'Twas a summer evening in Old City, and we Hyderabadis had eagerly gathered to witness a performance — a spectacular one-day festival of ghazals, music, and dance, presented by Chowmahalla Palace, in association with Parichay Arts Foundation. Sitting in the palace immersed us in the city’s culture, royalty, and history. With the resplendent night sky above, we knew we were in for a magical evening.
The programme opened with a soulful Raag Charukeshi vocal performance by Pandit Umakant Gundecha and Sri Anant Gundecha, accompanied by Pandit Akhilesh Gundecha on the pakhawaj and Ankita Athawale and Hardeep Singh on the tanpuras. Anant’s melodious voice brought instant calm, while Pt. Umakant’s rich baritone left us in awe. Pt. Akhilesh added depth with powerful pakhawaj beats, especially during the 28-beat Raag Kirwani composition set to Brahma Taal.
Jyothi Sharma from Hyderabad brought us a series of soulful ghazal tributes, accompanied by her brother Bhairav Sharma on the tabla and her grandfather Ratan Lal Sharma on the harmonium. With a radiant smile, she greeted the audience with a Namaskar and Aadab, as her grandfather proudly looked on. She began with Mehdi Hassan’s Ranjish Hi Sahi, followed by Roshan Jamal-E-Yaar Se Hai Anjuman Tamaam. She then rendered Ghulam Ali Khan’s Faasle Aise Bhi Honge, her voice as sweet as a koel’s. Jyothi concluded with soulful Sufi renditions of Chaap Tilak Sab Chin Lee Re and Dama Dam Mast Qalandar. The audience erupted in applause, thoroughly enchanted.
The evening concluded with a mesmerising Kathak performance by Pandit Rajendra Gangani from New Delhi, accompanied by vocalist Vinod Gangani and Nishit Gangani on the tabla. He began with a captivating aamad (entrance) and salami (salutation), followed by an invocation to Ma Durga as Vinod beautifully rendered Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu. In Teental and other beat cycles, he danced to a series of bandishes, displaying grace and unique expressions that deeply resonated with the audience. His energetic, precise tatkar (footwork) left us in awe, while his hasthaks (hand gestures) were elegant and full of meaning. At times, he paired light tatkar with padhant (recitations), showcasing his impeccable energy. The performance ended with a soulful bhajan — Tulsidas’s Shri Ramachandra Kripalu — with the audience joining in, filling the air with a divine aura.
Shilpi, an attendee, was astounded by all three performances, but her favourite was Jyothi’s ghazal renditions. “So much talent… I was blown away by how beautifully and confidently this young girl sang! The other two performances were great too,” she shared.
Organiser and founder of Parichay Arts Foundation, Jaywant Naidu, told CE, “You know, until three days before the performance, we didn’t have a venue. But Chowmahalla Palace director G Kishan Rao benevolently offered to host the performance at the palace, not charging us a single rupee.” He added, “All three performances were wonderful, and the artists loved performing in the palace, which is a symbol of culture, royalty, and, in essence, Hyderabad.”