With eyes closed and hands swaying gently to the raags, Hyderabad’s music enthusiasts gathered at the JNAFAU auditorium last evening for a memorable celebration of classical music. A light drizzle outside set the perfect mood as the hall resonated with timeless melodies, when the Dhruvpad Gurukulam Foundation presented the fourth edition of its annual festival, Varshotsav. The evening at Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University, Masab Tank, offered audiences an experience as refreshing as the season itself.
The concert opened with a soul-stirring recital by Dhrupad Bandhu — the duo of Sanjeev Jha and Manish Kumar. Trained under the Gundecha Brothers at Dhrupad Sansthan, Bhopal, the two have performed together across India since 2013. For this evening, they presented a thoughtfully curated repertoire: Dhamar taal (a rhythmic cycle of 14 beats) in raag Desh, Surdas’s poem Radhe Bolat Nandkishor in Adi Taal, Vidyapati’s poem Piya Mora Balak in Sool Taal and the devotional Tu Kartar, Tu Aadhaar in Sool Taal.
And then came up Padmashri Vidushi Ashwini Bhide Deshpande’s performance, who is an eminent exponent of the Jaipur–Atrauli Gharana. Known for her mastery of bandish-composition as well as her moving interpretations of Kabir’s bhajans, she left the audience immersed in her soulful voice.
They were accompanied by a distinguished ensemble: Pandit Vinod Lele on tabla, Vinay Mishra on harmonium, and Dnyaneshwar Deshmukh on pakhawaj, who added rhythmic and melodic depth to the performance.
Since its inception in 2022, Varshotsav has grown into a platform that not only celebrates the oldest surviving form of Indian classical music but also connects it to contemporary audiences. The Dhruvpad Gurukulam Foundation, co-founded by Manish Kumar and Vijaya L Ramam, continues to champion this cause through concerts, workshops, and community outreach.
The fourth edition of Varshotsav reaffirmed Dhrupad’s timeless essence, music meant not just for the ears but for the soul, offering audiences a rare sense of calm and spiritual depth.