ISSN 2320-5237(online), 2348-9189(print) UGC Approved (No. 63307) Vol.5, Issue 1, January-June, 2017

LIFE AND CONTRIBUTION OF RENOWNED SITARIST PANDIT PRATEEK CHAUDHURI Dr. Pankaj Lahora Faculty of Music & Fine Arts, New

ABSTRACT Hindustani classical Instrumental music is very popular in the world. is one of the main instruments of Indian classical music. Many renowned sitar artists popularize the sitar in the world. One of such World famous sitar maestro Pandit Prateek Chaudhuri is acclaimed as one of the most marvellous sitar players of India. He has a deep romance with this beautiful instrument and the association has been increasingly rewarding not only to him but also to those who have been able to relish his celestial music. His music has its own charm and quite unique in style. It can be identified by any astute lover of Hindustani classical Instrumental music. His excellence and illustrious contribution in the field of music has won him many accolades. His music also reflects the eternal essence of sitar.

INTRODUCTION World famous sitar maestro Pandit Prateek Chaudhuri is acclaimed as one of the most marvellous sitar players of India. He has a deep romance with this beautiful instrument and the association has been increasingly rewarding not only to him but also to those who have been able to relish his celestial music. His sitar sparkles with the unique, extra ordinary and rare combination of virtuosity with technical finesse and a deep sense of aesthetics. His music has its own charm and quite unique in style. It can be identified by any astute lover of Hindustani classical Instrumental music. His excellence and illustrious contribution in the field of music has won him many accolades. His music also reflects the eternal essence of sitar.

Pandit Prateek Chaudhuri was born on 7 Sept. 1971 AD. He got his initial training of Hindustani classical music and sitar both from his Dada guru Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan Sahab and his father Pandit . Mushtaq Ali Khan is one of

Hindustani classical music, having a very unique and extraordinary tradition of

Confluence of Knowledge (COK) www.cok.pratibha-spandan.org | 59 ISSN 2320-5237(online), 2348-9189(print) UGC Approved (No. 63307) Vol.5, Issue 1, January-June, 2017 playing the sitar not only with the traditional and rare 17 frets (instead of 19, 20 own.1

P rapidly moving passages with ease, while maintaining integrity and beauty of every note, the mark of a true vir tuoso. He has given a new dimension to the art of sitar playing. With his sitar playing he has made such a great impact that today he is regarded as one of the best sitar players in the world. With each performance, he evokes masterful handling of his instrument emitting grace, fluidity and dexterity with each note. He today, strides the musical panthenon like a young and handsome colossus. His graceful style and intricate technique echo the great masters of the past. From his nimble fingers resonate, the rich tones and melodious phrases which are characteristics of his style. His skilful fingers handle rapidly moving passage with ease, while maintaining integrity and beauty of every single note, the mark of a true vir tuaso. With each performance he evokes masterful handling of his instrument emitting grace, fluidity and dexterity with each note.

Now, I would like to specially, talk a little about the Senia style of Sitar having 17 frets today, before discussing more about the unique achievement of Pandit Prateek Chaudhuri. So earlier the senias used to play sitar with 16 frets having no Komal Dha in the Mandra Saptak and Komal Ga and Komal Ni in Madhya Saptak but a later date a fret was added in the Mandra Saptak (Komal dha). Since then it has been a 17 fretted instrument till date, which is still continued till today in the senia Gharana. As a true Senia, Pandit Prateek Chaudhuri, may not have a blood lineage, but he and his father Pandit Debu Chaudhuri, both have learnt directly from a Guru, who is in the direct lineage of the senia Gharana, that is Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan.2 As a true disciple, in the senia gharana, Pandit Prateek

1 Interview Pandit Prateek Chaudhuri. 2 Plucked Instruments of North India, with Special Peference to Sitar, Sanjay Prakashan.

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In a traditional senia sitar, the string arrangements have been followed for long by generations but today we came across various forms of tuning the instrument. Both Prateek ji and his Guru and father Debu ji, has a emmence contribution in developing new farms of tuning sitar. In a traditional senia sitar, the first string is

is choti chikari for Jhala etc. Thus seven strings were used in a traditional sitar. This is the pattern followed by both Ustad Mushtaq Ali Khan and his guru and father Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan. Both Prateek ji and his father Debu ji have done lots of experiments and innovations in this context. There is absence of two paradas (frets) in sitar, according to Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan and he believed that the music of senia Gharana is based on Meend and if you do not these two frets then you will be forced to play meend or pull the string. Ashiq Ali Khan Saheb while playing Sur Bahar, used to bring out seven notes from one fret (Parda) with meend.3

With each performance Pandit Prateek Chaudhuri evokes masterful handling of his instrument emitting grace, fluidity and dexterity with each note. Among his national television Doordarshan and All India Radio of the Government of India. the leading musicians of the various sangeet gharanas.

from Lucknow,

Mumbai, amongst many other esteemed Awards and recognitions. His name has also been listed amongst the most prominent personalities of the world in American Biographies performer of India, Prateek ji is also a Gold Medalist in his Master in Music, a topper of Delhi University in M.Phil. (Music) examinations and is also a Ph.D. (Music) i.e. a Doctrate from the University of Delhi. He was invited to perform a very special and prestigious concert celebrating the 60 years of the Indian

3 Interview Pandit Prateek Chaudhuri

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Parliament in the year 2012, a concert held in the central hall of the Parliament of India in the year 2012, which was attended by the President of India, Prime Minister of India, the Vice President Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the whole of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members of the Indian Parliament. He received the rare distinction and honour to give a special concert for the president of United States of America, Mr. Bill Clinton, during his first visit to India. He has performed in almost all the major festivals and concerts of India like Jaipur International Heritage Festival, UNESCO Music Festival, I.T.C. Music Festival in , Tansen Music Festival in Gwalior, Maihar Festival of Music, Swai Gandharva Music Festival in Poona, Saptak Festival in Ahemdabad, Sankat Mochan Festival in , Baba Harballabh Festival in Jalandher, Pandit Vishnu Digambar Jayanti in Delhi, Shrawan Mahotsav in Ujjain, UMAK Music Festival in Delhi etc. He has organized three new concepts. First is the of India, second is Sitar ecstasy and the third is the Soul of India.4

At present, he not only performs all over the world but also teaches as an Professor at the Faculty of Music of the University of Delhi, India, thus being a unique and rare combination of an eminent performer and teacher together in one, which is very hard to find.

Pandit Prateek Chaudhuri has penned down many books on classical music. For instance Plucked instruments of Northen India, Popular Ragas and its compositions (In Hindustani Instrumental Music), North Indian Instrumental Music Ragas on instrumental music. Like Subah (Morning) R.P. Studio, Prateek Chaudhri. Behag Raga from H.M.V. (Audio), Twlight Magic Pandit Prateek Chaudhuri (Sitar Maestro), R.P. Studio, the Grand Fusion concert led by Pandit Prateek Chaudhuri (Sitar Maestro) with his world music fusion group etc. REFERENCES Interview of Pandit Prateek Chaudhuri. Interview of Pandit Debu Chaudhuri. Journal on Music Abhinandan 80. Journal on Music Abhinand 75.

4 Interview Pandit Prateek Chaudhuri

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