The picturesque setting of the festival.
Hindustani vocalist Kaushiki Chakraborty was thrilled about sighting tigers, whereas singer Hariharan was delighted at recognizing elephants in the wild. Flautist Rakesh Chaurasia left the venue in a rush after his morning live performance to go on a safari. “I wanted to perform before I went into the forest. What if a tiger hunts me down?” he laughed, earlier than taking part in a soulful raag Pahadi.
In a bid to supply a novel musical expertise, curators of cultural festivals are always on the lookout for places that can spark wanderlust in individuals. Palaces, forts and plush landscapes are being was efficiency arenas, permitting the viewers to find the free-spiritedness of our arts. The unconventional settings additionally encourage artistes to push the boundaries of their creativity.
Kaushiki Chakraborty loved performing and occurring safaris
‘Ragas by the River’, which was held not too long ago in Uttarakhand, celebrated the age-old connection between music and Nature. We have heard how Tansen might set off a blaze by singing raag Deepak and will deliver rain together with his rendition of Miyan ki Malhar, nonetheless a well-liked monsoon raag.
The venue of the festival was on the banks of river Kosi and the fringes of the Jim Corbett National Park. Established in 1936, Corbett is the nation’s first nationwide park and is thought for its natural world.
Sitting below a transparent sky on chilly evenings, surrounded by tall timber, rocky hills and a river, raags Yaman, Gurjari Todi, Jhinjoti and Shudh Kalyan appeared to realize a definite emotional resonance.
Kaushiki, who went on the safari twice along with her son and husband, felt it was wonderful to see curators design cultural occasions for a bigger function. “I am an outdoorsy person and love going on adventure holidays. This festival has been the best working holiday I have had in recent times. I felt a surge of energy when I sang after experiencing the wilderness,” she stated. “The casual atmosphere permits for a better interplay with the viewers too.
Ustad Amjad Ali Khan felt music positive aspects an emotional resonance at such scenic places
“But the biggest highlight was being able to sit back and enjoy the performances of other artistes. Imagine having Ustad Amjad Ali Khan in the audience at my concert,” she added.
Kaushiki was additionally invited by the Ustad to sing ‘Aaj jaane ki zid na karo’ as he performed the timeless ghazal on his sarod throughout his late night efficiency. “Only in the last few years have we realised how valuable culture tourism is. Our art and heritage stand to gain immensely with this burgeoning interest. The new synergy among artistes, audiences, organisers and curators is essential to make art accessible. Look at how the audience is enjoying the music. It is not always important that they understand every note,” he stated.
Shujaat Khan performed the sitar and sang some fantastic songs penned by new writers
As the delectable sounds of his sarod wafted by means of the cool air, the veteran musician teased out the character of every melodic phrase. Unlike the racy passages we normally hear at present, his phrases started gently, shone with refined improvisation and at last dove into tranquillity. All by means of, the Ustad demonstrated his impeccable management over the instrument. The night started together with his sons Amaan and Ayaan reiterating by means of their taking part in the problem of innovation and the magnificence of custom.
Sujata Mishra, a younger IT govt from Delhi was attending her first classical live performance. “This was a perfect space for my initiation. I did not feel like being in a highbrow cultural bubble. There’s a perception that classical music isn’t the most welcoming, and certainly not the most diverse as far its performers or audience members are concerned. New-age festivals are different. And who knows, maybe I’ll next go to listen to classical music in an auditorium,” she smiled.
Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash
Curators try every type of stratagems to broaden the viewers base. “We must cultivate the next generation of loyal patrons to remain culturally relevant. I am always eager to perform at such events where the audience comes with an open mind and lets the musician take them on a journey. Since there is no pressure on us to stick to the repertoire, we package the presentation in a way that it appeals to both the informed and the neophyte,” stated Rakesh Chaurasia (who received the Grammy this yr for the album ‘As we speak’).
According to Vir Srivastava, the festival director, the concept was to make classical music much less intimidating and extra fulfilling. A trustee of Ustad Amjad Ali Khan’s Sarod Ghar in Gwalior, Vir hails from a household that has its roots in the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana. It was at the suggestion of the sarod maestro that Vir launched the festival.
Rakesh Chaurasia performed a soulful Pahadi amongst different raags.
“During visits to Corbett with his grandsons, the Ustad would tell me during casual baithaks that music will sound divine in the pure air of this place. So we decided to stage the concerts at the foothills of the Himalayas. However, the bigger purpose was to preserve the natural heritage of the region. Going forward, we plan to join hands with environmental organisations to make Nature an important collaborator of the festival,” stated Vir.
