Chandigarh
8 November 2021
DIVYA AZAD
43rd Annual Chandigarh Sangeet Sammelan will take off on Friday. The three-day music event is being organised by Indian National Theatre in association with the Durga Das Foundation, which will commence on November 12 and conclude on November 14.
The music festival will be held in the auditorium of Strawberry Fields High School in Sector 26 here. Some outstanding artistes from different parts of the country will be performing, informed Vinita Gupta, Indian National Theatre’s Hony Secretary. The opening day (November 12) will present Dhananjay Hegde who will give his presentation in the evening at 6 p.m. which will be followed by well known Pandit Harvinder Sharma on the Sitar. On November 13 at 6 p.m. (in the evening)Shashwati Mandal and Shashank Maktedar will present their vocal presentations while on 14th November at 11 a.m. Ashwani Bhide Deshpande will present a vocal performance.
Talented Hindustani classical vocalist, Dhananjay Hegde was born in a musical family. A child prodigy, Dhananjay was identifying the shruthi or musical note of a car horn or temple bell at the age of four. Observing this talent, his parents encouraged him to learn music. He began learning music at the age of four from his mother Geeta Hegde. His father, G.S. Hegde is a well known Tabla player and founder of “SAPTHAK”- a music organization promoting Hindustani Music in Bangalore. On the same day Pandit Harvinder Sharma will present a sitar recital. Dr. Harvinder Kumar Sharma is an exceptionally gifted Sitarist. He showed a keen interest in Sitar at a tender age of five and gave his maiden public performance when he was just nine years of age. A disciple of Ustad Vilayat Hussain Khan of Imdadkhani Gharana, Harvinder was initially groomed by his father Meghraj Sharma and thereafter was trained under illustrious guides, late Prof. Jitender Kumar and Dr. R.D. Verma.
Harvinder has a distinct style of elaborating Raga through Khayal ang on sitar, which is the true essence of Imdadkhani Gharana. Upholding the traditional glory of this Gharana, he is also open to innovative ideas such as fusion or jugalbandi of classical and popular music. His experimentation with sitar on folk music and various forms of light music constantly enrich and upgrade his style. In recognition of his meritorious achievements and outstanding commitment to music, he has been bestowed with innumerable awards and honours by prestigious organisations and the State Government of Haryana.
On November 13, Shashwati Mandal will present her vocal recital. Shashwati was born in Gwalior in a family of musicians. Her maternal grandfather Pt. Balabhau Umdekar ‘Kundalguru’ was a darbar-gayak (court musician) at the royal court of Gwalior, and a singer of the Gwalior Gharana.
Shashwati started her early classical training under the guidance of her mother, Smt. Kamal Mandal, at a very young age. From 1987-1992, she received a Department of Culture (Govt of India) scholarship to study under the veteran Gwalior gharana singer Pt. Balasaheb Poonchhwale. Balasaheb instilled into her the finer nuisances of Gwalior gayaki, and also trained her into the art of Tappa singing, the vibrant semi-classical genre. She continued her training with her gurus, Balasaheb Poonchhwale and Kamal Mandal until their passing.
Shashank Maktedar is one of the leading vocalists of his generation. He belongs to the very rich traditions of Gwalior, Jaipur and Agra Gharana. He had a privilege to get his Talim from none other than Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar for nine years in the traditional guru-shishya parampara at ITC Sangeet Research Academy Kolkata, from 1991 to 2000. Before that he had his initial training from Pt. Nath Neralkar in Aurangabad.
Shashank has toured and performed in many other countries like the USA, UK, France, Switzerland and Dubai to name a few. Born in Mumbai into a family with strong musical traditions, Ashwini Bhide Deshpande started her early classical training under the guidance of Narayanrao Datar. She then completed her Sangeet Visharad from the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya. Since then, she has been learning music in the Jaipur-Atrauli style from her mother Manik Bhide. Ashwini also received guidance from Ratnakar Pai until his passing. Because of her influences from the Jaipur-Atrauli, Mewati and Patiala gharanas, Ashwini has created her own musical style. Vinita Gupta added that this sammelan is being organized for all the music lovers and the entry will be free. A live streaming provision has been made for music lovers who can visit the websitewww.indiannationaltheatre.com to get the link for the same.
