BHUBANESWAR: FOR PANDI T Hariprasad Chaurasia, playing at concerts is almost a daily ritual like doing his breathing and puja. But for this globe-trotter living legend, the concert at Cuttack on Monday meant much more. For, he was performing “at home” in the town that witnessed the commencement of his career and family (following the job at All India Radio and marriage to singer Angurbala Roy – now known as Anuradha Chaurasia).
Chaursia was in the Millennium city to kick off the curtain-raiser concert for the 26th national convention of SPICMACAY (Society for promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst the Youth) that Orissa would host in May next year. The convention would precede a series of monthly concerts in the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.
At the Heritage Hall of the Ravenshaw University that hosted the event, Chaurasia dedicated his concert to his friend and colleague singer Mohammed Sikandar Alam who was buried in the city on the same day. “He was a very dear friend and a great artiste. I miss him much here today,” he stated in his characteristic humility.
Accompanied on tabla by Subhankar Banarjee and on flute by two of his brilliant and beloved disciples – Orissa’s Abhiram Nanda and Samir Rao of Mysore – Chaurasia set the mood of the evening with rendition of raga Kirwani set to tala Rupak. It was followed by raga Bhupali that the maestro has often preferred to present during his trips to Orissa. It was set to teen taal. And as expected, he then regaled with his ever enchanting pahadi dhun.
Chaurasia however did not conclude the concert here as the audience thought of. Exhibiting his love for Orissa and Oriya music, he shared with the audience his fantastic memory of the film and non-film songs that he was a part of the recording half a century ago. He even charmed the old timers with a challenge. He would play the tune of an old song and then ask them the lyrics.
Known for his preference for playing for the generation X, he then pleasantly surprised the young audience by playing the immensely popular tune of the Christmas song “Jingle Bells”. His concluding recital not only amused the young but the old as well who realized that classical arts is not for the classes but could also be for the mass