In last week’s episode on the influence of Hindustani music on film music, I had briefly mentioned Sangeet Sarita, a programme that was featured on Vividh Bharati, a commercial service of the All India Radio launched in 1957.
This 250-episode programme contained short descriptions of raags and taals used in Hindustani music with demonstrations by practitioners of this system. Episodes would end with film songs that were based on these raags and taals.
Apart from this, the programme also included serialised thematic presentations by well-known musicians and composers. The presentations by Hindustani musicians addressed various aspects of their instruments, styles, individual journeys with music, and such others.
Today, we listen to some of these presentations featured on the Vividh Bharati Youtube channel.
Eminent bansuri player and composer Dr Vijay Raghav Rao speaks about the raag Jhinjhoti in the ninth episode of his thematic presentation entitled “Raag Raseele Rang Niraale”, which looked at the manner in which raags could be used in conventional Hindustani music but also in other contexts. The episode also includes a bansuri recital by him.
The next track features the first episode of the serialized thematic presentation entitled “Vichitra Veena Swaranjali”. The presentation includes an interview with senior vichitra veena player Ramesh Prem.
Dr Vidyadhar Vyas, well-known Gwalior gharana vocalist, presents the serial entitled “Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar Parampara”.
We end with a track featuring respected sitar player Arvind Parikh, who presents a serial entitled Etawah Gharane ka Sitar Vadan”.
One of India’s leading tabla players, Aneesh Pradhan is a widely recognised performer, teacher, composer and scholar of Hindustani music. Visit his website here.
