I am planning to open a singing school: Soma Ghosh

Classical vocalist Soma Ghosh is busy breathing life into the royal tradition of Darbari Mehfils, a practice she wants to revive with the help of today’s corporates
What is the origin of Darbari Mehfil?
In the good old days of the monarchs, who gave royal patronage to Hindustani musicians and a platform to perform in their courts, the court musicians performed in what came to be known as Darbari Mehfil. Ustad Bismillah Khan vividly described these mehfils to me and asked me to revive the tradition, complete with the showering of rose petals, sprinkling of ittar, offering of hookah, paan and lighting of candles! He narrated what Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan, father of Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, had once said to the first President of India.
He had given a beautiful performance for Rajendra Prasad. The President asked if he could do anything for Ustadji. The humble sarodist politely refused, but when the President insisted, he said with tears in his eyes, “Hazoor, Raag Darbari ko bacha lijiye!” The statement was lost on the President, for the Ustad had requested government patronage for Raagdari music! It is this Darbari Mehfil that I want to revive with the help of today’s corporates.
How many mehfils have you staged so far? What is the audience response?
In the past seven years, I have held about eight Darbari Mehfils. The first one, featuring Pt Birju Maharaj and me, had magnificently replicated the truly royal tradition. The visual grandeur, combined with the lavish ambience, left an indelible imprint on the Mumbai elite. The next had brought together Pt Bhimsen Joshi and Ustad Bismillah Khan on one stage after 64 years. I also had the good fortune of performing in that Darbari Mehfil. The succeeding ones were in Delhi. Kolkata hosted the next one. I prefer hotels as venues since they give the feel of a Darbar... that is not so easy to recreate on the stage.
The response has invariably been astounding. Recently, along with my recital we have a nawab, a shayar and a dancer on stage, as Gauhar Jaan used to in her mehfils. The response is even greater.
What genres of Banaras Gharana specialities do you bring to these mehfils?
In the darbars, all types of musicians performed. Gauhar Jaan used to start her mehfil with a khayal, then go on to a thumri, a ghazal and finally, a bhajan. She would often dance too. Thus, all types of Banaras specialities can breathe life into these mehfils. I also sing Darbari dadra, hori and kajari along with the above
mentioned genres. Ever since I was conferred the Best Ghazal Singer Award, the audience insists on my singing ghazals in the mehfils.
What is the status of these genres today? What attempts are being done to pass them on to Gen Y?
The position is very precarious... Indian Classical Music is passing through a low phase today in terms of patronage. Along with patrons, the ‘Gharanedar Ustads’ are gradually passing away too. Indian instruments like Taar Shehnai, Sur Bahaar, Tabla Tarang and Jal Tarang are almost extinct. This happened perhaps because grammar overpowered sur or melody. Sur is universal and talks to the heart and should always be predominant. Today’s youth has to be attracted to Indian Classical Music with easy communication, good recordings, instruments and sound. I have started recording many heritage numbers — hori, kajari, jugalbandis and ghazals — and record them with good instrumentation, and they are topping charts!
What are you planning for the future?
I am planning a school, ‘Sur Gram,’ to train young talents in the instruments that are endangered today. Renowned music director Naushad Ali was very worried about this in his last days, and he inspired me to take up this project. Today, I hope to give scholarship and train young lads in every endangered Indian
instrument and styles of Gharana, and present them through my “Parampara” series. If the artiste survives, the instrument will also survive! I also try to extend a helping hand to the needy and ailing artistes through a Musician’s
Welfare Fund set up by my trust.Being based in Mumbai, don’t you want to sing for the movies?
Yes, I want to sing for the movies — that is the surest way to reach the youth. I have learnt a great deal from the compositions of yesteryear’s masters like Madan Mohan, SD Burman, Naushad and others, who retained the essence of ragas in their compositions. I won’t mind singing in films that give me a scope to project my singing sensibilities. In fact, I already have sung “Aane do, paas aane do”, composed by Himesh Reshammiya in “Kutch Meetha Ho Jaye”.