An ecstatic eve would be witnessed by the city musical lovers in an event Sur Sarita to be held here on Saturday. Noted and distinguished sitarist Vikas Gupta would play live before the Bhopalites at Radha Krishna Auditorium, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT).
The event Sur Sarita is being organised by Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). Regional secretary of ICCR Nityanand Shrivastava told The Pioneer, “ICCR always endeavours to present exotic events for the Bhopalites. So under the horizon series of ICCR, we have organised Sur Sarita where a renowned sitarist of the country Vikas Gupta would present a live concert.”
Hailing from Jaipur Vikas has become a familiar and most welcome face with audiences in Europe and the States, where his playing has both charmed and thrilled listeners. In his formative years he reaped the benefit of exhaustive training from such luminaries as Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Guitarist Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Sarod player Damodar lal Kabra and Sitarist Annapoorna Devi.
Vikas was first introduced into world of music at the tender age of five with lessons in vocal music at the feet of Man Mohan Bhatt. Subsequently, at the age of ten he took to instrumental music under the guidance of Indian guitar pioneer Vishwa Mohan Bhatt.
His playing represents the tradition of Maihar and Senia Gharana, a style of playing crafted by Baba Allaudin Khan, perhaps the most influential Indian musician of the twentieth century.
“Being a disciple of Babas’ Maihar Gharana’, I consider each raga as a deity and play sitar with a feeling of eternal ecstasy. My music goes over body, mind and intellect, touching and stirring the soul,” said Sitarist Vikas Gupta.