On November 23, a nightlong classical music and dance event at Mahanayak Uttam Manch kicked off Sangeet Piyasi’s 33rd Music Festival.

Pt. Puran Maharaj, son of tabla doyen (Benaras Gharana) Pt. Kishan Maharaj, who is a renowned tabla artist cum guru came to inaugurate the festival along with other dignitaries.

“The evening’s unique feature was the first-ever TRIO performance in Kolkata, which had three performers performing together,” said Pt. Samar Saha, a well-known tabla player and Sanģeet Piyasi secretary.

Post midnight, the Tabla trio was performed by Bivash Sanghai, Subhojyoti Guha & Indranil Bhaduri. Three renowned vocal artists- Pt. Shantanu Bhattacharyya, Pt. Kaushik Bhattacharyya and Pt. Tushar Dutta took part in a vocal trio rendition.

Pt. Debashish Bhattacharya (guitar), Pt. Rupak Kulkarni (flute) and Pt. Sugato Nag (sitar) were in the Instrumental Trio presentation. Legendary Pt. Kumar Bose accompanied them.

Kathak’s performance was by Vidushi Madhumita Roy & Shouvik Chakraborty and sensation Vishal Krishna. And that brought an end to the first evening (overnight session).

Sulagna Banerjee (Kathak), Sanchita Mukherjee (vocal) & Purnendu Banerjee (sitar) were the people from districts of West Bengal with whose performances the festival began.

The second phase is scheduled for Nov. 29 – 30 and Dec 1 at Daga Nikunj premises (in Ballygunje) with all evening sessions. 

Priyanka Dutta