Artiste of the Month – December 2019
Mohi Bahauddin Dagar (English)
Mohi Baha`ud-din Dagar is the son of the legendary Rudra Veena maestro Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar and nephew of the renowned vocalist Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar. He began his training on the sitar under the tutelage of his mother Smt Pramila Dagar at the age of seven. After three years of initial training he went on to learn the Surbahar and then the Rudra Veena under his father, Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar after whose demise, he continued his talim under the tutelage of his uncle Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar. The untimely demise of his father in 1990 forced Baha`ud-din to step on to the concert platform at the early age of twenty. Since then he has been responsible for keeping the Saadharani Geeti ( Dagar Vaani ) style of Dhrupad alive on the Rudra Veena. While Baha’ud-din`s music clearly reflects the training he has received from his father, he has incorporated a personal dimension to the depth and exploration of the raga. The vocal training he has received from his uncle has helped him incorporate the Dhrupad syllables (Te, Ta, Ra, Naa etc.) in the playing of the Rudra Veena. This gives a unique and precise sense of timing in the cutting of phrases whilst presenting the aalap, jor and the jhala. He presently continues to learn from Pandit Pushpraj Koshti a senior disciple of Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar. He firmly believes that teaching is integral to his own learning and growth as a musician. Acknowledging his responsibility in taking the Dhrupad tradition to future generations, Baha`ud-din teaches both, vocal and instrumental forms of music to students from different backgrounds at the Dhrupad Gurukul at Palaspe near Panvel which was established by his father. In 1990, Baha`ud-din received the Lakhanpal Foundation fellowship for two years. He also received a two year Fellowship in 1993 from the Ministry of Human Resource Development, India. His list of awards consist of the prestigious Sanskriti Award, instituted by the Sanskriti Foundation New Delhi, 2006, The Yuvak Sadhak Award by the Sangeetendu Lal Mani Mishra Foundation Bhopal 2007, the The Raza Award 2007 by the Raza Foundation; New Delhi and The Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2012- 2013 He is an ‘A’ Grade artist at All India Radio, Mumbai. Baha`ud-din has performed to various audiences in India and abroad, some of them being : The Tansen Samaroahs, Gwalior, The Shankarlal Festival, New Delhi, The Doverlane Festival; Calcutta, Dhrupad Samaroahs in Mumbai, Delhi, The Sangeet Natak Acadamy Fest, Delhi, Saptak: Ahmedabad, Kalidas Samaroah ;Ujjain, SRA Kolkota in India Zeitfluss Fest Austria, Festival Du Fes Morocco, Mozart Bicentenary Celebration Austria, Darbar Festival Birmingham, SPIC-MACAY in India, U.S.A and Canada. Following is an excerpt of his performance at the Malhar Festival, ITC SRA 2014, where he was accompanied by Shri Pratap Awad on the pakhawaj.