A tryst with the treasure trove in one’s backyard is perhaps something that is very much needed but hard to come by in today’s times. The five-day long Virasat Series by SPIC MACAY at Birla Institute of Management Technology turned out to be a major attraction from the 20 to 25 October, 2009. The concert saw an eclectic mix of classical and folk performances from the farthest corners of the country.

The Virasat series began its inauguration with the young and ebullient voice of Smt. Meeta Pandit, who displayed a rare mixture of maturity and youth in her performance. Coming from an illustrious family of musicians, her vocal rendition reflected the intensive training she has been through in her musical journey.

The second day was marked by a Koodiyattam performance by Smt. Kapila Venu, who performed the Nangyarkoottu on the theme of Sita Parityagam. Her father and Koodiyattam maestro Shri G.Venu introduced the dance and the theme to the audience. Decked up in the traditional attire, Smt Venu transformed into the mythical characters of the Ramayana after donning the head gear for the dance. Her movements and exquisite expressions rightly captured the melancholy and pathos of a wronged woman portraying Sita’s coronation and moving on to her abandonment, her exile and finally her entry into Mother Earth. The feminist perspective was finely put forward in the dance. Smt. Venu proved that an ancient art form like Koodiyattam can indeed cut across barriers of culture and language even in today’s times.

The Manipuri dance recital by Guru Singhajit and Su. Charu Sija Mathur was the highlight of the third day of the function. Carrying the honeyed tunes and silky steps from the land of Manipur, the performers created a colourful vista for the viewers enacting various episodes from the life of Krishna. The performance came to a poetic and dynamic end with the portrayal of the saga of love between Arjuna and the Manipuri princess Chitrangada. Guru Singhajit enacted the role of Arjuna while Su. Charu Sija Mathur cavorted alongside in her immaculate steps as Chitrangada. Many viewers had their maiden tryst with the Manipuri art form during this show.

The penultimate day saw and hour long performance by Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt who played a bandish, starting from the alaap and finally ending it with the jhaala. He ended the concert with the composition ‘Joy’ from his Grammy award winning album Meeting by the River. The rasikas were left spellbound by the dulcet strains of the Mohan Veena and gave Pt. Bhatt a standing ovation for an entire minute. His performance was followed by the energising performance of Ustad Rehmat Khan Langa and his group, who belted one popular Rajasthani folk song after another. The concert saw a continuous stream of slips flowing to the stage from the audience who were enthusiastic to listen to their favourite folk tunes.

The final day of the event was special as the program went on overnight. It began with performances by students who had attended the 5-day workshops on Vocal music and Odissi training conducted by Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan and Su. Kavita Dwibedi. The stage was then waiting eagerly for the angelic feet of Kathak exponent Smt. Uma Sharma, who with her flint-sparking performance led the rasikas to another world. Spinning a web of words and leading the viewers with the steps of her dance, she performed her favourite pieces such as the Aaranya Kand of Ramayan, Nayika Bhedh and a few couplets of Ghalib. To say the least, she left a trail of blaze along her path as she left the hall after her performance, after which Pt. Daya Shankar and his group led the listeners along their way with a honeyed Shehnai recital. It was well past 12 when Pt. Channulal Mishra took charge of the hall. One expected a thin attendance since the concert was being held in an educational institute. But with the right mix of Kajri, Thumri, Dadra and Bhajan, Panditji took the rasikas on a wonderful sojourn through the ghats of Benaras through his music and the show ran housefull. “Music should be such that it is understood by the listeners. Else the purpose fails” he said. The favourite pick of the listeners was the bhajan describing the Holi played by Baba Vishwanath in Benaras with snakes, ghosts and spirits. Panditji ended his recital thus, leaving the listeners desiring for more.

Pandit Ronu Majumdar’s mellifluous compositions on the flute were a treat for the ears and an energizer for the tired senses. After an elaborate performance of Raag Bageshri, he went on to play a popular Bengali folk tune. The compositions left the listeners mesmerised and the tunes of the flute moved in sync with the air of an overnight concert.

Finally the moment came when the 100 year old plus legend Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan was brought into the hall in his wheel chair. He sat down on the stage and began speaking after being satisfied with the enthusiasm of the audience. “In this twilight of my life, let me present you a song, which comes out as a thought of my old age”. As he began rendering a Khyal, the audience was left mystified in the heavy spiritual aura that had by then generated around the hall. In between, cups of hot black tea were being served to Ustadji, who was constantly looked after on the stage by his students who also provided him the vocal support. The audience saw a living example of the guru-shishya parampara on the stage as Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan went on singing till day break.

The Virasat series, rekindled hope, yet again, in the strength of the unbroken tradition of Indian art forms. It quelled the doubts that arise again and again about the future of India’s classical art forms. With the artists of the past, present and future coming on a common stage to lead the nation’s present to a brighter tomorrow Virasat seems to have hit the bull’s eye.

Arjun Narayanan