The second version of the India Music Retreat held at Fairmont Jaipur from September 18 to twenty showcased a various vary of music together with Hindustani and Carnatic classical to ghazals and modern Bollywood.
The opening act, which started with a Ganesh Vandana, was a musical dialog between Anil Srinivasan on piano, U Rajesh on mandolin and Sumesh Narayanan on mridangam. One of many tracks they carried out was the upbeat Interior Youngster, composed and recorded by Rajesh 20 years in the past, that had the viewers clapping alongside. This was adopted by Raga Kapi after which a shifting, timeless piece, Lotus Ft. The set concluded with Mile Sur Mera Tumhara, which earned a standing ovation.
“It was a unique sort of expertise, as a result of I didn’t anticipate an immersive pageant with music in each nook. To get among the greatest artists within the nation collectively in a single place is wonderful. For the viewers too, to be within the midst of people who find themselves discussing music so significantly is a good expertise,” Srinivasan mentioned afterwards.
Subsequent, Soumik Datta took to the stage, starting his set with Raga Surdasi Malhar. This was adopted by a bandish by Radhika Mohan Maitra. Then, Aruna Sairam got here on stage, accompanied by musicians on mridangam, violin and tabla and launched into the legendary Muthuswami Dikshitar’s Amritavarshini. Created throughout a famine within the nineteenth century, copious rain is believed to have adopted an early efficiency of the composition. The expansive Raga Todi, marked by the intricate use of microtones, got here subsequent.
Sairam then sang a Tamil folks tune historically sung by village ladies throughout festivals. Drawing on episodes from the lifetime of Lord Krishna, a few of its strains have been additionally translated into Hindi. Then, Datta and Sairam offered a musical journey by the Bhakti motion, starting with compositions of Shaivite saints from the sixth to the ninth centuries earlier than shifting to the Fifteenth-century Kabir (Jheeni Jheeni Beeni Chadariya), Sixteenth-century Guru Nanak, Sixteenth-century Mirabai (Payo Ji Maine Ram Ratan Dhan Payo), 18th-century Tyagaraja and the Bauls of Bengal. “There are numerous experiences in life. Music is one dimension, group is one dimension, meals is one other dimension, fantastic thing about the house is one other dimension. This isn’t a one-sided expertise. It’s a multifaceted expertise with numerous soul,” mentioned Sairam.
After dinner, Avanti Patel and Rutuja Lad carried out O Gaanewali, which traced the historical past of the courtesan custom and its music. By means of songs related to Nirmala Devi, Rasoolan Bai, Begum Akhtar and Gauhar Jaan, the duo celebrated the lives of those maestros whereas additionally highlighting their contribution to India’s cultural historical past and freedom motion.
Day two started superbly with Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande performing towards the majestic backdrop of the reflective pool. After breakfast, her college students, Patel and Lad, paid tribute to the legendary sisters, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle with evergreen Bollywood classics like Aayega Aayega, Dum Maro Dum, Aaiye Meherban, Piya Tose Naina Lage Re, Raat Akeli Hai, Man Kyun Behka, Yeh Kahaan Aa Gaye Hum, Dil Cheez Kya Hai and Allah Tero Naam. The songs have been interspersed with fascinating anecdotes from the lives of Mangeshkar and Bhosle narrated by creator Yatindra Mishra.
Publish lunch, the Jadunama session had poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar speaking to actor Divya Dutta in regards to the tales behind a few of his celebrated songs like O Paalanhaare, Saare Sapne Kahin Kho Gaye, Tum Ko Dekha To Yeh Khayal Aaya, Pyar Hua Chupke Se, Phir Dekhiye and Kal Ho Na Ho. Most of the songs have been concurrently carried out by Deepali Sahay. “99% of songs have a tune first, after which phrases. Good writing just isn’t stating every part; it exists someplace between the author and the listener,” Akhtar mentioned at the same time as he entertained the viewers with witty observations.
Within the night, Sandeep Narayan and his ensemble started with Tulsidas’s Ganpati Jagvandan adopted by Raga Kuntalavarali, and Raga Abheri. Then got here the Tamil tune Oru Murai and the Kannada tune Madeva. Narayan concluded with Garaj Garaj Aaj Megh from Bandish Bandits, which he sang alongside its unique singer, Mohammed Aman, who was within the viewers. “Folks search for an expertise. What’s going to deliver them out of their properties, and off YouTube? As musicians, we do our half, but when organisers elevate the entire expertise, then this can be sure that these elements of our tradition is not going to simply survive however thrive sooner or later,” Narayan mentioned afterwards.
Later, sitarist Shahid Parvez Khan took to the stage accompanied by Mithilesh Jha on tabla. The night wound down with Pooja Goswami and Jazim Sharma regaling the viewers with melodious ghazals. Highlights included Mehdi Hassan’s Mujhe Tum Nazar Se Gira To Rahe Ho, Faiz Ahmad Faiz’s Hum Dekhenge, Sarakti Jaye Hai Rukh Se Naqab Aahista by Jagjit Singh and Chupke Chupke Raat Din by Ghulam Ali.
The ultimate day of the retreat started on a meditative word with Bahauddin Dagar on the rudra veena, accompanied by Sanjay Agle on pakhawaj and Ipsita Bichkar on tanpura. Completely transported, many within the viewers closed their eyes and surrendered themselves to the music. After breakfast, Divya Dutta offered an emotional session titled Meri Laadli , through which she narrated her mom’s story whereas reflecting on her personal journey – from being a health care provider’s daughter in a small city in Punjab to going through rejection in Mumbai and finally successful accolades as a Nationwide Award-winning actress. She additionally learn out poems written by her mom. By the tip of the speak and Q&A, many within the viewers have been visibly moved.
This was adopted by a vibrant Sunday sing-along brunch with ID Rao and his band performing fashionable favourites reminiscent of Dil Chahta Hai, Piyu Bole, Guantanamera and Lodge California. Within the night, musical prodigy Siddartha Belmannu launched into three compositions in Raga Marwa that earned a standing ovation. His highly effective voice then charmed the group with Raga Tilak, adopted by Raga Sohini. He concluded with the bhajan Ram Govind Hari, which was met with one other spherical of enthusiastic applause. Subsequent, Jayateerth Mevundi took to the stage. Highlights of his efficiency included Raga Shuddha Kalyan and Raga Jhinjhoti.
The pageant concluded on a excessive word with Jasbir Jassi performing a collection of Punjabi and Hindi favourites together with Aaja Soniya, Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar, Lag Jaa Gale, Ek Din Aap, Kuch Na Kaho and Gur Naal Ishq Mitha. In an iconic second, Sairam additionally joined Jassi on stage to sing Kajra Mohabbat Wala.
“We attempt to dissolve the gap between the artist and the stage, and between the artist and the viewers,” mentioned Mala Sekhri, Founder, Muse Music, which organised the pageant. Whereas the third version of the Retreat will return to Fairmont Jaipur in September subsequent 12 months, it would additionally journey to a brand new venue in Chennai in March 2027. One other Muse Music pageant, Kinare Dariya, will journey to the Hooghly in February 2028. “The concept is to permit every place to provide us a brand new musical risk; to take a look at the place with admiring musical eyes, whereas retaining the identical underlying perception in immersion, discovery, intimacy and nice music,” Sekhri mentioned.
A contract author based mostly in New Delhi, Neha Kirpal writes totally on books, music, movies, theatre and journey