JOIN USDelhi was witness to yet another stellar classical music night recently. The eighth edition of Silsila – the festival of Hindustani classical music – constituted in the memory of Ustad Mushtaq Husain Khan was held at the India Habitat Centre. The best upcoming talents from across the country performed at the two-day event leaving music connoisseurs inspired.
Ustad Mushtaq Hussain Khan, who lived between 1880 and 1964, was an eminent Hindustani vocalist and the pioneer of Rampur Sahaswan Khayal gharana. For his experimentations and innovations in ragas, Ustad Mushtaq became the first recipient of the Padmabhushan award for classical singing. He was also the first recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi award.
Ustad Ghulam Abbas Khan, who now runs the Ustad Mushtaq Husain Khan Memorial Trust and conducts Silsila, says, “My father Padmashri Ustad Ghulam Sadiq Khan started this initiative so that newer artistes in this field can be encouraged and can grow to reach the heights of Ustad Mushtaq Husain Khan.”
“This festival is almost eight years old now with an equal number of editions held in Delhi and Mumbai. This time we decided to showcase only the absolutely fresh artistes who belong to certain gharanas and are working hard to establish themselves in the Hindustani classical circle. We are glad to have to have gathered them from all across India.”
The festival was opened by vocalist Ghulam Hasan Khan who represents the fourth generation of Ghulam Mushtaq Husain Khan and is a luminary of the Rampur Sahaswan gharana. He rendered the Madhuvanti raag and Khayal in Megh Malhar. Then came a mellifluous sitar recital Suhel Saeed Khan of Delhi gharana who performed the beautiful raag Rageshri.
The second day was inaugurated by vocalist Salman Khan – grandson of Ghulam Sadiq Khan again from Rampur Sahswan gharana and showcased raag Bageshri and Yaman. Next came a thrilling piece of Hindustani classical music – a jugalbandi between tabla players Arshad Khan and Shariq Mustafa Khan. Grandsons of the legendary Ustad Ahmedjaan Thirakwa, they played the tabla in the typical Farukkabad
gharana style.
The fest was closed by a flute and sarangi jugalbandi between Ritesh Prasanna and Suhail Yusuf Khan of the Banaras gharana who played raag Megh. This performance was a befitting finale to the two-day extravaganza.
Noticeably, a large number of the audience comprised foreign nationals who had travelled long distances just to see this programme. Ustad Ghulam Abbas Khan says, “Foreigners are attracted and inspired by our music. We are planning to take the festival outside of India soon. Not just Indians, but the world should get a taste of our classical arts.”