, named after the great Rajputana ruler, organizes an eagerly awaited three-day music fiesta every year.

sangeet samaroh's pictures — Source: UdaipurTimes
Last years sangeet samaroh’s pictures

Schedule of the Music Fest

Music and dance lovers of not only Lake City but also of places near and far are going to enjoy the presentation by noted artists on 16^th and 17^th March at Sukhadia Rang Manch, Town Hall and on 18^th March at Muktakshi Rang Manch of Shilpgram. The program would open with a bang on the first day with flute recital by the reputed Pandit Parasnath of Mumbai.

This is to be followed by classical singing by well-known Raghunandan Panshikar. The on March 17^th is to have classical music by the famous Sonia Roy of Kolkata.

The second artist on the second day would be the famous sitar player of Kolkata, Pandit Purbayan Chatterjee.

The final day me on 18^th March at Shilpgram would have the performance of the famous artist of Mumbai, Pandit Anuradha Das and country’s first novel women classical music band.

This is to be followed by a special form of Kolkata dance by the well-known artist Richa Jain and party including the accompanist, the would have 40-50 artists this year. It will be for the first time that a band would be performed in this Sangeet Samaroh. According to Vice- President of the Parishad, Dr. Prem Bhandari, a noted ‘ghazal’ singer and former HOD, Music, MLSU, Udaipur his team spends 2-3 months to select the artists every year as it listens to a number of CDs. The three forms viz, music dance and instruments. Both the well-known and upcoming artists are given a chance to perform.

A special feature of this national level event that is famous all over the world is that it is being organized for the last 5.6 years without a single break in spite of difficult situations of various kinds. The idea of setting up an organization in the name of Maharan Khumbha a rare among the rarest kings of Mewar who a great ruler and warrior was not only but also a great musician himself, came up in 1962. Maharana Kumbha wrote Sangeetraj an authentic and original treatise consisting of 16,000 Sanskrit ‘Sholks’ dealing with all the three ‘Vidhas’ of Indian classical music. This earned him the title of ‘Vogeykar’ that means one who writes poems and composes music. This great work lay dormant for over 500 years before it was discovered due to light by the research done on it by Premlata Sharma, a disciple of Thakur.

The motivation came from Pandit Omkarnath Thakur, a legend in the world of music.

The first Sangeet Sammelan was inaugurated with a recital by this great maestro. The importance of the Sammelan can be ganged from the galaxy of artists who have performed in it. Even now artists consider it as an honor to get an opportunity to perform here and pay their homage to Maharana Kumbha.

The huge number of artists who performed in the event during its history of over (1962,1963) Pandit Ramnaryan (1962). Pt. Ravi Shankar (1977), Ut. Ali Akbar Khan (1975), Shri Purushottam Das (1962), Pt. Kumar Gandhar (1968,1979), Ut. Abdul Halim Zafar Khan (1969,1976), Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma (1984), Ut. Allah Rakha (1977), Pt. Chatulal (1962), Pt. Shamta Prasad (1970, 1979), Pt. Kishan Maharaj (1965), Pandit Jasra (1967,1981,1986,2002), Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia (1983), Ut. Zakir Hussain (1983), Ut. Shahid Parvez (1979,2008), Pt. Birju Maharaj (2009), Smt Parween Sultana (1978,2009), Dr. Sonal Mansingh (1980), Pt. Rajan Sajan Misra (1993,2003), Ut. Rashid Majumdar (2004), Pt. Visva Mohan Bhatt (1983,1998,2003) to name a few.

Another unique feature of the Sangeet Sammelan is that the entry to it is free of charge.

It has been possible due to the support of agencies such as Art and Culture Ministry Govt. of India, Govt. of Rajasthan, Vedanta Hindustan Zinc Ltd., State Bank of India, Rajasthan State Mines and Minerals Corporation, Singhal Foundation Western Zone Culture Centre, Udaipur. The members of the Parishad also try their best to minimize the expenses. This year S.S College of Engineering is providing free bus services to and from Shilpgram. To create interest in classical music among students, some schools and colleges are sending their students to attend this event.

According to Dr. Yashwant Kothari, Hon. Secretary of the Sangeet Parishad, every year two awards are given to two artists who perform in the Samarohviz Murli Narain Mathur Award and Yashwant Kothari Kumbha Samman the latter was started last year. Well-known classical music singer Pandit Raghunandan Panshikar is to receive M.N Mathur Award while Yashwant Kothari Samman goes to famous ‘tabla’ player Pandit Anuradha Pal this year. The latter one was won by Pandit Vishwamohan Bhatt last year.

To create interest in classical music among people, especially the youth, a new feature has been introduced this year. Those who attend the Sangeet Samaroh on all the three days are to get lucrative gifts.

A gala event, this Samahroh has become highly enjoyable not only for music lovers of Lake City but also outsiders who prefer to tour the city on this occasion. It also draws a large number of foreign tourists. According to Dr. Yashwant Kothari, a big lover of classical music Kalyan Banerjee President, Rotary International is coming all the way from Mumbai to attend the Samahroh.

The Parishad is actively engaged in the promotion of classical music. Last year it organized a Dhrupad, Samaroh that is a pure classical form of Indian music in collaboration with Akashwani. The held in the memory of the two maestros Ustad Zia Moinuddin Dagar and Ustad Zia Farirrudun Dagar was telecast on Doordarshan Channels. Both the Dagars were born and brought up in Udaipur and had the patronage of Mewar Rajgharana.

Dagar Gharana is known all over the world. The Parishad has a building with an auditorium and a small library of rare books. For the encouragement of young artists of the town and other places concerts, seminars etc. are organized every month. The daily evening classes are attended by a large number of music students.