Raga, Tala and Bandish are the three pillars that form the basis for art music traditions in India. While the concepts of raga and tala are related to melodic and rhythmic aspects of music, Bandish is a comprehensive facet. It encompasses not only melody and rhythm manifesting as raga and tala, but also has a linguistic component of poetry. NCPA is gearing up to host ‘Bandish: A Tribute to Legendary Composers’, a 3 days festival with Ajay Pohankar, Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, Pankaj Udhas and Kavita Krishnamurti Subramaniam from the 4th to the 6th of August at the Tata Theatre.
Dr. Suvarnalata Rao, Head Programming, Indian Music shares, “The North Indian art (classical) music, also known as Hindustani music, lays special emphasis on a well-structured composition known as bandish, which forms the basis for music-making. Thanks to the creative genius of composers across several centuries, today we have a treasure of compositions ranging diverse genres and languages. In July 2010, NCPA launched an annual festival, ‘Bandish: A Tribute to Legendary Composers’, showcasing iconic works of celebrated composers and other luminaries, both from the pre-independence as well as post-independence era. This year, the 13th edition of the festival will feature the works of several vocalist-composers: Aman Ali Khan, Sushila Pohankar and some notable composers of Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. In addition, there will be a musical presentation of ghazals penned by illustrious poets. The grand finale will be a tribute to the legendary melody queen, Lata Mangeshkar.”
HSBC India has been a long-term proponent of this event. Inaugurating the event, Hitendra Dave, CEO, HSBC India, said, “We’re proud to be associated with Bandish, the festival which celebrates the best of Indian music. Our association with National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), over the last seven years, reflects our commitment to supporting and preserving Indian classical music through a platform that brings together various forms of art and artistes. This partnership also reflects a collective vision towards nurturing the musical heritage of the country through training, performances and educative sessions. We deeply value our association with NCPA and appreciate its contribution to the promotion of India’s rich and vibrant artistic heritage.”
Programme
Day 1:
Friday, 4th August, Tata Theatre, 6.30 pm
Composers: Aman Ali Khan, Sushila Pohankar and some notable composers of Jaipur-Atrauli gharana
Artistes: Ajay Pohankar, Ashwini Bhide Deshpande
Genres: Bada and Chhota Khayal, Tarana
Day 2: Ghalib se Gulzar tak
Saturday, 5th August, Tata Theatre, 6.30 pm
Composers: From classic to contemporary poets
Artiste: Pankaj Udhas
Genre: Ghazal
Day 3: A Tribute to Lata Mangeshkar
Sunday, 6th August, Tata Theatre, 6.30 pm
Composers: Various composers of 20th century
Artiste: Kavita Krishnamurti Subramaniam
Genres: film songs, Meera Bhajan & Marathi Abhang
