Classical music lovers are in for a treat this evening as Padma Vibhushan Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia is set to serenade them with his soulful tunes.
The legendary flautist will take to the stage at the sixth edition of Parampara, the signature fundraising event organised by Parichay Foundation.
Kick-started in 2007 to promote the rich legacy of Indian art, culture and tradition, this annual programme, in its 13th year this time, will bring the doyens of guru-shishya parampara to the fore.
The programme will begin with an Odissi dance performance on Raag Megh Pallavi by Regina, a Chinese national, followed by a Bharatanatyam recital by Suvin Prasad.
Then, there will be an Odissi group dance performance by Swastishree Gotipua Dance Group from Odisha, followed by Mamata Dixit narrating the story, Tara, written by Sahitya Academy award-winning author Paramita Satpathy.
“Tara is an important mythological character from Ramayana. The story talks about her life and also what happens when a modern woman is put in a similar situation as Tara was,” says Satpathy.
For Regina, a disciple of Guru Ratikant Mahapatra, this is her maiden performance in Delhi, and she’s “nervous but in a happy sort of way”.
The finale will be Pt Chaurasia’s recital along with his disciple Digvijay Singh Chauhan, with Ustad Rashid Mustafa Thirakwa on tabla. Chauhan will present Raag Maru Bihag (alap, jhod and jhala) tradition of Mahiyar Gharana.
Talking about the popularity of flute among the new generation, Pt Chaurasia says, “People from all walks of life, not just in India but abroad too, want to learn flute. Flute is easy to handle and not very costly so is very popular.”
Chauhan couldn’t agree more with his guru. “One of the reasons why I took up flute is because it is easy to afford and carry. For me, it started as a hobby. I initially learnt watching the videos of guruji. While pursuing BTech in Ahmedabad, I used to travel to Vrindavan Gurukul in Mumbai every weekend to learn from guruji. I also started performing at college festivals and the appreciation I got encouraged me further,” he says.
Chauhan shifted to Vrindavan Gurukul in Bhubaneswar after completing his degree in 2013, and has been living at the gurukul ever since. “Living in gurukul is important as only then a shishya gets to imbibe the guru’s character,” he says. The programme will end with an award ceremony felicitating doyens in the field of art and culture.
Some steller performances
The programme will begin with an Odissi dance performance on Raag Megh Pallavi by Regina, followed by a Bharatanatyam recital by Suvin Prasad. Then there will be a performance by Swastishree Gotipua Dance Group from Odisha
The flute and its popularity
Pt Chaurasia says, “People from all walks of life, not just in India but abroad too, want to learn flute. Flute is easy to handle and not very costly so is very popular.”