Young stars

Gen Nxt torch-bearers of tradition
Gen Nxt certainly has loads of potential to carry on the traditions in classical arts being passed down from the last 1500 years. Take 16 year old Ankush Nayak for instance, who is a disciple of Ustad Rafique Khan (hails from the illustrious family of Sitarists from Dharwad, lineage of Ustad Rehmat Khan and A Karim Khan).
Ankush is one of the many teenagers who strive for creative excellence as well as academic excellence that could lead to a professional 'day-job'. The strategy is to get creative satisfaction out of music, while earning a livlihood from a professional job.

Ankush Nayak

With leading eductionists for parents (Narendra Nayak and Usha Nayak of the Excellent Education Systems group), Ankush has the right 'sanskaras' and culture for pursuit of a traditional artform. A very hardworking and efficient boy, Ankush comes across as a focussed, intelligent and duty-bound gen-nxt teen.

Ankush is not alone in Karnataka - there are several promising talents in the teenage category:

Classical performers - Teenage category

Shilpa Hegde (Sirsi) - Bharathnatyam

Tejaswini Maligi (Hubli)- Hindustani Classical and semi-classical

Anagha Bhat (Bangalore) - Hindustani Classical and semi-classical

Madhuvanti Borgavkar (Lathur) - Hindustani Classical and semi-classical

Classical performers - Twenty something and already established

Vinay (Bangalore) - Carnatic Classical

Krishna Prasad (Bangalore) - Carnatic Classical

Sahana Ramachandra (Bangalore) - Carnatic Classical

Smitha Hedge (Sirsi)

Kiran Hangal (Gadag)

Shivanand Herur (Gadag)

Raghavendra Nakod (Tabla)

RaviKiran Nakod (Tabla)

Music of Love

Music of Love - Hindustani Classical Music

In one form or another Hindustani Classical music Love is ultimately a common theme in compositions of Hindustani Classical music. With flavours ranging from Bhakti, Mamta, Vatsalya, Prema, Sneha - you can find them all.

This is an interesting Bandish composed by Pt. C R Vyas in Raga Bihag, where the lady love implores to the post-man, to take her lovelorn message to her Lover.
Drut Teental

Sthayi
Le jaa re jao, pathikava
(pls take my message, o messenger)
Itno sandesva piya ko
(this message, to my Lover)
Sukh chain mohe kachu na suhave
(without him, neither happiness, comfort nor anything else make sense)

Antara
Kijiye na mose niTurayi aisi
(pls tell him, not to be so hard-hearted)
Bega mil aao, daras ki pyasi
(pls ask him to meet me fast - I am longing to see him)
Bina 'Gunijaan' kaise sukh paave
(Poet Gunijaan: without him, how should I be happy?)

Pt. ArjunaSa Nakod - the guru, the wonderful human and the musician

If there is anyone who could take happiness and adversity alike, it was my guru Late Pt. Arjunsa Nakodof Hubli Karnataka, disciple of the legendary Ganayogi Panchakshari Gawai of Gadag.
He was fondly known as the 'Huli' (meaning tiger in kannada) and had a huge fan following across India during his prime.

Later, when he lost his voice and stayed away from public performances, he did not despair - he took it as an opportunity to train disciples such as Jayateerth Mevundi, Sadashiva Aihole, Bhalachandra Nakod, Renuka Nakod, Mowna, Vasumathi, Geeta and me.

Nothing could touch his extermely modest, dignified personality - a true stoic and an exemplary human being; hard to come by such virtuos musicians in today's world!

Authentic music from the land Pt. Bhimsen Joshi

Dr. Pt. Puttaraj Gawai - being a sea of Knowledge himself, he lovingly imparts free musical eductaion to students at Veershwar Punyashram

We alighted from a local bus from Hubli at 9.30 pm, to get on to a on a dark alley that led to the Veereshwar Puyashram at Gadag where the Ganayogi Pandit Panchakshari Gawai Punyatithi ( a 5 day musical tribute to the legendary shanaint and musical

meastro) was on. I was scheduled to perform there and accompanying me were my guruji Pt. Bhalachandra Nakod and his family. We had covered a few steps, when it started pouring - the monsoon had arrived into the land of music and black cotton soil.
In all the mellee of the 'jaathre', we finally reached the stage where the performances were about to begin. After an address note from the pontiffs who had arrived there as guests of honour, the music programme began.
Initially, younger artistes are given their chance to do 'sangeet sewa' so as to accomodate the star and senior artistes who perform throughout the night.
Finally it was my turn and I wa thrilled to see the two thousand odd people gathered in the hall and in the grounds in front of it. Chandrakauns was my raga of choice as we were deep into the night; from the word go, the audience was so responsive to every meend, murkhi, kampan and alaap. As I progressed with my bandish 'Bhor bhayi' in vilambit ektaal, I could feel the positive vibes from the audience that later translated into one or two rounds of applause for my 'taar saptak alaap' and some 'sargam taans' . My drut bandish in teentaal 'kab ghar aao', inspired from Vidushi GanguBai Hangal went well with the crowd that seemed to enjoy the mid-night raga.
As concerts progresed through the night one common thread was the number of youngsters in the line-up of artistes doing 'sangeet sewa' - Shradha Jain (Vocal), Malshree (vocal), Master Akaash (Flute), Basvaraj Mugulkod (vocal), Jayateerth Mevundi (Vocal), Sangeeta Katti (Vocal), Uday Kulkarni (Tabla) . That wa some encouraging sign - the future of clasical music is safe in the hands of such able performers who have pursued long years of rigorous training in order to do justice to this ancient art-form.
It was truly heartening to witness such sincerity in their rendition, devotion towards their beloved 'Panchakshari ajjaaru' and dedication towards art (tayyari) by the artistes. The audience was of the highest calibre - with a fine classically trained 'ear' for music, they were responsive and lavish in their applause for fine artistry.

Truly, this is the abode of authentic divine music!

PS: More about Veereshwar Punyashram: http://sangeetyogashram.org/index.shtml