MUMBAI: Concerts like ShiVHari happen but rarely – and when they happen, it’s better not to miss them.
The most awaited concerts of the year – ShivHari- A jugalbandi by Pt Shivkumar Sharma and Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia – on 27 February – was nothing less than mesmerising – for those who attended, this would still mean like an understatement.
One of the perks of attending classical concerts is that they are disciplined about their time, and this also makes one realise its value, perhaps. Still, the crowd trickled in slowly while Panditji was already up with his flute (after a short introduction by the compere). One was left wondering for a while when the rather enthusiastic host introduced Pt Vijay Ghate (on tabla) as an accompaniment on Tanpura… oops!! But then such goof- ups really make the concert memorable – isn’t it?
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For the evening, both the musicians improvised on a raga which is common in both Carnatic and Hindustani music, but were apparently known under different names. As for Pt Vijay Ghate, he was an absolute delight to watch and hear. The way he adapted to the temperaments and playing styles of Pt Shivkumar Sharma and Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia cannot be put into words.
Since the concert was interactive in nature, the legendary musicians tickled the listeners with some anecdotes in this intermission-free concert. Recalling an interesting episode, Hariji said, When we composed as ShivHari, many mistook this (ShivHari) as the name of an individual instead of a duo – this, at times he said would enrage my wife as she was also referred as ShivHari’s wife!…
Panditji was also asked why he chose the bansuri as his instrument of expression, he said, I always wanted to learn to play some instrument, but of course, I didn’t have enough money to buy any big instrument, a bansuri was something which was very easily available at fairs and it was also the cheapest,… was his honest reply. However, there is no doubt that over the years this fine musician turned the rather â€?inexpensive’ instrument he took up into a priceless element of Indian music – to an extent that his name has become synonymous with bansuri
As the musicians headed to the highlight of the evening – the Jugalbandi between the two maestros, Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma said, Now we will not speak anything, but simply play. We don’t even know what raga we would be playing to,… he added.
And after the Jugalbandi was over, the cameras panned to the listeners’ instruments – their hands, which just went on and on with the applause.
