Pandit Uday Bhawalkar: Dhrupad @ 'Spaces' 11 Dec.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Pandit Uday Bhawalkar – Vocal (Dhrupad)
Pratap Rawat (Pakhawaj)

The tastefully laid out venue at ‘Spaces’, Elliots Beach Road, Besant Nagar, Chennai (where dancer Chandralekha lived) provided just the right ambiance for a Dhrupad rendition by Pandit Uday Bhawalkar. The programme on 11 Dec. was organised by ‘Sruti’ in memory of its Founder N Pattabhiraman whose pioneering efforts in running a magazine for arts was highly successful. The mission is carried forward by a dedicated team, now led by V Ramnarayan.

The programme lasted for about 2 hours and a half (7-9.30 p.m. with a short mid-break of 10 minutes). Bhawalkar has a soothing but strong voice easily traversing octaves especially the anumandra sthaayi. (The pitch was 1.5). I was given to understand that sarangi is the usual accompaniment (besides pakhawaj) but an artist could not be brought along. Two 'live' Tampuras in addition to an e sruti were employed (an aspect which the H singers are particular of).

He rendered two compositions in Raag Sankara and Chandrakauns. Sankara, put in carnatic idom, could be a derivative of Kalyani. A detailed aalaap followed by Taan (characteristic of Dhrupad) and a composition in Jhap taal formed the suite for Sankara. No swaraprastaras. The short composition had a ‘romantic’ theme – the singer said. The more familiar Chandrakauns too followed the same pattern and the composition (14 beats) was in praise of Lord Shiva.

Dhrupad has several distinguishing features compared to the routine Hindustani vocal recital and a typical South Indian (like me)may have to learn more about its form and specialities. Practitioners are not many.

The pakhawaj (mridanga counterpart in the North) accompaniment for the songs was sober and pitch perfect. On close listening, it could be observed that the left side of the vaadyam (toppi) was tuned to shadja.

The ‘crowd’, around 150 enjoyed a different kind of musical experience. V Ramnarayan introduced the artists at the start and gave concluding remarks after the recital. The artist would be giving a presentation at Sruti lecdem series on 12th (today) morning at Ragasudha hall, it was announced.

[Nick H]

To me, Dhrupad is the most heavy-weight of all Indian classical music. Some say it is the oldest surviving classical form here. It amazes me that my wife has a problem sitting through an RTP, but can happily sit through a much longer Dhrupad piece. I had been looking forward to us both attending this program, but grandparent duties kept her away.

It was nice to see the concert so well attended. The venue is, indeed, charming and conducive. It was a wonderful concert and a magical experience.

For some of us, once we become accustomed to the mridangam, it is a little difficult to listen to tabla. The pakawaj seems to sit nicely in the middle, with its easier-to-listen-to deeper voice and sensitive following of the vocalist. I enjoyed the young man's performance enormously.

I cannot tell his name, but one of the city's elder tampura artists was on the stage. I noticed that he was fully able to follow the taal (which I could not) as easily as he might have done in a carnatic concert.

I was not so keen on the "e" sruthi. As is often the case in carnatic programs, it was a little too loud. I think that the usual dhrupad custom is to have more tampura artists, playing large instruments, to bring the level up to audible. Not sure: have been to only a very few dhrupad programs since living here.

Many thanks to Ramnarayanan for bringing us this great concert.

[Thalaivarda]

For me, sarangi accompaniment for dhrupad is a bad idea. Spoils the fun. Dhrupad should be the vocalist, tambura and the phakawaj only. He sang chandrakauns and a malhar raga when he was in bangalore a few months ago.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Thalaiva(rda),
You may be absolutely right.
This was my first exposure to a Dhrupad recital.

Nick,
Nice of you to have added your remarks.

[Nick H]

Thank you for your coverage

I'm amazed to know that it was your first time. As a new experience, did it seem very new or different to you? Or did it fit into your existing framework of knowledge and experience quite easily? It has always seemed to me to be different from other Hindustani music.

I don't know how many other instruments are used in Dhrupad, but, apart from voice, they also have a specific kind of veena.