BANDISH CELEBRATING LEGENDARY INDIAN COMPOSERS NCPA Chairman Khushroo N
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July 2017 ON Stagevolume 6 • issue 12 BANDISH CELEBRATING LEGENDARY INDIAN COMPOSERS NCPA Chairman Khushroo N. Suntook Executive Director & Council Member Deepak Bajaj Editorial Director Radhakrishnan Nair Contents Editor-in-Chief Oishani Mitra Consulting Editor Ekta Mohta 10 Editorial Co-ordinator Hilda Darukhanawalla Art Director Amit Naik Deputy Art Directors Hemali Limbachiya Tanvi Shah Graphic Designer Vidhi Doshi Advertising Anita Maria Pancras ([email protected]; 66223820) Tulsi Bavishi ([email protected]; 9833116584) Senior Digital Manager Jayesh V. Salvi Published by Deepak Bajaj for The National Centre for the Performing Arts, NCPA Marg, Nariman Point, Mumbai – 400021 Produced by Editorial Office 4th Floor, Todi Building, Mathuradas Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai - 400013 Printer Spenta Multimedia, Peninsula Spenta, Mathuradas Mill Compound, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai – 400013 Materials in ON Stage cannot be reproduced in Features part or whole without the written permission of the publisher. Views and opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. All rights reserved. 08 Reflections NCPA Booking Office 14 On the Hay Festival. By Anil Dharker A Tenor From India 2282 4567/6654 8135/6622 3724 Amar Muchhala is that rare Indian artiste www.ncpamumbai.com who is entering the world of opera on the 10 international stage The Versatile Gurus Exploring the vibrant cultural heritage of two doyens of Hindustani classical music – Gajananrao Joshi and Jagannathbuwa Purohit 17 – through odes, memories and anecdotes. Sax and the City By Samira Bose Mumbai-based saxophonist Ryan Sadri and 26 the motley group that makes up his band are “non-jazz 34 musicians who love jazz”. By Into the Wild Shivani Bhasin Hira Punjabi has covered 80 per 20 cent of India’s wildlife canvas 20 with his lens 28 Indian Music at the NCPA In this new series, we go 38 behind-the-scenes of the New Tidings several arts departments at When Ravi Shankar dreamed an the NCPA. This month, we talk opera, and Wasfi Kani dreamed to Dr. Suvarnalata Rao, Head – a new opera house. By Ashutosh Programming for Indian Music Khandekar 26 40 The Shape Shifter The Saliyamangalam Plays The multifaceted theatre Mohan Khokar describes director Faezeh Jalali is the Bhagavata Mela plays as redefining what the stage can performed in Saliyamangalam, be with her out-of-the-box Tamil Nadu Follow us on: ideas. By Benaifer J. Mirza facebook.com/NCPAMumbai 43 @NCPAMumbai 30 Programme Guide NCPAMumbai For the Love of Krishna All of July’s events at the NCPA Odissi dancer Shubhada youtube.com/user/TheNCPAMumbai1 Varadkar and Kathak dancer pinterest.com/ncpamumbai Shama Bhate are set to reinvent 50 one of the most central figures What’s Next of Indian classical dance. What to look forward to in the We look forward to your feedback and suggestions. Please do drop us an By Shayonnita Mallik coming months email at [email protected]. COVER STORY Padma Talwalkar The Versatile GurusExploring the vibrant cultural heritage of two doyens of Hindustani classical music – Gajananrao Joshi and Jagannathbuwa Purohit – through odes, memories and anecdotes. By Samira Bose he trajectory of music and its oral history is replete with stories of teachers passing on their legacy to their pupils through intense and cherished interactions, ones which carry into the popular imagination along with the musical notes. Indian classical music is characterised by the guru- shishya or teacher-student relationship, which requires years of rigorous engagement. The tradition is both continued and reconstructed by those involved in the learning process, and requires a conversation with all the different dimensions of Tthe genre. This is exemplified by stalwart musicians, Gajananrao Joshi and Jagannathbuwa Purohit, who have made deep impressions through their creative compositions and live on in memory as individuals that excelled as vocalists, instrumentalists, and most importantly, as gurus and composers. into a musical notation (sargam) Jagannathbuwa Purohit ensured style that is unique. For Gunidas, Gajananrao Jagannathbuwa Joshi at an early age, and this fostered that he would dedicate himself Purohit aka it was the ‘rang’ or colour of the a sharpness and keen memory entirely to being a steadfast Gunidas music that transcended all other that his students praise far and student. It was this precocious considerations, and he definitely wide. Padma Talwalkar, renowned perseverance that earned him the added livelier hues to the genre of Indian classical vocalist and title of ‘Gunidas’ or ‘worshipper of Hindustani classical music. recipient of the Sangeet Natak virtue’ from his gurus. Perhaps it Akademi award in 2016, studied was such a background that led Padma Talwalkar will present under him for seven years. She to Gunidas being known for his compositions of Gajananrao Joshi reminisces about the strength precise focus on the unadulterated and Gunidas on 7th July at the of his recollection, amusingly passage of musical knowledge, Tata Theatre, under the festival of mentioning how possessive along with a simultaneous openness Bandish, which will run from 7th to musicians would not invite him to to innovation. By emphasising on 9th July. hear their new bandishes because authenticity as well as individuality, he could remember them almost he strove to imbibe and imbue a instantaneously. He was driven meticulous desire for detail. With A WORD FROM OUR by a “pure devotion”, Talwalkar trained roots in Indian percussion, SUPPORTER emphasises, and constantly wished Gunidas is an iconic figure as a Gajananrao Joshi (1911-1987) to push the boundaries of his vocals Hindustani classical vocalist. He, As a bank that deeply connects A love for music often echoes During as well as instruments. She owes too, is predominantly celebrated with the heritage of the country, within families, and children her skills in khayal composition to for the manner in which he instilled having been in India since 1853, learn the reverberation of rhythm Gajananbuwa’s Gajananbuwa, and still remembers a musical ardour into all those who By emphasising on it is indeed a matter of great at an early age. Gajananrao every word he said to her in their studied under him. pride for us to be associated Joshi (affectionately known as performances, sessions, even after 30 years. “For Gunidas was trained in the Agra authenticity as well with Bandish, the festival that Gajananbuwa) was born into a listeners would him, the most important thing was gharana. The gayaki of the Agra celebrates the best of Indian family of musicians. His father, the anand [pleasure] of passing on gharana is a combination of khayal as individuality, classical music. This festival Anant Manohar Joshi, was a khayal often experience the the vidya [knowledge]. He worked and dhrupad-dhamar, and that seeks to ensure that Indian vocalist from the Gwalior gharana, for the sake of the art itself.” She is why Gunidas chose to work Gunidas strove to classical music is not only under whom Gajananbuwa learnt, complex taans in a highlights how he was a “khayali with a variety of teachers. Born in imbibe and imbue accessible to a large audience, while his grandfather, Manohar, had kalaakar” or creative artiste and Hyderabad, he learned the tabla but is also passed on to the next studied dhrupad and dhamar. And blissfully simple way would welcome interpolations. under Ahmed Jan Thirkawa. He a meticulous generation. With the changing yet, Gajananbuwa’s training did not Taking into consideration his learnt initially from Mohammad Ali socio-economic and cultural remain limited to that of his family, underlying, ingenious impulse, it Khan, and then later from Shaboo desire for detail context, the rich and diverse but extended to teachers from other is no surprise that he is credited Khan. His musical meanderings traditional repertoires of Indian gharanas as well. Broad training was as a pioneer in the use of violin in found him in the house of Agra classical music are not getting an inherent part of Gajananbuwa’s of the Jaipur gharana under Bhurji Hindustani classical music. As an dynasty’s illustrious singer, Vilayat the attention they deserve. To assimilative styles and rendering, Khan, and later the rapid, rhythm- instrument, the violin provided him Husain Khan. Their connection is preserve this legacy for the and it is precisely such exposure based nom tom gayaki of Agra with sufficient scope to display said to have been instantaneous, how “Guruji always liked to be future, HSBC has supported that made him a renowned vocalist, gharana under Vilayat Hussain his aggressive rhythmic work and and a profound atmosphere of surrounded by his disciples, fellow the NCPA’s project to train violinist, composer and guru. Khan. It is said that true genius lies in a visceral, wild fervour that was symbiotic learning blossomed artists or admirers”. Gregarious disciples by masters of different As a vocalist, Gajananbuwa began being open to new knowledge even palpable to the audience. As an between the two. In fact, the and encouraging, Gunidas ensured gharanas, where selected his journey at home but was clearly as one ages, and Gajananbuwa was exceptional teacher, Gajananbuwa connection that existed between that his students participated masters mentor students in the attracted to the complex knowledge in his late forties when he tutored ensured that his disciples continued them surpassed the traditional independently in mehfils. An traditional style, providing them that Ramakrishnabuwa Vaze under Vilayat Hussain. Audiences the traditions of the musical styles he guru-shishya bonds and fostered exceptional element of the Agra with unparalleled learning and (popularly known as Vazebuwa) and reviewers have vouched for his taught them. While he won a number an environment in which both were gharana is its captivating layakari. the opportunity to showcase had of the Gwalior gharana. One of discernment, and stated that not of awards, including the Sangeet publicly beholden to one another Gunidas himself worked tirelessly their talent.