JOIN USThe versatile singer took the stage at the Palace Grounds in the City on the last day of Gitanjali — The Heritage Festival, organised by the Tagore Cultural Centre.
Over 3,000 people turned up to not just savour the festive fervour of Dasara and Durga Puja, but also enjoy the beauty of ghazals as Jagjit Singh enthralled them with his breath-taking performance.
Accompanied by five other people — a tabla player, two guitarists, a sitar player and a flautist, Jagjit Singh started the evening with Durga Raag. Slowly, he mesmerised the audiences with his superhit numbers, both from the past and the present.
Be it his blasts from the past like Hoton Se Choolo Tum, Tum Itna Jo Muskura Rahe Ho and Jhuki Jhuki Si Nazar or recent hits like Chitthi Na Koi Sandesh and Hoshwalon Ko Khabar Kya, he had people of all age groups crooning and clapping their hands.
A favourite of the crowd was the instrumental version of the Bengali folk song, Sadher Lau Banailo More Boiragi, which was rendered by the sitarist and the two tabla players. It was a fantastic end to a grand evening and a great festival.
“We received an overwhelming response for the concluding session of the festival,” said an elated Achintya Lal Roy, the president of the Bengali Association and a convener of Tagore Cultural Centre. A big fan of Jagjit Singh, Somita Mallick, a home-maker, thoroughly enjoyed herself at the event.
“I was waiting for this concert since April. I was excited to watch Jagjit perform live. I went to the venue on time and watched the entire show. I just wished it had continued for a longer time but by the time it ended, it was quite late already,” exclaimed Somita.
“We even sent requests to him. I loved his performance of Tumko Dekha To Yeh Khayal Aaya, Kal Chaudhvin Ki Raat Thi and other popular numbers. I also liked the fact that whenever he would extend the mic into the audience in the midst of a song, everybody would start singing the chorus. The crowd consisted of people, who have grown up on his music,” she signed off.