The Jhulanjatra Music Festival was organised this year too by Jhulan Bari, the house of Ramkanai Adhicary in Bowbazar, in keeping with a 200-year-old tradition. This five-day music festival commenced with a surbahar recital by Souravbrata Chakraborty who played Ramdasi Malhar with an elaborate alaap, an inheritance of his Dagar gharana. He also played a dhamar in Miyan ki Malhar. The vocalist, Koushambi Mukherjee, presented Raga Shyam Kalyan in a vilambit as well as a drut kheyal. Her voice was generous and she was able to bring out the intricacies of the raga. She sang Raga Sohini too and concluded with thumris based on Raga Desh and Pilu as well as a famous bhajan. She was supported by Soumen Mukherjee on the tabla and Pradip Palit on the harmonium. Sagar Morankar entertained listeners with his dhrupad rendition, choosing Raga Kedar for a long alaap followed by a dhamaar and a composition in sultaal. His training was evident in his performance.
Indrayuddh (right) and Ishaan (left) Picture courtesy: Shilpi Sambhamurthy
The sitarist, Partha Pratim Roy, played an alaap in Jayjayanti; it was a touching and melodious rendition. This was followed by a gat in teentaal and a jhoola, a rarity. Samir Chatterjee supported him on the tabla. Anjana Nath’s vocal presentation was enjoyable; she presented kheyals in Raga Kedar set to ektaal, jhamptaal and teentaal. She presented Raga Charukeshi next and a self-composed tarana in Behag. Nath also sang a thumri in Mishra Khamajh and concluded with a devotional piece. She was ably accompanied by Ashoke Mukherjee on the tabla and Pintu Roy on the harmonium. Atish Mukhopadhyay, a sincere follower of the Maihar gharana, began with an alaap, jor and jhala in Ramdasi Malhaar. He selected Jayjayanti for his gatkari and played compositions of Ustad Allauddin Khan elaborately in different tempos set to teentaal. Sourabh Goho did a commendable job of supporting him on the tabla.
Shobha Choudhary (picture, left) enchanted listeners with her unique style on the final evening. She began with Miya ki Malhar in a traditional way, followed by a drut kheyal. The artist showcased her vocal dominance and her singing bore the imprint of the Agra and the Gwalior gharanas. She also sang a Gaud Malhar and a thumri on Radha and Krishna. Her performance of a jhoola brought the five-day festival to a close. Sujit Saha on the tabla and Jyoti Goho on the harmonium provided perfect accompaniment to the artist.
Sa Ma presented a musical evening featuring the future generation of Indian classical music at Sisir Mancha. The sarod recital by Indrayuddh Majumder with Ishaan Ghosh (picture, right) on the tabla was memorable. Both artists inherited the repertoires of their respective families and demonstrated their expertise and training. Indrayuddh commenced with an alaap, jor and jhala in Yaman Kalyan and then continued with the gats. The smooth movements of the keynotes in different octaves even in the gats set to different tempos were highly appreciable. He also played a jhamptaal composition in Jhinjhit followed by Mishra Kirwani and a ragmala. He concluded with the famous composition, “Mile sur mera tumhara”. Ishaan captivated the audience throughout with his spontaneous creativity.
Indrayuddh also made a beautiful presentation at Gyan Manch recently with an alaap, jor and jhala in Hembehag followed by a composition set to Raga Durga. His jhamptaal and drut teentaal renditions reflected the upcoming festivities in the city. Sandip Ghosh accompanied him perfectly in this endeavour.
