Vinay Ramadasan & Anuja Zokarkar/ Haveli Sangeet

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR 

Vinay Ramadasan & Anuja Zokarkar/ Haveli Sangeet

Genre: Devotional music

Details: Nehru Centre, Mumbai; August 17

Rating: ****

The aim of the concert was two-fold - to present Haveli Sangeet on the eve of Janmasthami and to pay tribute to Mewati gharana legend Pandit Jasraj on his second death anniversary. After all, Jasraj had played a major role in popularising the art form among contemporary audiences.

Singer Vinay Ramadasan and his wife Anuja Zokarkar took the Nehru Centre stage on August 17 in the concert presented by JSW, conceptualised by Grace Foundation and managed by Pancham Nishad. They were accompanied by a large ensemble, comprising veena, bansuri, harmonium, pakhawaj, other percussion and three tanpura players.

Haveli Sangeet, or Pushtimargi Devalaya Sangeet, has its roots in the temple music of the 16th century, and is part of the Vallabh Sampradaya formed by Shri Vallabhacharya. Bhakti towards Lord Krishna is the core element of this genre, followed by renowned poets like Surdas, Krishnadas, Parmanandandas and Kumbhandas.

Besides Pandit Jasraj, a well-known practitioner in modern times is Acharya Goswami Gokulotsav Maharaj. Jasraj's nephew Rattan Mohan Sharma has also recorded numerous compositions in this style.

Vinay Ramadasan was initially trained by his uncle Ramesh Narayan, Jasraj's disciple. One of his other teachers was Hemang Mehta of the same gharana, and he has also learnt from Rajini Shrotri and Raghunandan Panshikar. For her part, Anuja Zokarkar is the daughter and disciple of Kalpana Zokarkar, and besides khayal, practises light classical forms and ghazals.

The coordination between the two singers was commendable, as they began with 'Shree Radhe Sharanam Mamah'. The veena and bansuri were just right, and like in most of the concert, Omkar Dalvi's pakhawaj and Saumitra Kshirsagar's harmonium played a dominant role.

Anuja was marvellous on the Maru Bihag composition 'Mai Meethe Hari Ju Ke Bolna'. The duo's repertoire also included the Surdas bhajans 'Shyam Bina Unye Ye Badra' and 'Chitwan Roke Hu Na Raahi', the well-known 'Jhoole Shyam', the Krishnadas-penned 'Lal Gopal Gulaal Hamari' and the Hori Sarang piece 'Mai Mero Man Mohiyo'.

The musical presentation was immaculate, and both singers displayed excellent technique and range. However, as the tanpuras needed to be regularly retuned, there were long gaps between songs. While the musicians must be commended for sticking to acoustic instruments, and not going for electronic devices, it would have been ideal if one of the singers had bridged the gap by explaining the compositions.

The good thing, of course, was the attempt to present repertoire that one normally doesn't hear. Haveli Sangeet is played less at concerts, and recordings have featured only a few vocalists. It's good that someone from the younger generation is trying to carry the legacy forward. Shashi Vyas of Pancham Nishad said a longer concert was on the cards. That would be great.