Voices pushpesh pant Devdutt Pattanaik Ravi Shankar neha sinha Sheila Kumar Swami Sukhabodhananda THE new sunday express MAGAZINE Buffet People Wellness Books Food Art & Culture Entertainment October 20 2024 SUNDAY PAGES 12 The Sound of Music Shujaat Khan performs aboard the ship in Kolkata Home concerts by Indian classical musicians are experiencing a massive urban revival through the work of enthusiasts and amateur organisations providing a person-to-person ambience for attendees to listen to renowned musicians in a private space, says Deepali Dhingra I t’s late evening and the sultry Mumbai weather is giving way to a gentle breeze rolling in from the sea. At a musical gathering of Ibtida—Ek Mehfil featuring the renowned Sufi musicians Nizami Bandhu in a posh uptown club, guests arrive dressed in traditional wear. They are offered jasmine gajras to tie on their wrists. The air is heavy with the intoxicating fragrance of mogras, red roses and ittar. Bulky mattresses and long bolsters look inviting and once the guests have picked up their favourite drink from the bar, they relax on the gaddas. The performance that follows is a captivating blend of qawwali and Sufi songs interspersed with humorous exchanges between the artistes and the audience, elevating the experience to a personal bond. Almost 2,000 km away on the serene Ganga in , Kolkata music travels far. Floating down the ancient river, the rich timbre of Kirana king Jayateerth Mevundi’s voice rises in the air in enchanting octaves. The moon peeps through the clouds, and the audience on the boat is spellbound. Radhika Chopra’s ghazals soar through the stillness of the night—the idea of a musical river cruise is innovatively tantalising. Usha Uthup cannot resist calling out to classical music doyen Aruna Sairam to accompany her on the stage. Next, Shujaat Khan creates magic on his sitar. Hours just go by no one , stirs as the stars shine down on the ship’s gentle passage. Finally as flute maestro Ajay Prasanna’s morning ragas merge with the sound of bells from the temples on the shore, the melodious experience takes on a new, divine depth. Media and entertainment professional Mala Sekhri, who brings extensive experience in organising large-scale music concerts from her time with a well-known music label, organised the riverine baithak titled ‘Kinare Dariya’. Approximately 50 guests on board enjoyed performances by the artistes. “We also floated hundreds of diyas on the Ganges as a blessing for everyone aboard,” Sekhri recalls, adding, “We visited the 108 Shiv Temples in Kalna, West Bengal, where a spontaneous open concert took place with Aruna Sairam singing her Shiv Strotam accompanied by Ajay Prasanna. It was truly magical.” Sekhri is currently preparing for another such luxurious voyage starting in Varanasi this November. It’s noteworthy that while musical gatherings and mushairas have been a part of Indian culture for years, there is a recent resurgence of interest in this format. What is more, the interest in Indian classical music is yielding intimate experiences for rasikas. The cultural landscape is witnessing a revival of baithaks and mehfils, performances once considered exclusive to the wealthy Now small groups of people, . both middle class and upper middle class are booking private venues for concerts by well-known singers. Some happen in their homes. Pramod Kapur, founder and publisher, Roli Books, says, “I see a lot of youngsters attending such classical concerts. There is a renewed interest and appreciation for Indian culture. Also, in intimate settings, the artistes are more accessible.” Every year, his wife Kiran holds a private memorial concert for her late mother with different musicians. Both established and emerging artistes from across the country are invited to perform at the gatherings. Some baithaks held by other enthusiasts or private groups are free, while a few of them charge a nominal fee to cover the cost of hosting the event and pay the artistes. The performers are happy to Aruna Sairam performs on the Ganga in Kolkata Usha Uthup mesmerises with her baritone voice accept an honorarium, even if often much below what they charge commercially Social media has . been instrumental in disseminating information regarding upcoming gatherings. Many hosts rely on word-of-mouth publicity Such baithaks, especially . home concerts, are creating micro communities of music lovers across India. Reflecting on the reasons for the increasing popularity of baithaks and mehfils, renowned sitarist Pandit Shubhendra Rao draws on a treatise by Abhinava Gupta on the Natya Shastra. “He writes that an audience is like a spotless mirror—you receive what you give,” Rao explains, emphasising the artiste-audience connection fostered by such intimate gatherings. “The artiste can literally feel the audience’s breath and respond to spontaneous expressions of appreciation. Every artiste is inspired by an inspired audience. Performing for a larger audience on grand stages offers a different kind of thrill, but the most profound connection is from one heart to another. This is the unique quality of mehfils and baithaks,” he says. The current phenomenon of private classical music concerts owes its origins to royal India in the latter part of the 19th century when baithaks and , mehfils were a common occurrence at the courts of emperors and Maharajas. “Art thrived through patronage, and mehfils were once a privilege enjoyed by a select few,” says Sekhri. She feels that Indian music was never intended for auditoriums. “Our music has always been meant to be enjoyed in an intimate setting, much like a conversation between artistes and the audience,” she adds. After the decline of Indian royalty industrialists stepped in to , establish institutions that would preserve and promote music. A prominent Delhi-based industrial family used to hold concerts by musical giants like Ustaad Vilayat Khan at home; one of the family members is an accomplished classical musician himself though he doesn’t perform in public. Sekhri emphasises that elitism does not reflect the true essence of Indian music. She believes that the current proliferation of mehfils, baithaks and musical soirees reflects the intended nature of our musical traditions, bringing them to come full circle. Writer and historian Sohail Hashmi recalls that baithaks were a regular occurrence at his childhood home in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. Once a month, his father would gather a few of his friends at their residence for an evening of discussions on various topics ranging from politics to music. In addition to these gatherings, Hashmi also remembers poetry and storytelling sessions held at his home. When his father’s poet friends, such as Vamiq Jaunpuri or Punjabi poet Piara Singh Sehrai, visited, people would gather to hear them recite their poetry Over . the years, Hashmi has attended similar poetry gatherings in cities such as Bhopal, Jabalpur and Indore. “The democratisation of our performing arts began with the availability of recorded music on All India Radio, which also organised concerts,” Hashmi explains. Institutions like the Sangeet Natak Akademi in Delhi and the ITC Sangeet Research Akademi in Kolkata started organising public Turn to page 2 The interest in Indian classical music is yielding intimate experiences for rasikas.The cultural landscape is witnessing a revival of baithaks, performances once considered exclusive to the wealthy Papon performs at Ibtida