Swarangan, 2013', a musical concert that brought together five legendary musicians onstage in Dehradun for the first time on Tuesday evening left people enthralled.
Organised by Rajnish Mishra, son of classical vocalist Rajan Mishra, it showcased Pandit Birju Maharaj, his son Deepak Maharaj, singers Rajan-Sajan Mishra, percussionist Sivamani and tabla maestro Kumar Bose performing together. The concert saw a packed auditorium with audience that included Education Minister Mantri Prasad Naithani; Speaker of Uttarakhand Assembly, Govind Singh Kunjwal; Dehradun District Magistrate, BVRC Purushottam and former Director General of Police, Uttarakhand, Aloke lal.
The performance began with a jugalbandi between the ace percussionist and Bose on the Tabla. The playful competition between the two was like a clash of the titans that left the audience spellbound, as the spontaneous chemistry and skill of the musicians created an electrifying fusion. Sivamani displayed a rare genius as he played Indian ragas beautifully in the most unconventional instruments, from playing spoons on a wash board to creating stirring musical notes only in water. The master of the Tabla, Kumar Bose matched Sivamani every bit, rendering serene music using air vibrations and playing notes on a matchbox.
Displaying control and nimble footwork, Deepak came across as a promising heir to the formidable legacy of Kathak icon Pdt. Birju Maharaj. Interlacing his forms with an interpretation of his movements, Deepak succeeded in striking a chord with the audience. Particularly liked were his dance forms symbolising the sound of hoofs of a galloping horse and the 'swar triangle' among Sivamani, Bose and Deepak. The show peaked its tempo as virtuosos Rajan-Sajan Mishra presented a rendition of Raga Bageshwari and Raga Sohani. In his dance brilliance, Birju Maharaj defied age to give a very entertaining thumri performance dashed with his characteristic wit and humor. Exhibiting beautiful forms with his flawless hand and foot work, the
legendary artist made forms like a peacock dancing happily in the rain, the graceful walk of a duck, a bickering couple, birds giving food to their brood and maintaining notes of ragas while dialing telephone numbers. Five artists from Uttarakhand- Suchit Narang, Harikrishna Shah, Manoj Mishra, Narendra Singh Negi and Chandrashekhar Tiwari were also conferred with ‘Sangeet Saadhak Samman’.
Bringing the concert to a grand finale, Birju Maharaj said, “I have lived in Dehradun during my youth as my father was based here for a few years. I am very happy that we all are playing together in Dehradun and this show is an attempt to make our connect with Dehradun stronger while extending our solidarity with people who suffered during the recent disaster. In life we face all kinds of situations- joy, sorrow, struggle, victory. And music depicts this complete picture of our lives. As my Guru said, the first taal is our heartbeat.”