Sunday crowd laps up classical performances

Nagpur: A Sunday crowd packed Deshpande Hall on day three of the ongoing Kalidas music festival. The presentation once again included all three genres of Hindustani and Carnatic classical music and dance forms.
Setting the mood with a mellifluous performance on Mandolin was Sugato Bhaduri, who, in keeping with the theme of the festival, gave a recital inspired by Kavi Kalidas’s Meghdootam.The selected raag for the evening was Mishr Shivranjani. Bhaduri began with an elaborate alaap and presented two other compositions, one poorv megh in mid tempo and the uttara megh in crescendo. His performance was enhanced by the tabla, deftly played by city’s Sandesh Popatkar. City businessman Murtaza Fidvi, who was enjoying the performances, said, “I have heard this instrument for the first time and am totally mesmerized with it. I am also intrigued by the manner in which the artist has taken us through the raga in its high and low notes,” he said.
In an enchanting presentation of a Mahanatayam based on dancing duo, Shiva and Parvati’s Tandav Lasyam, Kuchipudi exponents Radha and Raja Reddy along with their dance troupe created a fine tapestry of celestial scenes with their postures and mudras. “The dance drama tells the universal story with different elements,” Reddy explained before the performance. “As a photographer, I found this performance very high on visual appeal,” said lensman Vivek Ranade. “The entire presentation was very artistically created,” he said of the images of a peacock, deer or butterflies, which the dancers created.
A stirring performance by Thumri queen Girija Devi capped the evening. That she was accompanied by her disciple Malani Awasthi proved to be a delight for the audience. Known for her style, known as poorv ang ki Thumri, Girija Devi began her presentation with a Saraswati Vandana before presenting a bandish in raag Bhopali. “There is so much of strife and violence in the world today, that on behalf of all the musicians I would like to begin with this prayer to the goddess of learning with the wish that let there be peace everywhere,” said the 87-year-old maestro of classical music, who also presented a thumri, humse nazariya lage fer li, in Mishr Bihag. Expressing her pleasure at being a part of Kalidas festival, she added, “I am happy that music festivals are being named after famous Indian poets and musicians. This way their legacy is kept alive.”
Lauding the revival of the festival, Ramesh Uikey, a table player, said, “Kalidas festival will bring many great musicians to the city. I have specifically come to meet sarangi player Murtaza Ali, who is accompanying Girija Devi.”