Grand Finale of Classical Music Fest in Patiala Features Spellbinding Jugalbandi and Enchanting Khayal Singing by Renowned Artists

Vocalist Harish Tiwari entices music lovers with his soulful rendition

5 Dariya News

Patiala 25-Dec-2023

On the last day of the four-day long classical music fest, organised by the North Zone Culture Centre (NZCC) at the Kalidas Auditorium here concluded with  the magical 'Jugalbandi' by Padma Bhushan Pandit Vishwamohan Bhatt (Mohan veena) and Pandit Salil Bhatt (Satvik Veena), ascending  the zenith of perfection and precision.

He started with  the Aalap Jod-Jhala in Raag Shyam Kalyan doled out in their inimical style. This was followed by Drut Bandish in teen taal. His theme composition based on Raag Jog 'Meeting with the River' which had earned him the prestigious  Grammy Award.Pandit Vishwamohan Bhatt made the evening musical with the self composed haunting tunes of Mohan Veena and Guitar. 

He had a piece of advice for   lovers of  classical music, the warp and woof of Indian psyche and exorted them to keep the rich cultural heritage of the country alive and zealously guard it against time. Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt is a unique and acclaimed artiste who had created Mohan Veena, and bagged one of the world's top honors for India, the Grammy Award in 1994 and brought Indian music to the top position in the world.

Up next to take up the centre stage was an accomplished Khayal singer Harish Tiwari presented Bandish on Raag Darbari Kanhada and created an ambient backdrop for the enlightened audience who got profusely drenched in the pure divine singing. 

He started with Raag Darbari Kanhada, introducing two bandhis in this raag. The lyrics of the bandish composed in one taal were - "Aur nahi kuchhu kaam ke..." while the lyrics of the fast-paced drut bandish composed in teen taals were - "Kin barren kaan bhare...". 

Continuing the magic of his singing style, he presented a bandish in Ek taal  Taking the singing forward from Raga Suha Kanhada “Peeyrva More Aaye...” which elicited a thunderous applause from the music afficionadoes.

Pandit Harish Tiwari is a prominent Hindustani classical singer of the Kirana Gharana  which is one of the prominent Indian classical khayal gharanas. Kirana style of singing dwells more on individual notes, especially, the swaras and  accuracy in their articulation of presentation. 

Harish Tiwari is an eminent classical vocalist of repute, who received his education from Thakur Choubey. He learnt the finer nuances of the Khayal of Kirana Gharana in the typical  Guru-Shishya tradition under the astute guidance of Bharat Ratna awrdee Bhimsen Joshi. Dr. Tiwari is listed artiste with the ICCR. 

Director of North Zone Cultural Center Furqan Khan on the occasion said that the four-day long music festival was started with much hair-splitting, but with the unstinted support of the music loving citizenry of Patiala, it turned out to be a big ticket show with their august presence during the four day musical fiesta unfazed by the chilly December winds. 

He said that classical genre of music represents the etiquette and mannerism of the proponents carrying forward its rich legacy  which is why, he said, every single  classical artist remembers his/ her gurus with great reverence ahead of the performance, owning up the foibles in their performances, adding that much more needed to be done to sensatise the younger generation at schools and colleges.

Khan also thanked the people of Patiala who made the function a huge success  dignitaries who played a pivoyal  role and, of course the media for widespread coverage of the event.