HYDERABAD: To preserve and promote the legacy of Pandit Jasraj, the Pandit Jasraj Cultural Foundation hosted, ‘Jai Ho! Pandit Jasraj: 51st Pt Motiram Pt Maniram Sangeet Samaroha.’ This seven-day celebration featured many artists from various parts of the country who glorified the stage with their outstanding performances, reminding us of the excellent contribution made by Pandit Jasraj to the musical world.
This intimate celebration from November 24-30, mesmerised the audience with performances by Rattan Mohan Sharma, Maestro Niladri Kumar, Shounak Abhisheki, Maestro Osman Mir, Pt Nayan and Ishaan Ghosh, Anand Bhate and Arya Ambekar, Vikas Parikh, Swar Sharma, Sid Sriram, Sooryagayathri, Pt Venkatesh Kumar, Asavari Degloorkar, and Maestro Anup Jalota for six days.
The seventh-day celebrations featured a special performance by Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj ji in a recorded version, tuned along with live performances by the artists on stage. The enchanting evening commenced with Mangalam Bhagwan Vishnu by Param Pujya Guruji and Singers, followed by the group dance of Arushi Mudgal (Odissi), Yamini Reddy (Kuchipudi), Shinjini Kulkarni(Kathak), and Krishna Pranita (Bharatnatyam) on Sarv Mangal Mangalye sung by Ankita Joshi, Rutuja Lad, Dhanashree Ghaisas, and Ruchira Kedar.
The concert carried on with the combined performances of a vocalist and a dancer, which captivated the audience. Yamini Reddy performed on Jaijaiwanti, sung by Ankita Joshi, Dhanashree Ghaisas and Krishna Pranita performed on Bihag, Rutuja Lad and Arushi Mudgal on Shuddh Nat, Ruchira Kedar and Shinjini Kulkarni on Bhairav Bahar and so on. The passion, dedication, and talent were reflected in every performance by the artistes. The collaborative effort of vocalists, dancers, musicians, and composers made the celebration lively, though Pandit Jasraj is not physically present there.
In a conversation with Durga Jasraj, daughter of Pandit Jasraj, she expressed, “Truly overwhelmed, and by grace of god, we completed the Jai Ho! Pandit Jasraj: 51st Pt Motiram Pt Maniram Sangeet Samaroha. It’s an annual event, and this is the 51st year. I am truly overwhelmed, blessed, and elated by the whole experience. I want to express my gratitude to all the Hyderabadis and so many people who travelled across continents and different cities in India to attend this. I am truly thankful to them, and I just love this experience.”
“Every year, there is something unique that happens. And that, too, happens organically, I would like to believe. I think Natya Sangeeth has never happened in the Samaroha before and that was something new. This is the 4th edition where Bapuji Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj is not physically with us. But every year, we present his concert in November, keeping the continuity and commitment of his performance in Hyderabad. Every time it throws up beautiful, enriching, divine, and ethereal challenges,” she added. Talking about the artistes, Durga Jasraj stated, “It is a curation at the highest level. Having worked with more than 50,000 musicians by now, the choices are immense.
India is extremely rich to have so many diverse genres. And even in classical music, we have Hindustani and Carnatic. So at this festival, even during those times, my father, when he was there, would choose many different genres. He would choose Hindustani and Carnatic dance, tabla solo, and Sufi Ghazal. So everything, more or less, has happened. The way the production values have escalated, we’ve tried to match up with the global standards that Hyderabad has now become. So we need to have the presentation aspect and everything that happens around on a world-class level.”