From the shringar ras of Jhanan Jhanan Mori Baje Payaliya to the rain-laden Kare Kare Naina Barsan Lage in raga Malhar, the 29th edition of Amar Jyoti at Kamani Auditorium opened with Antar Yatra, featuring Banaras Gharana vocalist brothers Ritesh and Rajnish Mishra, with Pranshu Chatur Lal on tabla.
As the Mohan Veena and tabla came together in a jugalbandi, Salil Bhatt remarked, “Jaise aaj varsha ho rahi hai, vaise hi yahan tihai ki barsaat hogi. ” Shruti ChaturLal, artistic director of the society, said, “The concert brought together musical legends to pay a musical tribute to the bravehearts. After the programme, I felt the urja, the energy, of the music,” said Pranshu, as the evening concluded with a rendition of Vande Mataram. The sound is soft, and it reaches the depths of my heart,” he said.
The annual concert, hosted by the Pandit Chatur Lal Memorial Society, honoured unknown soldiers through classical music, bringing artistes and audiences together to remember the courage and sacrifice of those who served the nation. The programme featured Grammy Award-winning instrumentalist Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, renowned for his mastery of the Mohan Veena, alongside his son Salil Bhatt, an exponent of the Satvik Veena. Pranshu accompanied them on multiple instruments, including the tabla, drums and djembe. The vision of having legends collaborate with young artistes was to invite the young audience to take interest in the classical musical traditions. “Every beat I played at the concert was a tribute to my grandfather Pandit Chatur Lal’s legacy and to the courage of our soldiers. For Japanese Ambassador ONO Keiichi, the music offered an unexpected point of connection with his own country’s traditions. “I love Hindustani classical music, particularly the sound of the tabla. I find some kind of a commonality While this is very different from Japanese traditional music.
