The 101st edition of Sankatmochan Sangeet Samaroh was held at the Sankatmochan Hanuman ji temple premises in Varanasi from 27^th April 27 to 2^nd May 2024.

Approximately 180 artists from across the nation took part. Every day, the event started after 7:30 p.m. and continued until the morning of the next day. There was an unparalleled level of enthusiasm among the audience, including those who were out-of-town enthusiasts, to watch and listen to the performances.

Performances of the first evening consisted of Guru Pandit Ratikant & Vidushi Sujata Mohapatra (Odissi), Kumari Avantika Maharaj (tabla solo), veteran Vidushi Nandini Bedekar (vocal), Pandit Satish Vyas (Santoor), Minakshi Majumdar (vocal) and ended with vocal rendition by maestro Pandit Sajan Misra with son Swaransh Misra on vocal support. 

The second evening saw performances by Vidwan U. Rajesh (mandolin) and percussion stalwart Sivamani duet, Kuchipudi dance by Veena Nehul Mehta and troupe, living flute legend Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Vidushi Kalapini Komkali & Bhubnesh Komkali vocal rendition,  Pandit Viswamohan Bhatt & his son Salil Bhatt duet rendition. Pandit Suraranjan Mukherjee (from West Bengal) charmed the audience with the sarod performance while Pandit Samar Saha was at the tabla was the concluding performance.

The third evening saw spirited performances of kathak dance by guru Vidushi Madhumita Roy from Kolkata, vocal duet by Pandit Rattan Mohan Sharma and son Swar Sharma, santoor by Abhay Rustum Sopori, semi-classical renditions by U.P’s very own Vidushi Malini Awasthi, violin by Vidushi Dr. Sangeeta Shankar and ended with a vocal duet by siblings Ritesh and Rajnish Misra. 

The fourth nightlong session saw performances of Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, Niladri Kumar, Amrita Chatterjee (vocal), young Armaan Khan (Ustad Rashid Khan’s son), Bhajan Samrat Anup Jalota, and Pandit Shaunak Abhisheki (vocal).

The next evening saw performances of artists like Guru Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar with taalyogi Pandit Suresh Talwalkar, Rakesh Chaurasia with maestro Pandit Sanju Sahay on tabla,  mridangam Vidwan Dr. Yella Venkateswar Rao, Pandit Nayan Ghosh (in sitar) with son Ishaan on tabla. 

The last evening had artists like Kavita Krishnamurthy, violin maestro Dr. L. Subramanian, sitar virtuoso  Purbayan Chatterjee with maestro Sanju Sahay on the tabla, Pandit Neeraj Parikh (vocal), young S Akash (flute) and vocal rendition by Pandit Harish Tiwari. 

In the final evening, the mahant of the temple, Pt (Prof.) Vishwambhar Nath Mishra participated in Pakhawaj for the Dhrupad recital by Pt. Umakant Gundicha & Anant Ramakant Gundicha with Pt. Akhilesh Gundicha in Pakhawaj.

A grand celebration of music indeed!!

Priyanka Dutta