Musical Deluge!

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Having a universal appeal, music transcends boundaries and genres.  Music is the rhythm of the soul, it is simply divine. It has the power to transport you to a paradise of rhythmic symphony.

This is exactly what happened when we attended a music concert organised by Banyan Tree called Barkha Ritu in my city a couple of days back. This festival celebrates the moods of the monsoon with the magic of music.

The first part was a Jugalbandi by flautists Rakesh Chaurasia and Shashank Subramanyam. The eclectic blend of North Indian classical and Carnatic styles were a treat to the ears. The perfect movement of fingers and breath produced magical tunes. As with the rains, the music cascaded from the gentle teasing, to a melodious flow and finally the tempo reaching the crescendo with the rollicking beats, it was ethereal! The accompanying artists on Tabla and Mridangam ably supported the maestros.

The next session was classical vocal by renowned singer Kuashiki Chakraborty.

What an amazing voice she is blessed with! Her range and mastery over the Raag left us spellbound. With each line, she cajoled, flirted, romanced and finally drowned in the ecstasy of the song. Her understanding of the finer nuances of the style was simply exemplary. The audience reveled in a musical trance. The program concluded with a thunderous standing ovation.

The three hours passed before we realised. The flawless rendition left us all craving for more. We left the hall soaking in the musical deluge.

 

Raag – Melodic mode in Indian classical music having a prescribed format

Jugalbandi – Performance that features a duet of two solo musicians