BSUM hosts 2nd national Navodit Kalakar Sammelan - 2010
In an honest effort to promote young classical arts talent the second Navodit Kalakar Sammelan organized by Bhattacharya’s School Of Universal Music (BSUM) featured three women artists Koel Saha on the Chaturangui guitar, vocalist Rupa Chaudhuri and Manipuri dancer Rinki Mahato on 5th September, 2010 at Rotary Sadan.
At the onset the organizers briefed the aim of Navodit Kalakar Sammelan as to giving platform to those artists who are left out from the arc lights of glamour and glitter yet silently contribute to preserve and foster the ancient classical art forms of our country. Organised for the second year by Bhattacharya’s School of Universal Music (BSUM), run under the aegis of Kolkata’s world famous musician Pt. Debashish Bhattacharya this one day festival is definitely a new hope in the shrinking space for traditional arts.
The concert took off with an inaugural Sanskrit stotra by Nabonita Mondal that set the mood. Formally the inaugural lamp was lit by danseuse Guru Devjani Chaliha and Pandit Debashish Bhattacharya both of whose students performed that evening coinciding with Teachers’ Day.
The concert took off with the city’s Indian slide guitarist Koel Saha, the only woman ‘B-high’ grade artist for Indian classical guitar in All India Radio Kolkata. For the evening this talented lady disciple of Pt. Debashish Bhattacharya chose raag Megh and deftly painted the traditional nuances through careful melodic movements. Her short alaap, jor and jhala were followed by a composition in mid-tempo ten beats jhaptaal and then a racy 16 beat teental. Her recital ended with a lilting folksy dhun in Mishra Mand. All through Koel dexterously displayed her Guru’s unique three fingers picking with a front chikari which again proved how the 
Chaturangui guitar, designed by Pt.Debashish Bhattacharya was a melting pot of tradition and modernity and was capable of drawing melodic images beyond the range of traditional instruments. Koel Saha was brilliantly accompanied by young artist Rupak Bhattacharya on the tabla whose brief yet aesthetically mature solo interludes merged with the mood and tempo of the compositions elevating the total performance.
Sometimes in arts practice, affordability impedes artistry. In a rare gesture of a true teacher Pt. Debashish Bhattacharya donated a new Chaturangui to his student Gouri Mallick to help her continue her music practice. At BSUM, we are told, this has been a regular policy.
The next artists was vocalist Rupa Chaudhuri the daughter of veteran Acharya Nidan Bandhu Bannerjee. Known for his erudition and wide repertory, the daughter and disciple too has inherited traditional knowledge of rare and lost forms of vocal Hindustani music like the ones she sang. Rupa began her recital with a Sadra in raag Mian ki Malhar warming up with sarangi and tabla accompaniment followed by a rare Chaturang. By then with Koel’s Megh and Rupa’s Mian Ki Malhar climate in and out of the auditorium was beyond belief that these raags invoked the rain Gods. If only the state administrators were aware of this! Then Rupa began an elusive Sadra in raag Tilang set in Bhramatmak Jhaptaal (10 beats).
Her rendition of the brief Saoni Barwa was ample proof of the hidden beauties of Indian raag music. Interestingly the main mode of the Saoni Barwa was used by AR Rahman in the song Yeh Haseen Wadia from the film Roja but the raag Saoni Barwa remains unheard even by “pop stars” from the Indian classical music world. Rupa concluded her recital with a Thumri in the Khamaj mode making all wanting for more. Pradyut Pal was all supportive beautifully in his tabla accompaniment.
The concert concluded with Rinki Mahato’s Manipuri dance recital. A disciple of Guru Devjani Chaliha, Rinki has a humble upbringing in south Kolkata’s by-lanes but has reached a fine level of understanding the aesthetics of Manipuri dance that has its roots in Vaishnavite philosophy. Her solos with recorded music depicting the Krishna Avishar, Dasavatar Nritya, Krishna Vandana and a portrayal of the Prakriti character from Tagore’s Chandalika were extremely graceful and rhythmic. Infusing life in the characters of Krishna or Prakriti this fine artist has also training in Lai Haroba style from Manipur which she uses to develop her poise. Rinki’s perseverance promises of a bright dancing career ahead.
Many women artists practice arts all through their life but have seldom had an opportunity to showcase their talent in front of the rasik or aficionado. To honour that spirit of a mother, that woman of substance, this year’s Navodit Kalakar Sammelan presented three such fine artists who manage mundane life and finest of the art forms with equal élan. With sincerity of purpose this concert truly nurtures the roots of the future.