A Tribute to the Gurus
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HINDUSTAN TIMES, MUMBAI FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2020 MY CITY htcafé 05 (From left to right) Arif Khan (zitar player), Arif Khan (khartal and morchang player), Sajid Khan (drummer), Saif Ali Khan (tabla player), Asif Khan (lead singer), Tasruf Ali (saxophone) and Rishab Rozar (guitar) A tribute to the Gurus Gayathri Menon he bond between a teacher T and a student has been honoured and celebrated since time immemorial. Keeping this in mind, the Jaipur-based National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) is all set to begin the 30th Pt folk fusion band, Durgalal Festival, which will provide a stage to many Swaraag, talk about experienced, as well as upcoming artistes. The show in collaboration with Samved how traditional artistes Society for Performing Arts, is slotted for February 29, 6pm do not get the at the Tata Theatre, NCPA. The evening will host a grand performance of Kuchipudi by recognition they Sreelakshmy Govardhanan, Odissi by Bijayini Satpathy deserve and Bharatanatyam by KEEPING Vaibhav Arekar. Talking about her association, Uma Dogra, founder and managing trustee, Samved Society for Performing Arts, says, “For me, it’s a big 30. Sam Ved was born with the foundation of TRADITIONS ALIVE grief and loss. In 1990, I lost my guru, Pt Durga Lal ji, the doyen of Kathak. He was 42 when he suffered a stroke after Uma Dogra a recital. I felt a deep sense Sanskrita Bharadwaj as time passed, we realised of void. There was anger, that we had to include more there was disbelief, there the penultimate event of am bringing the next MORE INFO ormed in 2014, Swaraag instruments, even vocals. We I know a lot of folk artistes who have performed was confusion, but there was NCPA’s 50 years celebration. generation of gurus and What: 30th Pt Durgalal explores the possibilities included Asif Khan, who is my also a clear perspective I am grateful to NCPA, our seasoned leading dancers Festival F of Rajasthani folk younger brother, and he is worldwide. They live outside the country for months regarding what to do. In 1991, sponsors, and all our partners of India, from different Where: Tata Theatre, NCPA, renditions when it is fond of Sufi music and is a on end. But their family’s living conditions have not we hosted the first Pt Durga in this artistic endeavour,” classical dance styles together Nariman point mixed with modern devout follower of the late Lal festival and the mission adding, “the best part on stage.” When: February 29, 6pm. instruments. From tabla Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. become any better. They are not educated enough was to ensure that my Guru’s about this festival is that I n [email protected] to drums, sitar to acoustic As we are from Rajasthan, we to understand how to manage themselves and legacy is preserved. Also, we guitar, traditional Rajasthani added Rajasthani folk music wanted to welcome stalwarts morchang to saxophone, the and instruments like the their families. of performing arts to grace the band tries to make a fusion morchang, too. We have three PRATAP SINGH NIRWAN, FOUNDER AND BAND COACH festival. With its own share of out of Indian and Western flavours going on in the band difficulties and plus points, I elements. — Rajasthani, Sufi and am very proud to say that it The band features Pratap instrumental. Over time, as viewers and subscribers. it’s as popular as Gujarati has been successful for the Singh Nirwan (founder and we started performing at Garbha, for instance. past 29 years.” team coach), Asif Khan (lead weddings and corporate What is your vision of the band Expressing her pleasure singer), Arif Khan (zitar events, we realised that to considering how music has been Do you think folk artistes get the for this collaboration, player, another version of a connect with a larger base of changing? kind of recognition they deserve? Swapnokalpa Dasgupta, sitar), Tasruf Ali (saxophone), people, we should include Pratap: There are a lot of Pratap: No, I don’t. Their programming head of dance, Rishab Rozar (guitar), Arif Bollywood numbers, and we instrumental and fusion bands value is rather low, and when NCPA, says, “It is our honour Khan (khartal and morchang have done that, too! When we in the market. But they’re it comes to how their value to partner with senior Kathak player), Sajid Khan started, we didn’t want to go there for sometime and then, could be worth more, nobody exponent Umaji and her (drummer) and Saif Ali Khan with fusion. It was simply an they disappear. But on a bigger is really interested in that. Samved. She has been (tabla player). instrumental band. Now, we stage, instrumental bands This needs to be brought to the consistently building Over the years, from being perform on Padharo Mhare don’t get enough exposure. fore. I know a lot of folk audiences for Indian dance in part of films to owning the Desh with the zitar and the There are differences in artistes who have performed the city through this festival stage in international and saxophone and everyone the earnings of a commercial worldwide. They live outside for many years, and has been national events, folk loves that rendition. artiste and a classical and the country for months on presenting works of musicians have come a long folk artiste. These are the end. But their family’s living exceptional local artistes. We way. We spoke to Pratap, Asif, How do you think has music things, we are keen to conditions have not become are happy that we are part of and Arif from the band to evolved over the years? understand and accordingly, any better. They are not her journey of promoting and understand more about Asif: A decade ago, when we we’re trying to place ourselves educated enough to effectively preserving our their music. listened to a song, we tried to in the market. understand how to manage dance heritage through this connect ourselves with its Arif: We also want to themselves and their families. festival.” How was Swaraag formed? lyrics and music. A song was standardise Rajasthani folk They earn money and don’t Sharing her experience and Arif: Pratap (Singh Nirwan) popular via word of mouth or music. We want to make its know where it disappears. We her association with NCPA, and I met sometime in 2014. publicity. Times have changed presence felt. Rajasthani need to work towards making Dogra says, “I am really happy We started working with a now, as the value of a song, music has always been of their lives better. that Sam Ved’s 30 years — the small instrumental band, and depends on the number of prominence. But, I don’t think n [email protected] 30th Pt Durgalal Festival, is AROUND TOWN MUSICAL PERFORMANCE What: Shubh Saran, a New York-based composer and Sungazer, an international ONE FOR THE LEGACY duo featuring Adam Neely and Shawn Crowder will perform a What: This is a performative blend of jazz, rock and future reading and discussion on the fusion legacy of the Bose family Where: G5A Foundation for When: Tata Garden, NCPA, Contemporary Culture, Nariman Point Mahalaxmi (W) Where: February 29, at 7.30pm. When: March 2, at 9pm..