Book documents history of city's music festival

PUNE: The rich history of the prestigious Sawai Gandharva music festival which saw over 500 renowned artists share the platform with upcoming talent in the field of music has been captured in a book to be released during the 50th edition of the festival later this month.
Besides taking a trip down memory lane, the book also calls upon young artists to ensure that the festival continues in the years to come."If you have used the 50-year old Sawai Gandharva Music Festival (SGMF) as a ''springboard'', you must help Kirana Gharana maestro Pandit Bhimsen Joshi in organising the festival in the future," says the author, A P Deshpande.
Deshpande''s book on SGMF''s history titled Swaryadnya, published by Rajhans Publication, will be formally released during the festival to be held during December 26 to 29. The book has information like participation of 559 artists in the last 49 years.
"A total of 247 ragas were presented in the festival in the last five decades," Deshpande said.
The 225-page book will also have a treasure trove of several old and rare pictures as well as a detailed family tree of the Kirana Gharana.
Describing the SGMF as one of the important classical music movements in India, Deshpande said that like the 20 other equally old music festivals in the country, SGMF must continue beyond 50 years.
"The Tyagraj Sangeet Mahotsav in Karnataka has a 102-year-long tradition. There is no reason why SGMF should not complete its centenary," he remarked.
SGMF is not only a tribute to Sawai Gandharva, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi''s guru, but also the mission of his life, Deshpande pointed out. He has taken lot of pain and suffered hardships to make the festival a grand success, he said.
"He was the one, along with colleague Nanasaheb Deshpande, who ensured that attendance went up from a mere 500 in early days to 15,000 at present," Deshpande said.
SGMF has been a launch-pad for many a reputed artists. Renowned tabla maestro Zakir Hussain received the approval of music lovers in 1969 in the same festival when he was just nine.
Deshpande feels that artists like Shrikant Deshpande, Shrinivas Joshi, Satyasheel Deshpande, Ajay Pohankar, Sanjiv Abhyankar, Aarti Ankalikar-Tikekar and Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande should now help organise the festival.
They should come forward and organise the festival under Pt Bhimsen Joshi''s guidance, he said. "In fact, it is their moral duty to continue the prestigious tradition of the festival," he added.
"Bhimsenji is now 80 years old," Deshpande said. His colleagues in the Arya Sangeet Prasarak Mandal are also well past their prime. Firoz Dastoor is 83, whereas Gangubai Hangal is 89.
Others who worked relentlessly like veteran journalist Rambhau Joshi and S V Ghokale have crossed 70 and 80, respectively. The baton can be handed over confidently to the younger generation, Deshpande said. It will bring a sense of sharing responsibility, he concluded.