SAP- Lab, Dept. of Instrumental Music , Rabindra Bharati University
About the speaker
Pt. Sanjoy Bandopadhya is an eminent Sitar Player and Ustad Alauddin Khan Chair Professor in Dept. of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University.
Tags
Manas Chakraborty, Solo Concert, September 1975 , Tarapada Chakraborty, Sukumar Samajpati, Kala Mandir, Tabla, Keramatulla Khan, Sarangi, Sagiruddin Khan, Harmonium Jayanta Bose, Puriya, 1975 – 78, Swarmandal, Vistar, Abdul Karim Khan, Subjective appreciation, tarsaptak Sa, Frequency, Suddha Kalyan, tanpura, Recorded Music
S.A.P. Lab, Department of Instrumental Music,Rabindra Bharati University ,B.T. Road Campus, Kolkata.
About the speaker
Sitar Maestro, Chair Professor, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University
Tags
1974, Park Circus Music Conference , Nikhil Banerjee, Sitar, Debiprasad Chatterjee, 1975, Kanai Dutta,Tabla Tanpura Tuning,Bilaskhani Todi,Asavari Todi,
Language
English
Pandit Sanjoy Bandopadhyay speaks:
Tuning and Nikhil Banerjee
Told by: Pandit Sanjoy Bandopadhyay
Text Version:
Long back, it should be 1974/75 or may be 73. I had been to Kalamandir (Auditorium, Theater Road), in ‘The Park Circus Music Conference’. And that was the final day and Nikhilda, Pandit Nikhil Banerjee was the last musician to perform. Earlier musician was Sunanda Pattanayakji. I was looking at my watch. I was sitting at the auditorium but impatiently waiting for the time to come… because I wanted to leave the auditorium at least 45 minutes ahead of time before Nikhilda sits on the stage. I left the auditorium and went to the greenroom and saw a few people over there. Nikhilda (was) tuning his instrument and behind him was Debi da (Pt. Debi Prasad Chatterjee) and Pandit Kanai Dutta was on Tabla. Kanai Dutta was close to me, because I used to go to his house and all. Nikhilda of course was quite known to me. He was almost my demigod! We used to worship him as a kind of demigod for music and was my Gurubhai because he also learnt with my teacher.
Pt. Nikhil Banerjee
He was tuning his instrument; … and sometimes he was putting his finger on the Tanpura and slightly readjusting … and was tuning (his instrument uninterruptedly). Minutes passed, fifteen minutes passed, tewnty minutes passed — by but he was continuously tuning … Kanaida was talking to somebody, kind of whispering… people were silent. Silence was all around…. Then a good looking lady…with ornaments and all…. appeared to be from a well off family…… she came in the greenroom. Kanai da knew her. She was standing before Nikhilda, but he didn’t look (at her), his head was down and (he) was tuning. Then Kanaida asked her,” Do you want to talk to Nikhil?” She nodded. Kanaida gestured, ‘try’. Then the lady bent down and touched Nikhilda’s feet. Then the thing happened—! He just shivered- he jumped up-. He was so much engrossed in tuning that he didn’t have (the sense) that what’s going in the vicinity- what was going on around him. So when that lady touched his feet that (was like) a shock for him. That was the amount of attention and involvement of Nikhilda in tuning. Anyway I was enjoying what was going on.
Then the organizers came because Sunanda Pattanayakji’s concert…..rendering was over . They came (to take him), but they were just standing there. No one had the courage to ask him that it was time for him to go to the stage. Then after talking to their organizer Kanaida asked ,” Is it the time that we go to the stage ?“ they replied ,” Yes, yes”. Kanaida said,” Tell him”. Then the organized said,” Why don’t you request him?” Then Kanaida told him, “?????, ??? ??? ????, ??” [“Nikhil now this is the time to go to stage” ]. Then Nikhilda took his Sitar and went to the stage. I ran fast and went to the auditorium. There again he tuned about 10 minutes and started Bilashkhani Todi, played 2 ½ hours of BilashkhaniTodi, alap-jod-jhala followed by 1 ½ hour of Asavari Todi.
It was a memorable concert and the ‘Ni-Da-Sa’ the starting phrase I still remember. I felt that Bilashkhani Todi got incarnated with one stroke……… amazing experience.
Kolkata residence of Dr. Rajib Chakraborty, Swinhoe Street, Kolkata 700019
About Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty
Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty is a renowned sarod player, a music composer, and also involved in a large number of experimental projects internationally. He received several awards for his experimental work in music.
Tags
Rajeeb Chakraborty, Kaushic Sen, sarod, tabla, Rupak, Jhaptal
Kolkata residence of Dr. Rajib Chakraborty, Swinhoe Stree, Kolkata 700019
About Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty
Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty is a renowned sarod player, a music composer, and also involved in a large number of experimental projects internationally. He received several awards for his experimental work in music.
Tags
Kala Mandir, Ali Akbar Khan, sarod, Shankar Ghosh, tabla, over-packed, Jog, ethereal experience, ecstasy
Pt. Swaraj Bhattacharya, belongs to Lucknow Gharana, a disciple of Ustd. Afaq Hussain Khan, an eminent table player and thinker.
Tags
Ahmedjan Thirakawa, All India radio, Mahesh Mishra, tabla, sarengi, Keramatullah Khan, Shyamal Bose, Amir Khan, Lalit, Muhammad Ali Parj, Sarba Bharatiya Sangeet Sammelan, 1970’s
At Kolkata residence of Jon Barlow 91/1B Bondel Road, Kolkata 700019 [Ballygunge Phari]
About Jon Barlow
A man in pursuit of Indian Classical Music for more than fifty years. Learnt sarod, vocal music, music collector, music craftsman, photographer, artist, music theorist.
Tags
Vilayet Khan, Yaman, Hafiz Ali Khan Memorial Festival, Park Circus, 1978,
It was a morning programme. All Bengal Music Conference.
Where was this?
This was the one hosted by Lal babu. All India. This one was held at Mahajati Sadan.
When was this approximately?
Kesarbai Kerkar
This was around 1940/41-42. Kesar Bai was singing in the morning. She was a very sombre kind of a woman. She was the only disciple of Alladiya Khan. In the morning, she was singing varieties of Raga Bilawal. Bilawal is a very difficult raga. There are many variations – kukuv bilawal and so on and so forth. Keshar Bai was singing. In the heat of the moment she said, “Bade Miyan, this is very difficult. To acquire the Bilawal and to be able to sing it is very difficult. This is Bade Miya’s training.” Bade Miya means Alladiya Khan.
That to Faiyaz Khan!
Yes, Faiyaz Khan. She said it in front of everyone. Faiyaz Khan was very upset. She was singing and speaking. No one sings the Vilaval usually. Not Ghulam Ali Khan sahib, not Amir Khan – no one. And among those of us who play instruments, Vilayet Khan used to play Imni Vilaval. Alaiya, Imni – three or four Vilavals. And they were not trained under Alladiya Khan. Keshar Bai was a league apart.
Faiyaz Khan was to perform that night. He sang the Darbari. He said, “Begum sahiba, this Dhaibat is very difficult.” Dhaibat and Gandhar. This was the nature of competitions during that time. That volume, that voice, that ‘kharaj’. There’ll never be another Faiyaz Khan again.
