A three-day festival celebrates the essence of thumri
Thumri is considered the very best of the country’s North Indian vocal traditions. And an entire festival dedicated to the genre is what Delhiites can look forward to during a festival organised by the Sahitya Kala Parishad.
Even those singers who do not exclusively perform the thumri have taken centrestage at the festival in the past. Sindhu Mishra, deputy secretary, Sahitya Kala Parishad, said, “Stalwarts like Pandits Rajan and Sajan Mishra, though belonging to the Banaras gharana, which is one of the premier thumri gharanas, had never sung thumris on stage before. It was quite difficult to get them to agree to perform.”
The thumri is a beautiful blend of Hindustani classical music with traits of folk literature. The musical evenings, which start from September 1 at Kamani Auditorium, will represent the melodious journey of Hindustani classical music by eminent artists and their exponential disciples.
“Over the years, the festival has received mass recognition and is now being organised annually since then,” said Mishra.
This year’s lineup is equally riveting — the first day features Vidushi Arti Ankalikar, representing the Jaipur Atrauli singing. Indrani Mukherjee is next; she has learnt thumri from the renowned Vidushi Purnima Chaudhari, and is now learning from Manju Sundaram from Banaras, who teaches in the old -fashioned gurukul way where students live in the house and are taught formally and informally throughout the day.
Banaras’ very own thumri doyen Pt Chanulal Mishra will end the concerts on the first day.
On September 2, Kalpana Zokarkar from Indore, who learnt thumri from Vidushi Sushila Pohankar (Pt Ajay Pohankar’s mother) will perform. She will be followed by Ramakant Gaikwad, a talented singer representing the Patiala gharana thumri. The evening will end with the ever-popular Padmashri Malini Awasthi.
The last day features Pooja Goswami from Delhi and Meeta Pandit, fifth generation singer of the learned Gwalior Pandit family. The grand finale will be performed by none other than Padma Vibhushan Vidushi Girija Devi.