An evening with the Masters
Events & Happenings — By Vedvrat Shikarpur on December 10, 2012 at 12:53 PM
For an ardent follower of Indian Classical Music, Pune is not just a hotspot but a heaven, for artists from around the world come to perform here. And December seems to be a Diwali of sorts, with the inception done by this program, Sawai on its way and Damru to follow. And what better than the person who has influenced almost every tabla player of recent times, Ustad Zakir Hussain and a man who is giving the sitar a new definition, Pandit Niladri Kumar. The stage was set for an amazing program at Ganesh Kala Krida.
The program was organized by Sa Va Ni Sur Sangeet, and the show was sponsored by Marathe Jewellers. It began with a solo of Zakir Hussain who was accompanied on harmonium by Tanmay Devchake. Zakir is a regular to Pune, performing each year, and this is neither his first nor will be his last, as he will be coming to play for Talchakra on 24th January. As usual, Zakir was a delight and did something only Zakir Hussain can do; outdo himself. And to the delight of the audience, Zakir was in a playful mood and other than using playful anecdotes like, “ya to aap Iron Man hai ya ap ki jeb mei phone ka light blink ho raha hai” he mimicked normal sounds through his table. For instance, Radha and Krishna arguing, a scene on Indian roads, the sounds during rains etc.
His simplicity and down to earth nature was clearly seen when disciples of Pandit Suresh Talwalkar went on stage to take his blessings. Zakir instructed them to touch their Guru’s feet first. Such simple gestures only make ones appreciation and respect for him grow even more. After the short interval, Niladri Kumar took stage and played a short solo until Zakir graced the stage again. Niladri’s sitar was a delight, and though he did not play his own invention, the Zitar, he showed that he is truly the son of Sitar Maestro Pandit Kartick Kumar. The event reached its high point as both played their instruments with great finesse and put on a performance of a lifetime. Even the greats like Pandit Suresh Talwalkar and Pandit Vijay Ghate enjoyed the show. It is a blessing to experience a performance of such calibre.
To sum it up, there are two types of performers, “Those who play the instrument to perfection and others who play with the instrument and create something beyond perfection, close to the divine.”
