Sawai fest: Notes from santoor mark final day

PUNE: Warm and continuous applause from the audience will encourage any artiste but when santoor maestro Shiv Kumar Sharma took to the stage at the 60th Sawai Gandharv Bhimsen Mahotsav on Sunday, he requested the music lovers present not to applaud, if they liked what he played.
'Mere alaap vaadan mein yadi aap ko kuch achha lage to taliyaan na bajaayen; apne man mein jhaank kar dekhen ki swar kahaan tak pahuncha hai,'' (if you like what I play don't clap; peak inside your heart and search where the music has reached), Sharma said as he set about playing self-created Raga Antardhwani, with Vijay Ghate on table and Dilip Kale on taanpura.
Even though he received a warm response from the audience, he said that he is not worthy of the honour as he's just a messenger of the almighty who has created the notes and rhythm for music.
Sharma presented the finery of Santoor through his restrained yet appealing play of the stringed instrument as he went through Raga Antardhwani with alaap followed by two compositions set to zuptaal and teen taal respectively.
Earlier in the morning, vocalist Kalpana Zokarkar offered a powerful morning Raga Bhoopal Todi with composition 'Maangat aayo' and then offered Sindoor Kafi which she followed up with a tappa composition 'Bhor bhayi saanjz' and a tarana. Zokarkar had Suyog Kundalkar on harmonium and Bharat Kamat on tabla.
Singer Vijay Koparkar, with Rahul Gole on harmonium and Ramdas Palsule on tabla, presented the melodious Raga Basant Mukhari, a brief of Parameshwari and naatya sangeet 'Shata janma shodhitaanaa.'
Bhimsen Joshi's grandson, Viraaj sang two abhang compositions and a bhajan 'Baaje re muraliya baaje,' following which the organisers screened a video recording of a performance Bhimsen gave in the United States, presenting Raga Brindavani Sarang.
In the second session with which this year's festival concluded- singers Apoorva Gokhale and Pallavi Joshi displayed command on Raga Multani in vilambit bandish 'Kawan desh kari' and drut bandish 'More mandirava.' They then sang Raga Marwa with 'Ae maee ree' with 'Gunijan sab hot, gun ki charcha naahi' in drut beat. They finished with a Kabir bhajan, which got a big applause from the audience.
Vocalist Shaunak Abhisheki, son of noted Hindusthani singer Jitendra Abhisheki, opened his repertoire with Raga Amrit Varshini - a Thyagaraja creation with Mahesh Kale as co-performer and Uday Kulkarni (harmonium) and Harshad Kanektar (tabla ) on. His 'Niranjan niraakaar' in vilambit khayal and 'Ka sang keeni preet' in an upbeat rhythm pleased the audience. He then offered the very melodious 'Bhavani dayani janani' in Raga Adaana and a poem 'Nahi punyaachi mojani.'
Compeer Anand Deshmukh carried the audience through the packed seven music sessions over the six days with his expert narration and his remarkable method of connecting two performances with interesting anecdotes and memories from the earlier editions of 'Sawai' festival kept the audience engaged throughout. Deshmukh who will soon complete 25 years of compeering at Sawai Gandharv festival, choked with emotion as he expressed the satisfaction he draws each year thanks to the encouragement from the audience and trust of the organizers.
Parmeshwar Hegde began his vocal recital in Raga Shuddha Kalyan with Avinash Dighe on harmonium and Ravindra Yavgal on table. After doing justice to the Raga for about 30 minutes and went on to perform a composition in Raga Shahana Kanada and sang a bhajan 'Sumiran kar le more mana.'
Sitar exponent of the Etawah Gharana, Shahid Parwez and violinist Atul Upadhye commenced their co-performance in Raga Charukeshi. Mukesh Jadhav on tabla was in accompaniment matching the melody the duo created.
The other artistes who performed are to perform in the rest of the night included vocalists Upendra Bhat and Kirana Gharana stalwart Prabha Atre.