Kumar Gandharva centenary celebrations to kick off with two-day concert

MUMBAI: Hindustani classical music stalwart Pandit Kumar Gandharva’s centenary celebrations will be launched from Mumbai on April 8, his birth anniversary, with a two-day music concert at the National Centre for the Performing Arts. His family has planned a number of activities through the year in multiple cities, his Dewas-based daughter and accomplished vocalist Kalapini Komkali said on Tuesday.

The celebrations will kick off with a two-day concert titled ‘Kaaljayi’ on April 8 and 9 with performances by the maestro’s grandson Bhuvanesh Komkali, sitar exponent Niladri Kumar and vocalist Ulhas Kashalkar. “On the morning of April 9, a lecture-demonstration on Kumarji’s music featuring vocalist Shruti Sadolikar, Pandit Satyasheel Deshpande and Shama Bhate will be held at the Experimental Theatre,” said Bhuvanesh. The lec-dem will be moderated by Shashi Vyas, son of vocalist C R Vyas and founder of Pancham Nishad, an event management company devoted to classical music.

The second day’s concert evening will feature performances by Kalapini Komkali, flute maestro Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, and khayal exponent Pandit Venkatesh Kumar.

“When we decided to organise the centenary celebrations, we could have organised his first concert in his birthplace and lifelong residence, Dewas,” said Bhuvanesh Komkali. “But we chose Mumbai because Kumarji began his music education in this city and lived his early years here. He must have been 11 or 12 years old when his father took him to Prof B R Deodhar’s Indian School of Music to learn classical music at a time when he could only speak Kannada. Till 1948, Kumarji was in Mumbai, learning music, and even later, Mumbai is where he travelled frequently for his concerts.”

Explaining the title of the concert, Bhuvanesh said that ‘Kaaljayi’ meant the one who had conquered Time. “Kumarji emerged victorious against so many obstacles that came his way, including his illness,” he said. “We experienced what it was like to be in isolation during the Covid pandemic. Can you imagine how tormenting it must have been for Kumarji to not only live in isolation but to refrain from music when his doctors advised him against singing for five long years? He emerged from those dark times and continued his work.”

Bhuvanesh said that other Kaaljayi concerts would be organised in different cities of Maharashtra, including Pune, Nagpur, Aurangabad and Nashik through the year, featuring established musicians as well as upcoming talent.

The two-day event in Mumbai will also feature the release of a Hindi biography of Kumar Gandharva by Dhruv Shukla and an exhibition of rare photographs of the vocalist. “We have also planned a novel initiative to ensure that Kumarji’s life and music reach children,” said Kalapini Komkali. “Illustrated books in Hindi and English written by Sopan Joshi and in Marathi by singer-author Madhuri Purandare will be unveiled in Pune in June this year.”