Performers across age enthrall audience at The Bhavan's Hindustani music festival

The Bhavan's resident Hindustani vocal teacher Chandrima Mishra presented her students in a dazzling display of talent over the last weekend of November (26-27).

In a two-day Hindustani music festival conceived and organised by Mishra, the audience were treated to solos, duets, and group performances by her students.

A singing performance at the two-day Hindustani music festival held at the Bhavan, London, on November 26 and 27, 2022. (Picture: The Bhavan)

The inaugural evening was titled ‘Bhairav to Bhairavi’ which showcased a range of ragas that are sung from morning till evening.

Beginning with Ganesha Vandana, the evening saw performances by young students and masterful solo renditions by their seniors.

Starting with Raga Bhairav, the performers followed up with morning ragas, including Gunakali, Ahir Bhairav, Gujri Todi, Bhatiyar, Bilaskhani Todi; afternoon ragas Bhimpalasi, Shuddh Sarang; and evening ragas such as Multani and Puriya.

The ragas sung at night included Gorakh Kalyan, and Bihag.

The audience was mesmerised through different times of the day, starting from dawn to night and befitting the ending with a morning raga again.

The second evening was aptly titled ‘Evening Ragas’ which took the audience on a journey through melodies that are sung in the evening time. It was also an evening of gratitude as Mishra dedicated it to her late mother Gita Samanta who passed away last year.

Her younger students sang Yaman Raga and it was followed by soothing solo renditions of ragas such as Shuddha Kalyan, Madhuvanthi, Jog, and Bageshri.

A few students also took the opportunity to speak of their experiences of training at The Bhavan.

Pandit Raj Kumar Mishra plays tabla at the two-day Hindustani music festival recently held at the Bhavan, London, on November 26 and 27, 2022. (Picture: The Bhavan)

The second part of the evening was dedicated to Rabindra Sangeet, and had a personal touch as Mishra herself sang a few verses of a song taught to her by her mother.

This part was a unique combination of Khayal singing and Rabindra Sangeet or songs of Indian bard Rabindranath Tagore.

The first was the song ‘Tumi Robe Nirobe’ in Behag, followed by the classical Khayal in the same raga set to 'teen taal' – ‘Jhoom Jhaam’.

The festival concluded with a grand finale in Raga Desh.

Both evenings saw Pandit Raj Kumar Mishra on tabla accompaniment along with a few of his students, and Misra herself on harmonium.

The performers, ranging from eight-year-olds to adults, showcased their skills before a jam-packed auditorium over the two days.

Mishra is currently training over 160 students in the Hindustani classical tradition at The Bhavan.