BHOPAL
: “The Gundecha brothers will continue singing together, carrying on the family tradition,” said noted Dhrupad vocalist
Umakant Gundecha
, holding the hands of his son Nirant and nephew
Anant Gundecha
-- son of late
Ramakant Gundecha -- on Monday. After the sudden demise of his younger brother in the Gundecha brothers’ duo, the Gundechas have declared that Ramakant Gundecha’s son will accompany his uncle to keep the duo's legacy alive. Siddhant Gundecha, son of the youngest brother Akhilesh Gundecha, will also accompany them on
tabla
.
Anant, 22, has been learning Dhrupad since the age of 11 under his uncle and father. “This is all too sudden for me,” he told TOI on Monday, when asked about taking his father’s place beside his uncle. “Though I know it will be impossible to fill my father’s shoes, I will try to do my best because that is what he would have wanted,” Anant added.
According to Umakant Gundecha, “Anant will accompany me in performances as soon as we are in a state to start performing again. Anant, Nirant and Siddhant will also be the next generation Gundecha brothers to carry on the tradition.”
A condolence meet in memory of Ramakant Gundecha was held at the Dhrupad Sansthan on Monday. It was attended by a number of noted musicians and classmates of the two brothers.
“I was a teenager when the brothers used to learn music from my uncle, Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar and father. We used to have a great time together. I used to call him ‘dada’,” said Bahauddin Dagar, son of Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar, exponent of the rudra veena.
Pandit Pushparaj Koshti, a surbahar player and student of Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar, said, “I knew him from the very start when they had joined the Dhrupad Kendra. Coming here today on this occasion is very sad for me."
The Gundechas also performed the ‘Pagdi’ ceremony, post the condolence meet and uthavani on Monday, conferring the responsibilities of late Ramakant Gundecha on his only son Anant.
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