From Vrindavan to Delhi, the journey of a music festival
The Hindu
Swami Haridas Tansen Sangeet Nritya Samaroh turns 25
Delhi’s biggest and most popular classical music festival entered its 25th year. Named after Swami Haridas, the father of Hindustani music, and his most iconic disciple Tansen, the Swami Haridas Tansen Sangeet Nritya Samaroh is a glittering affair, drawing crowds of over 3,000 people despite the cold weather.
As usual, it featured stalwarts — Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Begum Parveen Sultana, Uma Sharma and her students, Pt. Vishwamohan Bhatt and his son Salil with the Manganiyars, Pt Ulhas Kashalkar, Pt Venkatesh Kumar, Ustad Shujaat Khan, Ashwini Bhide Deshpande and Pt. Tejendra Narayan Mazumdar.
Organiser and veteran Kathak dancer Uma Sharma used to collaborate with Sri Gopal Goswami of the Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan for the Sammelan. However, with the passage of time, the character of the festival changed. Uma broke away to create the Samaroh. She “wanted to present classical music in all its hues”.
Of course, Uma misses the ambience of Vrindavan, where the festival was originally held. “The first time, there were very few of us performing. This was inside Nidhi van, in front of Swami Haridas’ samadhi. We had to get permission to perform there.”
Later the festival expanded; to an open pandal. “The simple, unquestioning, eagerly- accepting audience was so refreshing.”
At the launch of the festival in Vrindavan, Sri Shrivats Goswami of the Radha Raman mandir spoke of the musical link between Vrindavan and Delhi.
For Uma, it’s been a long, arduous journey. “I was alone, but had the support of friends. When we moved to Delhi, we started with Ustad Asad Ali Khan’s concert in the basement theatre of the India Habitat Centre. When we finally moved to Modern School’s Sir Shankar Lal Hall, there were just 10 people to listen to Alam Khan. I was despondent and literally cried. But the audience slowly reposed trust in us, and now every edition of the festival draws a full house.”