 |
| Before the curtains rise tension rises |
|
Contemporary
classical music has taken on a new life and vigour with ITC-SRA's music festivals during
the last 20 years. Many celebrated artists have played a significant role in this
endeavour- Pandit V G Jog, Smt Girija Devi, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, Pandit Hari Prasad
Chaurasia, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Smt Protima Bedi, Pandit Brij Bhushan Kabra and many
others, along with ITC-SRA's own renowned gurus and scholars.
From 1979,
every winter ITC-SRA has been organising a tour in which artistes and scholars travel
together in a bus in a spirit of learning together and perform in different towns. It is a
special experience that is integral to the collective living and learning at ITC-SRA.
 |
| ITC Awardee of the year inaugurates the Sammelan by lighting the
Manideep |
|
During one
such tour, Pandit Jog, Shivji, Hariji, Vijay Kichlu, Zakir Hussain and Krishna Chowdhury
were walking together through a narrow lane in Patiala.
Suddenly
people from behind started shouting. A bull came charging. Before the galaxy of musicians
could move out of the bull's way, the bull hit Panditji. Panditji fell down, but
immediately got up and started running towards the bull. Vijay Kichlu shouted,
"Panditji, what are you doing?" Pat came Panditji's reply: "I am going to
ask the bull if he got hurt".
Many
Sammelans have been organised in remote nooks and corners of the country that were
hitherto oblivious of the melodious strains of Indian Classical music.
The ITC
Mini Sangeet Sammelans are tours of a different kind. Travelling together, artists perform
in small towns and cities across the country: from Jammu, Patiala and Kurukshetra in the
North, to Guntur, Pondicherry and Manipal in the South. Concerts have also been held in
Bharuch, Latur, Bijapur (Maharashtra), Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh), Kotah, Alwar (Rajasthan)
and in Basirhaat, Murshidabad and Ranaghat (West Bengal).
 |
| Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar in recital |
|
|
 |
| The Darbar Hall of Baroda Palace was once the venue for our
Sammelan |
|
|
 |
| An exhibition of photographs add interest to a Sammelan |
|
|
Awards for Excellence
Twenty-nine
luminaries of Indian Classical Music have been honoured with ITC awards during the annual
ITC Sangeet Sammelans in Delhi, so far.
 |
| A rare cluster of ITC Awardees |
|
This
includes legends like Bari Moti Bai, Rahimuddin Dagar, Sidheshwari Devi, Birabai
Barodekar, Nisar Hussain Khan, Dilip Chandara Vedi, Krishna Rao Sankar Pandit, Sitara
Devi, Semangudi Srinivasa Iyer, T. T. Brinda, D K. Pattamal, Alla Rakha Khan. Similarly,
thirty-eight musicians have been honoured in Maharashtra and nineteen in West Bengal.
