If you love Indian classical music, Kolkata Centre for Creativity (KCC) is the place to be until December 10. The art space has collaborated with Make Calcutta Relevant Again (MCRA) and Techno India Group to set up an exhibition titled ‘The Lost Treasures of Bengal’, offering a peek into the legacy of Indian instrumental music. Musician Somjit Dasgupta has curated almost 100 rare and historically significant instruments from the collection of his tutor, sarod maestro, the Late Radhika Mohan Maitra
Photographs by Soumyajit Dey and Make Calcutta Relevant AgainMCRA has helped restore many of the older instruments, including a 17th century Rudra veena, which is possibly the oldest playable Indian instrument in existence. It is said to have originally been in the possession of Akbar’s court musician, Tansen’s descendants, before being passed down to Radhika Mohan’s guru, Ustad Amir Khan
The Mayuri veena is one of the most visually fascinating instruments at the exhibition, made in the form of an esraj. Comprising 15 sympathetic strings and 6-7 main ones, it was played in Bishnupur, Dhaka, Kolkata, Darbhanga and Rajshahi by Sheetal Chandra Mukhopadhyay
Another bowed instrument resembling the esraj, Mukhopadhyay was also known to play the dilruba. Its primary distinction is the bigger sound chamber
One of the crown jewels of Dasgupta’s collection is the ancient sur chayan, which was also passed down from Ustad Amir Khan to Maitra
Percussion got its own corner at the exhibit, with rare gems like shreekhol and bayan attracting viewers
Dasgupta is seen strumming the strings of a sarod, specially attuned to the style of Radhika Mohan Maitra
Originally a folk instrument from Kashmir, this santoor was made in Kolkata in the early-1940s. The instrument is also known as ‘shata-tantri veena’, in reference to its 100 strings
This Saraswati veena was among the most aesthetically beautiful instruments on display. Crafted in the Thanjavur style in 1860, it was presented to Radhika Mohan by veena maestro Immani Shankar Shastri
‘This is more than just an exhibition. It is a celebration of our history, a tribute to our maestros, and an inspiration for future generations. Collaborating on such an initiative is both a privilege and a responsibility, allowing us to bring the timeless artistry of legends like Radhika Mohan Maitra to the forefront,’ said Meghdut Roychowdhury, founder, MCRA