Experience the spirit of Tansen 

If you think that today's generation is all about rock music and pop culture, then probably you are wrong. Even in today's time, events like 'Swami Haridas Tansen Sangeet Nritya Mahotsav' are being organised, which set an example of 'traditional music' being the choice of today's generation's. Undoubtedly, being the largest conglomeration of Indian classical music lovers in the country, this grand four-day event represents 'Our tradition and culture.'

This year, The event has been organised by 'Bharatiya Sangeet Sadan' and 'Sri Ram Centre for Performing Arts' with the help of HCL at Modern School. The inauguration ceremony took place on January 11 in the presence of Janardan Dwivedi, Dr K K Aggarwal, Dr Suresh K Goyal, Dr Vinay Bharat Ram, Dr Ashok Pratap Singh, and Dr Raj Shekhar Vyas alongwith Dr Uma Sharma, Festival Director. Dr Uma Sharma (Kathak), Parveen Sultana (Vocal) and Bickram Ghosh (Tabla) took the stage to take the audience back to the roots of the music of India in the 18th edition of 'Swami Haridas Tansen Sangeet Nritya Mahotsav'.

First to perform was Padam Bhushan Dr Uma Sharma, the Kathak maestro. She performed a three sequence dance drama based on the eternal love between Radha and Krishna in Thumri style. In between her sequences, she was describing her act to the audience.

Describing the significance of the festival, she said: "Swami Haridas was a puritan: very traditional in his ways. Music, in those, was not, what it is today. She stressed on the traditionality and purity of classical music." Speaking to Padam Bhushan Parveen Sultana about her experience with this event, she said, "This is a reputed classical musical event being organised for nearly two decades now and I am very pleased to be performing here." Dr Uma remembered that Tansen Mahotsav used to be hosted in Gwalior when she was a young girl and that she has been performing in the national capital for the last seven-eight years.

The second performer, Begum Parveen Sultana is an exponent of the Patiala Gharana of Indian classical form of music. Third, and last to perform for the evening was Bikram Ghosh. A well-known tabla player, known to create magic spells in Indo-fusion genres. Talking about his performance he disclosed that he will be performing 'Drums of India' with three other percussionists. This craft, his own, has been performed the World over and very well received by the foreign audience.

When asked about, how interested, young audience today is about the classical music scene. "Interestingly, the number is rising, at least, what I have observed, in the last two to three years," he said. Ghosh believes that the advent of digital space and internet is allowing more youngsters to explore traditional music.

The performer believes that classical music provides, depth and emotions unlike popular music of today.