एखाद्या रुक्ष जमिनीवर पाऊस पडतो तेंव्हा त्या मातीला जसा आनंद होत असेल तसा काल मला झाला. अनेक महिन्यांच्या अंतराने काल इथल्या classical music ग्रुप कोमल रिषभ च्या २०२४ सीझन ची दमदार सुरूवात पंडित उदय भवाळकर यांच्या धृपद आणि धमार गायनाने झाली.

वातावरणात किंचित असलेला ओला गारवा, रविवारची ती एरवी कंटाळवाणी असलेली दुपार पण सुरेल झंकारणाऱ्या तानपुर्याने आणि भिमपलासी च्या धीर गंभीर सुरांनी बहरून गेली. नंतर येतो राग हमीर आणि जरा गंभीर झालेले वातावरण पुन्हा प्रफुल्लित करून जातो.

धृपद धमार हा काही अंशी फक्त परीक्षे पुरता शिकलेला गायन प्रकार राग संगीतासारखाच किती खोल आणि गहन आहे ह्याची प्रचिती येते.

एक राग वेळेकडे लक्ष न ठेवता उदय जी अतिशय शांतपणे आणि शिस्तप्रिय पद्धतीने किमान सव्वा तास मांडतात तेंव्हा त्यांच्या इतक्या वर्षाच्या साधनेचा प्रत्यय येतो. केवळ लोकांना काय आवडते केवळ तेच मी मांडू नये असा आग्रह ते धरतात. मी जे शिकलो, त्यावर मी केलेला विचार आणि ह्या गायन प्रकारची शुद्धता राखतच मी गायले पाहिजे हे भान कलाकार म्हणून मला असणे गरजेचे आहे. लोकांनी आधी ऐकून मग ठरवावे की हे आपल्याला आवडेल पचेल झेपेल की नाही.

हे विचार आणि त्यांची कालची मैफलीची मांडणी ह्यात कुठेही तफावत नाही.

मध्यंतरानंतर राग मारवा येतो. संध्याकाळची वेळ, भरून आलेले आभाळ आणि समोर धीर उदात्त वैराग्य रस पूर्ण मारवा...डोळे भरून आले नाहीत तरच नवल! कोमल रिषभ वर येणारी आस, मिंडेने येणारा ष़डज, ग म (तीव्र) ध आणि तो जीवघेणा नी, त्यावरून क्षितिजापलीकडे खुणावणारे तार सप्तकातले सुर... अहाहा! संपूच नये असा रंगला मारवा! आणि मग माता सरस्वती च्या वर्णनाची भैरवी मनात गुंजत राहिली!

उदय जींच्या आवाजाची range ती केवढी...अती मंद्र सा सुद्धा सुस्पष्ट ऐकू येत होता. ते तार मध्यम/पंचम.

ह्या संपूर्ण मैफिलीत त्यांना मृदुंगावर सुखद मुंडे यांनी साजेशी साथ केली आणि तान पुऱ्यावर श्री किरीट सिंह यांनी साथ केली. मूळ england चे रहिवासी आणि स्कॉटिश आणि पोर्तुगीज अशा मिश्र परिवारात जन्म झाला असला तरी शीख धर्माची दीक्षा घेऊन ज्या तन्मयतेने ते शिकत आहेत आणि छान समजून सुर साथ देत आहेत त्यांचे खरेच मनापासून कौतुक!

Music is universal! Language or country is no barrier हेच खरे! आपल्या सर्वांना पुढील प्रवासाला आणि concerts ना मनःपूर्वक शुभेच्छा! पुन्हा भेटायचा योग लवकरच येवो!

Devine joy

Komal Rishabh 2024 season started with a vocal concert by Pandit Uday Bhawalkar, a dhupad singer on Sunday, the April 7 at 4 pm. I would say it was just a devine joy.

We had learned for the exam purpose about the science of Dhrupad- Dhamar gayaki which is not a very popular form of singing presently.

Last evening it was great opportunity to listen to this gayaki which gave a complete satisfaction.The entire hall was filled up by melodious notes and Nada created by them. We say or hear about the Nadabrahma.

Yesterday we had experienced the same.It was nothing but a devine path for awakening the God in our hearts.

Thank you Komal Rishabh for presenting to music lovers like us this most valuable gift.

Like the parched earth soaking in the first monsoon rains, I was delighted by yesterday's Komal Rishabh concert. After many a dry and fallow months, the 2024 season began for this classical music group with the powerful Drupad-dhamar concert by Pandit Uday Bhawalkar. Most students of Indian music learn Drupad-dhamar just for the exam questions, but the concert last night showed us how deeply serious and meaningful this form of classical music is.

The dull Sunday afternoon with a touch of coolness in the air was filled with pleasing hum of Tanpura and the dignified and serene sounds of Bhimpalasi. This was followed by Hamir which lifted the seriousness in the air and filled it with happiness. Pandit Bhawalkar sang with a measured calmness and discipline, and without watching the clock. His presentation reflected his many years of learning (sadhana, साधना) and a resistance to pandering to popular tastes. His singing reflected his philosophy that an artist must keep his singing pure and not worry about what will please the audience or what it will be able to absorb. Yesterday's concert was completely consistent with this philosophy.

Following the intermission came Marwa. With overcast evening sky complementing the sad and deeply contemplative notes of Marwa, it was difficult to avoid the eyes from swelling up with tears. With a pleading (आस) flat Re (कोमल रिषभ), a sliding Sa (षड्ज मींड), and then Ga (ग), sharp Ma (तीव्र म), Dha (ध) followed by that heart piercing Ni (निषाद). All this pointing to that mysterious unknown beyond the horizon in middle octave (तार सप्तक) ...what a treat! I did not want the Marwa to end. But the concert ended with Bhairavi with its praise of goddess/mother Saraswati lingering in our ears. Udayji's voice has a great range and one could clearly hear all his notes from lower octave Sa (मंद्र सप्तक सा) to middle octave Pa and Ma (तार सप्तक म and प).

Throughout the concert Sukhad Munde provided accompaniment on Mridangam and Mr. Kirit Singh on Tanpura. One must congratulate Mr. Singh who hails from England, grew up in a Scottish/Portuguese mixed household and is dedicated to receiving Indian music education after converting to Sikhism. He provided a very thoughtful and wonderful backup support to Mr. Bhawalkar. It is really true that music is universal and language or country is no barrier to it.

To all the artists, my very best wishes for the rest of your concert tour and may we have the good fortune to meet again!

The second KR concert of the season featured a vocal and sitar jugalbandi. The vocalist was Janab Arshad Ali Khan, a prodigious talent hailing from Kirana gharana. On the sitar, another child prodigy who has made her mark as a front-ranking sitarist of current times, Vidhushi Sahana Banerjee. The veteran tabla maestro Pandit Subhen Chatterjee took the center stage. The artists commenced the concert with the “sandhi prakash” (sunset) raag Puriya Kalyan.

Since the format of vocal and sitar concerts are quite different, the audience was curious to hear as to how this concert will unfold. We were treated to a delightful middle ground. The artists explored the raag with a detailed aalap, bringing forth all the subtle nuances of the raag. Arshadji’s Kirana gayaki was on full display with his treatment of the swaras and meticulous attention to tuning. The poorvang (lower region) phrases capturing the pooriya ang and uttarang (upper region) the Kalyan ang.

Sahanaji made the sitar sing. This, despite the fact that her own sitar was damaged, and she had to play a borrowed sitar at a very short notice. Rampur Senia gharana’s Dhrupad ang contemplative aalap filled the cozy baithak space. Sahanaji’s treatment of Pooriya ang “Ma Re Ga” phrase brought involuntary “wah-wah”s from the discerning KR audience. The composition that followed was the teentaal bandish, “Baut Din Beetay”. Arshadji’s lightning speed taans and intricate sargam patterns alternating between two octaves were literally jaw-dropping. Sahanaji exploded on the sitar with power-packed, precise and electrifying taans. It indeed was an exciting jugalbandi!

Seated in the middle, the veteran tabla maestro Subhenji provided brilliant support without overpowering the duo. It was heartwarming to see the senior musician encourage the younger artists with a pat on the back and encouraging “wah”s. A tarana in drut laya came next. An interesting composition that started on the fifth matra (beat) of the teentaal cycle. The artists went back and forth in an engaging “sawaal jawaab” (question and answer) taans which wowed the audience. Next raag was Bihag. Again, the artists started with a long, unhurried aalap unfolding this beautiful, shringaar ras pradhan (romantic mood) raag.

The composition in Jhaptaal (10 beat cycle) “Chinta Na Karo Re '' starts with a Ga to Ni meend (slide) which Arshadji nailed with the traditional Kirana treatment. Sahanaji replied with intricate gayaki ang meends and the shruties of Bihag came to life quite like the “albeli sundar naar” (beautiful woman), which was the next composition in Bihag. The technical prowess of the artists was very evident as they rendered one magnificent taan after another with ease and aplomb. One can only imagine the countless hours of riyaaz that they go through. I was hoping to hear Sahanaji’s “jhala” (traditional fast paced conclusion on sitar) to round this off, but it looks like that was not the set format for the jugalbandi. We need to get these brilliant artists back as solo artists too to be able to hear all aspects of their music. Raag Miya ki Malhar was presented post interval as a tribute to the late Ustad Rashid Khan. Perhaps this morning’s relentless downpour is a result of last night’s Miya Ki Malhar. The composition “Aaye sab ghana” was presented in teentaal.

The treatment of the twin “Ni” swaras is said to generate the charged energy of bursting clouds which was demonstrated for us last night. The andolit (vibrating) “Ga” sung and played perfectly, ensured that the monsoons had arrived. A playful, romantic teentaal composition in Khamaj, “Koyaliya kook sunaye” came next. We were treated to melodic twists and turns and playful prayog (use) of vivadi (inherently dissonant) swars. The concert concluded with a serene Bhairavi. The composition in taal rupak (seven beat cycle), “Kab aaoge jiyara tore bina udhas”, tugged at the heartstrings. The unseasonably warm spring night brought warmth to our bodies while the music presented by these brilliant artists brought warmth to our hearts and souls. Looking forward to the next concert of the season. Until then my fellow KR members, let the April showers bring May flowers.

Mother's Day चा रविवार, जराशी रेंगाळलेली दुपार, हवेतला थोडासा ओला गारवा आणि किंचितसे ऊन आणि अशात ऐकू यावेत पुरिया चे सूर..तेही बासरीवर.. अहाहा दिल खुश हो गया!

कोमल ऋषभ संस्थेने आयोजित केलेल्या शास्त्रीय संगीताच्या कार्यक्रमात काल श्री रोणु मुजुमदार यांचे डेट्रॉईट येथे बहारदार बासरी वादन झाले. राग पुरीया ने त्यांनी मैफलीची सुरुवात केली. त्यांच्या बरोबर त्यांचे सुपुत्र आणि शिष्य श्री. हृषिकेश मुजुमदार ह्यांनी जुगलबंदी केली. "परंपरा"- परंपरागत पद्धतीने अनेक दशके चालत आलेल्या गुरू शिष्य परंपरेच्या पद्धतीवर प्रकाश टाकणारा कार्यक्रम घेऊन सध्या ते अमेरिकेच्या दौऱ्यावर आहेत.

घरातच कुणी पट्टीचा कलाकार असेल तर आपोआप एक सांगीतिक वातावरण तयार होते आणि मुलांचे कान आपोआप तयार होतात. हे हृषिकेश ला काल बघून प्रकर्षाने जाणवले. दोघांची जुगलबंदी असली तरी ती एकमेकांना पूरक होती, कुरघोडी करणारी आणि उगीच competitive न्हवती. छोट्या छोट्या जागा, खटके मींड गमक असे बारकावे समजून उमजून आपल्या वादनातून दाखवत हृषीकेश प्रेक्षकांची दाद मिळवत होता. हृषिकेश सारखे तरुण कलाकार उत्तम पद्धतीने घडताना पाहून खूपच आनंद झाला. भारतीय शास्त्रीय संगीत नजीकच्या भविष्यात एका वेगळ्याच उंचीवर पोहोचेल ह्याची खात्री पटली. त्याला उज्वल भविष्यासाठी अनेक हार्दिक शुभेच्छा आणि आशीर्वाद!

मध्यंतरापूर्वी त्यांनी राग नंद वाजवला. हा राग बासरीवर वाजवताना limitations येतात कारण बासरीवर मींड काढणे अवघड असे त्यांनी नमूद केले. पण Mother's Day निमित्त आज मी हा राग वाजवायचे ठरवले असे रोणुजी म्हणाले. नंद मधे दोन मध्यम, आरोही रिषभ वर्ज्य आणि ग म ध प- रे ही वारंवार येणारी संगती. हा राग पण छान माहौल बनवून गेला. मध्यंतरानंतर आला राग जयजयवंती बागेश्री अंगाने.. मधे काही दिवसापूर्वी एका बांगला गायिकेने एक छोटेसे reel बनवले होते. त्यातली नझरुल गीती "झोरो झोरो बोरिशे" ह्या रागावर आधारीत होती. तेंव्हापासून जयजयवंती डोक्यात घोळत होता. काल अचानक त्यांनी तीच बंदिश "मोरे मंदिर अब" वाजवली..मग कुठे माझे मन शांत झाले.

त्यानंतर बसंत बहार आणि शहाणा हे combination फारच छान जमून आले. बसंत बहार नेहमी ऐकायला मिळतो पण त्यात "शहाणा" एक वेगळाच पैलू देऊन गेला. मग एक मिश्र पिलू मधे ठुमरी आणि कजरी. आणि शेवट होतो वैष्णव जन तो ने ..कार्यक्रम टाळ्यांच्या कडकडाटात संपतो आणि आपण भानावर येतो.. पण मन म्हणत राहते...के दिल अभी नहीं भरा!

तबल्यावर श्री. शुभ ज्योती गुहा यांनी अतिशय apt साथ केली. जिथे soft तिथे soft, वेगवेगळया पद्धतीने तिहाई, रूपक सारख्या आधीच आड असणाऱ्या तालात आणखी आड वाजवणे अजिबात सोपे नव्हते. जवळपास तीन साडेतीन तास चाललेल्या कार्यक्रमात पाठोपाठ अनेक रागाना अती द्रुत तीन ताल वाजवणे ह्याने ऐकणारे अवाक् झाले नाहीत तरच नवल. पण अती द्रुत लयीत सुद्धा तालाचे सगळे बोल सुस्पष्ट ऐकू येत होते. क्या बात है! एकुणात कार्यक्रम अविस्मरणीय झाला!
आपल्या सगळ्यांना पुढील प्रवासाला आणि कार्यक्रमांना मन:पूर्वक शुभेच्छा!

The third concert of the KR 2024 season was the much-anticipated Bansuri concert by the world renowned bansuri maestro, Pandit Ronu Majumdar. Accompanying him on the bansuri was his son and disciple Shri Hrishikesh Majumdar and Shri Subhajyoti Guha on the tabla. Panditiji began the concert with the lilting evening Raag Puriya. Michigan’s post 8:30 pm sunsets in Spring and Summer makes it difficult for artists to stick to the “Kaalchakra” (raag and time theory) specific raags. Puriya, Marva and Sohoni have the exact same scales, so it is important to make the delineation right at the onset. With a majestic nyasa (sustained stay) on the Nishad, Panditji did just that. The aalap in true Dhrupad gayaki style was long, contemplative, meditative and transported the listeners to a tranquil state.

Panditji uses the longer, wider bansuri for mandra saptak (lower octave) and his exhaustive treatment of the raag involved him using this flute and then switching over to the smaller one (similarly for higher octave switching over to the smallest flute). The apple does not fall far from the tree. Rishikesh showed his prowess on the bansuri even though this was a difficult raag to play on the bansuri with so many sliding meends. Young talent to watch out for in the near future. A brisk “jod” followed the aalap. The vilambit composition was in taal Rupak (7 beat cycle).

Subhajyotiji is a brilliant accompanist and is able to gauge the style of the main artist and provide the perfect theka. The clarity and sweetness in his playing is very pleasing to the ears. Panditji dazzled the KR audience with intricate laykaari (rhythmic patterns) within the Rupak framework. The next composition in dhrut laya was set to teentaal. We were treated to all the intricate nuances of Raag Purvi.

Next came Raag Nand. Panditji played a teentaal composition, “Ajahu Na Aaaye Ghanashyam”. He sang the mukhada for us, so that we could appreciate the lyrics. Raag Nand employs all the shudha swaras plus the teevra madhyam. Its signature phrase is G,MDPR,S. The taans in athi dhrut laya (very fast tempo) were awe inspiring. It is testimony to the “tapasya” (penance) that has gone to get to this level of perfection. Young Hrishikesh held his own and one could see that he is going to evolve into a bansuri player of formidable repute in the coming years. Post interval, Panditji started with Bageshri Ang Jaijaiwanti. More popularly heard is the Des ang. These two vary in their ascent. The Bageshree ang takes off via G M D while Des uses G M P. Panditji played a composition in teentaal that he had learnt from Pt. Laxman Prasad Jaipurwale.,

Morey Mandira Ajahu Nahin Aaye. The “choot taans” (taans with breaks of continuity) that Panditji and Hrishikesh played were highly appreciated with “wah wahs” from the audience. At the conclusion of Raag Jaijaiwanti, Panditji let slide a beautiful phrase in Basant, indicating to the audience what was going to come next (in the style of Ustad Amir Khan).

The composition, Ritu Basant Sakhi Mo Mann Bhave followed by Kaise Nikasi Chandni was a rare treat. The artists weaved seamlessly between Basant and Bahar and then showed us the flavor of Shahana Bahar.

A Dadra and Kajri in Mishra Pilu came next. Panditji briefly went into the Carnatic raag Simhendra Madhyamam and beautifully brought out its essence. It was wonderful to see that he has also deeply studied the Carnatic Melakartas (the equivalent of thaat classification in Hindustani music).

The Benaras rang Dadra and Kajri brought out the Shringaar Ras (romantic mood) in abundance. The concert concluded with the popular bhajan, Vaishnava Jana Toh Tene Kahiye in Khamaj. Mother’s Day could not have ended on a better note (pun intended).

A picture perfect Michigan spring day got its cherry on top. I look forward to seeing you all, my fellow music rasiks and rasikas, at the next concert. Till then as Tigger would say, TTFN…ta ta for now.

जब से तुमी सन लागी प्रीत!

नुकतीच होऊन गेलेली श्रावण पौर्णिमा, इकडे हळू हळू वातावरणात होणारा बदल येऊ घातलेल्या fall ची जाणीव करून देणारा.. शुक्रवारची जराशी रेंगाळलेली संध्याकाळ..आणि मंदिरात घुमणारे पुरीया चे सुर..

नी म्...ग..म् नी रे सा! नी म्.. ग.. ग म् ध ग म् ग...म् नी रे सा...हे काळजाला स्पर्श करणारे सूर होते सौ.मंजुषा कुलकर्णी यांचे.. डेट्रॉईट येथे त्यांचा कार्यक्रम कोमल ऋषभ संस्थेने आयोजित केला होता.

विलंबित एकतालात प्यारे दे गर लागी मध्ये सुरू असलेल्या धीर गंभीर आलापात आपण हरवून जातो.. कोमल रिषभ आणि तीव्र मध्यम असलेला पुरिया राग कातर वेळची हुरहुर अजून वाढवत जातो..स्वरांच्या एकामागून एक लडी उलगडत मंजुषा ताई कोमल रिषभ घेऊन तर सप्तकातला ष़डज लावतात.. शांत स्वच्छ सुंदर षडज... आसमंतात भरून राहतो! रागाच्या स्वरूपानुरुप आलाप, बोल आलाप, बोल ताना आणि मग घराणेदार ताना!

मग जरा हसत खेळत येतो भूप. मध्य लय अध्धा तीन तालात जब से तुमी सन लागली प्रीत.. गंभीर वातावरण एकदम हलकं करून जातो. भूप ऐकताना किशोरी ताईंची आठवण झाली नाही तरच नवल!

मध्यंतरा नंतर अजून एक गंभीर राग येतो मालकंस! मध्य लय तीन तालात दया करो प्रभू तुम आणि छोटा खयाल करले जपा गुरू नाम. मालकंस चे रुप तसे थोडेसे आक्रमक असले तरी ह्या दया करो प्रभू बंदिशी मधली भक्ती आणि तळमळ त्या प्रभू श्रीरामापर्यंत पोचली असणार नक्कीच.. एखाद्या रागाची ही मला फार गंमत वाटते म्हणजे काही रागाचे सुर एका बाजूला असे आक्रमक, एखाद्या धैर्यशील योध्याला बळ देणारा असाही तो भासावा आणि त्याच वेळी दुसऱ्या बाजूला संपूर्ण समर्पणाची भावना दाखवणारे कसे असतात. एकाच रागाचे वेगळे रूप अशा निरनिराळ्या बंदिशी मधून ऐकायला मजा येते. मागे एका आर्टिस्ट ने गप्पा मारताना मला सांगितले होते की एका रागाचे किमान चार बडे ख़याल आणि आठ दहा छोटे ख़याल आपल्या संग्रही असावे तरच त्या रागाचे विस्तृत रूप कळते.

नंतर एक सावन किंवा सावनी ज्यात वर्षा ऋतु चे वर्णन असणारी रचना अब के सावन घर आजा त्यातल्या मल्हार आणि सारंग अशा काहीशा मिश्र रागांच्या गुंफणीतून प्रेयसीची प्रियकराला घातलेली लाडिक हाक, थोडा रुसवा आणि अल्लड प्रेमाची प्रचिती देऊन जातो.

बिंदिया का रंग उड जाये ह्या ठुमरीने कार्यक्रम संपन्न होतो. ही भैरवी बराच वेळ मनात वाजत राहिली. मला वाटतं एखाद्या कार्यक्रमानंतर त्यातलं गाणं आपल्या बरोबर पुढे काही तास राहिले तर तो उत्तम झाला ह्याची खात्री होते. कालचे गाणे उत्तम झाले कारण उत्कृष्ट गायकीला तितकीच प्रगल्भ साथ करणारे संगतदार मंजुषा ताईंबरोबर आले आहे.

ताईंना प्रशांत पांडव (तबला) आणि रोहन प्रभू देसाई यांनी संवादिनी वर समायोचित साथ केली. रोहन इकडेच जन्मलेला आणि वाढलेला श्री केदार नाफडे यांचा शिष्य. अतिशय छान, समजून उमजून साथ केली त्याने. त्याचे विशेष कौतुक वाटले. ताईंना स्वर साथ शिरीन केळकर यांनी केली.
ह्या सुरेल अनुभूती साठी सर्व कलाकारांचे मनापासून अभिनंदन आणि पुढील कार्यक्रमासाठी खूप शुभेच्छा!

The much awaited fourth concert of Komal Rishabh season 2024 featured the highly acclaimed vocal artist, Vidushi Manjusha Kulkarni-Patil. Accompanying her were Prashant Pandav on the tabla and Rohan Prabhudesai on the harmonium.

Right from the outset it was a PPP; power packed performance. Manjushaji started the concert with the classic evening raag Puriya. Puriya, Marwa and Sohoni share the same scale but are differentiated by their "chalan" (phraseologies and melodic grammar). The dominant notes in Puriya are Ga and Ni. The Ga-Ni coupling was beautifully captured in Manjushaji's bold, resonating voice. All the "lakshanas" (traits) of Puriya stood out bright and shining and left the audience speechless. Two compositions were presented; in Vilambit Ektaal and the bandish Jhanana Jhanana Pag Payal Baaje in Adha teentaal and dhrut laya teentaal. The Gwalior laykaari was delightful and brought out the expression of the lyrics in creative ways. The taans were masterpieces that wowed the audience. Manjushaji's voice packs a punch from lower octave all the way to the upper registers. But at the same time she has such an amazing control on the voice. This is very rare to see. With Prashantji providing the perfect theka for both the vilambit (slow) and dhrut (fast) tempos, it just lifted up the performance to another level. The young Rohan Prabhudesai on the harmonium was a revelation. He is going to go places. Subtle, nuanced and pleasing accompaniment. Next raag was Bhoopali.

Manjushaji sang the popular bandish in Adha and Teentaal, Jab Se Tumi Sana Lagalee. The young student Shirin Karmarkar on the tanpura provided "sureela" (tuneful) vocal support and we are thrilled to have her move into our neighborhood. The rapid fire phrases in Bhoopali filled the auditorium and the audience reponded with wah wahs.

Post interval Manjushaji presented Raag Malkauns, a late night raag. Its five note scale is simple but there is no raag quite like it. Manjushaji proved that with her contemplative approach, bringing out the shruties of Malkauns with beautiful meends (slides). The vilambit teentaal composition Daya Karo Prabhu Tum Ramji transported us to a state of tranquil surrender. Again the tabla theka and harmonium support added to this effect. The dhrut bandish in teentaal Kag Leja Paar Guru Naam followed. Again, the tayyari (seasoned practice) showed in the taan patterns weaving seamlessly across octaves, crisp and powerful.

Manjushaji concluded the concert with two Thumris. Ab Kay Sawan Ghar Aaja in Manjh Khamaj and a concluding Bhairavi Thumri Bindiya Ka Rang Uda Jaaye.

Manjushaji excels in this genre. The combination of technical prowess and expressions makes it a recipe for the perfect thumri experience and that is what we got. Again, Prashantji's laggis (attractive pattern played in fast tempo) were icing on the cake. We were treated to yet another spellbinding concert on a picture perfect summer day in Michigan. We have a few more concerts coming our way before we go into hibernation.

See you all at the next concert!