Rekindling traditional art forms
Four-day festival of music and dance will be held at Shankar Lal Hall, Modern School, Barakhamba Road from January 10 –13
With the objective to promote India's traditional art forms – both musical and performing arts – among the younger generation, the 18th edition of Swami Haridas Tansen Sangeet Nritya Mahotsav was organised by Bharatiya Sangeet Sadan in the Capital. The four-day festival of music and dance will be held at Shankar Lal Hall, Modern School, Barakhamba Road from January 10 – 13.
The event which is dedicated to Swami Haridas and Mian Tansen will see the performance by legends like Parveen Sultana (Vocal), Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash (Sarod), Pandit Chhannulal Mishra (Vocal), Gundecha Brothers (Vocal), Ustad Aashish Khan (Sarod), Bickram Ghosh (Tabla), Pandit Vishwamohan Bhatt (Mohan Veena), along with Pandit Salil Bhatt (Satvik Veena), Ustad Shujaat Khan (Sitar), Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (Sarod) and the organisers of the event – Dr Uma Sharma (Kathak) herself, among others.
The Bharatiya Sangeet Sadan and Sri Ram Centre For Performing Arts with the help of HCL, Modern School, are actively encouraging keenly endeavouring and commemorating the legendary guru-shishya parampara in the 'Mehfil- Andaz through their programmes.
Dr Uma Sharma – a Padma Bhushan Kathak dancer and Managing Trustee and Director of Bhartiya Sangeet Sadan, Uma Sharma school of dance and music – has been organising the festival for the last 17 years.
Talking about the initiative which seeks to rekindle the traditional art forms, Dr Sharma says, "The event encourages the younger generation to listen and absorb the purity of Indian classical music and dance. A traditional atmosphere will be created in 'mehfil andaaz' representing the old musical style of our country. I want them to hear what their forefathers listened to."
The old, classical style of presenting music to music-lovers was prevalent during the Moghul period and exemplified by the two great musical geniuses of India, the venerable saint-musician, poet and composer of Brindavan, Swami Haridas and his illustrious disciple Mian Tansen – Baiju Bawra. Bharatiya Sangeet Sadan tries to keep alive and spread our musical heritage through a cultural 'renaissance' and resuscitation of the musical ethos by holding a festival of music, dance and vocal recitals (Dhrupads) in Delhi.
