Now in its 30^th year, Virasat, one of North India’s longest-running music and dance festival (the other being Saptak in Ahmedabad), unfolds each autumn in Dehradun, in the midst of a lively country fair or mela. The setting is intentional — it allows hill folk from the nearby Kumaon region to mingle with visitors and experience classical music and dance alongside local crafts and cuisine. Music lovers like Sunaina Prakash Agarwal drive nearly three hours to attend the evening concerts, only to head back late at night, undeterred by the distance. Reflecting the diversity of its audience, the organisers include not just classical arts but also folk and popular forms — from regional and international folk troupes to pop music acts. This year’s edition even added a bike rally, a treasure hunt, and interactive workshops and artist talks.

Main organiser R.K. Singh confessed, “It is getting increasingly difficult to organise this grand event of 15 days as financial support remains erratic.” The festival is free for all, given the aim of drawing in a larger, more diverse audience.

This year there were many first timers – from Amjad Ali Khan and young vocalist Anirudh Aithal to Carnatic veena vidwan Ramana Balachandran. It is of course impossible to stay all 15 days and hear two or three concerts every day; one has to choose which concerts will be unmissable.

The first evening I attended opened with a santoor concert by Abhay Rustom Sopori. Son of the late Bhajan Sopori, Abhay belongs to a traditional family of musicians of Kashmir; his father and he have made significant changes in the santoor, resulting in Abhay’s concerts having a refreshing novelty. Apart from the varied striking techniques, the addition of bass strings and chikari has brought a new dimension to this traditional instrument, allowing Abhay to draw expressive meends during his aalap. A trained sound engineer, he pays particular attention to the amplification of his concerts; controlling his performance through volume. This has an interesting dramatic appeal in his interludes.

Abhay started with raga Nand Kauns, quickly connecting with the audience through his mastery. This was not an audience that would have appreciated subtle music, so Abhay moved onto creating a groove with repetition of sequential note phrases that were easy to grasp aurally. His immense riyaaz has established him as arguably the foremost exponent of the santoor in his generation, and this was experienced by the largely rustic audience.  A great layakaar, Abhay played a vilambit composition in Jhaptaal, showing beat variations in 3, 7 and 8. On the tabla was Banaras gharana exponent Mithilesh Jha, who clearly relished accompanying a musician who focused on layakaari, and expected equal participation from his accompanist. Next was a tarana in Ek taal composed by Abhay’s grandfather who was also a vocalist. Abhay sang the bols of the composition. He concluded with a thrilling super fast drut composition in Teen taal that was chau mukhi, in four phrases. In this, the way Abhay simulated stroke work was impressive, on an instrument whose strings traditionally are only struck. 

The evening ended with a presentation of Patiala – the royal gharana.  Conceived by Kathak dancer Manjari Chaturvedi, this is the second in a series of vocal gharanas named after the royal court that patronised them. The first was about the royal house of Gwalior; this is the second on the Patiala gharana. Interestingly, whilst the Patiala gharana founders were two singers Fateh Ali and Ali Baksh, known as ‘Aliya Fatu’, the gharana today has been kept alive by Bade Ghulam Ali Khan of Kasur, who additionally trained in the Patiala gayaki. His disciples, and their disciples including his son, late Munawar Ali Khan, Ajoy Chakravorty, Begum Parveen Sultana, and the late Jagdish Prasad.

Bade Ghulam Ali Khan’s grandson Jawad Ali Khan sang compositions of the gharana, whilst Manjari recounted tales of Patiala court and the gharana’s main exponent, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. An attempt was made to create the visual ambience of the Patiala court of yore, with the musicians wearing turbans and ‘achkan’ (formal long coats), Manjari sporting a traditional ‘parandi’ (long decoration on her plaited hair). The stage was decorated with coloured chandeliers and candles. Manjari also danced to two pieces sung by Jawad. The music pieces were kept short so as not to distract from the storytelling, yet they created a wonderfully nostalgic atmosphere through the iconic compositions of the Patiala gharana. Sadly, a distinctive taal associated with the gharana Ikwai, was not attempted as Jawad shared later that current tabla exponents are not aware of its gait. Jawad sang khayal, ‘tap khayal’, thumri, and even a Meera bhajan, Pag ghungaroo baandh Meera naachi re. Bade Ghulam Ali’s song from the movie Mughal e Azaam: Prem jogan ban ke was preceded by Manjari’s anecdote on how the song was recorded, the only film song recorded by the singer. Her anecdotes included the origin of the Patiala peg, the Patiala salwar, Bade Ghulam Ali’s life and much more making this presentation perhaps initiating a new genre of storytelling, music and dance. On the tabla were Amjad Khan, Dharamnath Mishra (harmonium), and Ghulam Ahmed (sarangi).

The next day opened with the Saraswati veena recital by Ramana Balachandran, accompanied by Patri Satish Kumar on the mridangam. Ramana opened with a varnam in Adi tala, and the mood of refined music was established swiftly. He moved onto a ragam-tanam-pallavi in Khamas; his alap was brief but extremely lyrical. Clearly he is inspired in his depiction of Khamas by the north Indian raga Khamach, which is essentially the same raga but with a different emphasis of notes. Ramana included murkis in his playing which is a welcome addition; the somewhat stylised sequential phrases in his faster movement, making for the most infectious listening. Ramana’s interaction with maestro Patri Satish was a true delight. Snatches of other ragas including Dwijawanti and Sama were skilfully woven into his concert. Next, he played a favourite raga of his, Desh, in which he also sang a composition in Sanskrit. He concluded with a tillana in Sindhu Bhairavi. Many in the audience had heard the Saraswati veena for the first time, and Ramana had them hooked. The bass sound of the instrument, the expert handling, the lyrical presentation, the exciting speed made for compelling listening, adding to which was of course the mastery of Patri Satish.          

The next concert was Pravin Godkhindi on the flute; despite Pravin’s undeniable prowess as a musician, the music sounded pre-rehearsed and did not have as much impact as one expected. The raga was Vachaspati; on the tabla was Banaras gharana’s Abhishek Mishra, who impressed with his bold and dramatic accompaniment.  

The evening ended with the mellow vocal concert of Jayateerth Mevundi. Again a seasoned popular singer, Jayateerth was accompanied by Abhishek Mishra on tabla, and Sumit Mishra of Banaras on the harmonium. He started with raga Jog Kauns, a raga created by C.R. Vyas, which is a combination of raga Jog and Malkauns. The three compositions were in three different taals¾ Roopak, Teen Ek taal, the variations of the taans were interesting and diverse, and the bhava in the vilambit, appealing. Jayateerth truly did not present a highly polished concert. He then sang Bhimsen Joshi’s song from the film Basant Bahar: Ketaki gulab in raga Basant Bahar. Continuing the mood of nostalgia for Bhimsen Joshi (Jayateerth’s dada guru) he concluded with a bhajan, Baaje muraliya that Bhimsen Joshi sang so often.  A snatch of a natya sangeet number, Lagat kalejawa mein chot, and finally another bhajan associated unmistakably with Bhimsen Joshi, Jo bhaje Hari ko sada. Overall, the concert left one replete.

One cannot help but admire the dedicated team of Virasat, all volunteers, who single-mindedly made this grand festival such a well-organised and enjoyable event.

What was worthy of credit in this edition of the festival was the inclusion of participation by young university students. Workshops and talks were organised in the UPES residential campus on theatre, music, film making, and crafts. 

Shailaja Khanna

(Writes on music, musicians and matters of music)

Photos courtesy: Virasat