The Citi NCPA Aadi Anant pageant celebrates the guru-shishya custom with a Sarod Quintet live performance that includes Amjad Ali Khan, his sons, and grandsons—a legacy of Indian classical music spanning three generations.
Whether or not via direct discipleship, an inherited legacy or studying by osmosis when sharing the stage with a senior musician, the guru-shishya custom, so elemental to Indian classical music, has been the central focus of the Citi NCPA Aadi Anant pageant, which additionally continues to be a thriving platform for innovation inside custom.
Since its launch in 2012, the Citi NCPA Aadi Anant pageant has been a much-awaited occasion on Mumbai’s cultural calendar. Annually, it’s curated to provide the viewers the chance to expertise India’s musical richness whereas celebrating the guru-shishya custom and artistic rejuvenation of custom.
Now in its 14th version, the Mumbai leg of the pageant, which the NCPA has additionally taken to Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Pune, might be held on seventh and eighth December.
A particular live performance, titled Sarod Quintet: Three generations, One nation, will characteristic sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, his sons Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash and grandsons Abeer Ali and Zohaan Ali. The live performance on the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre will showcase an inventive legacy which has been carried from one technology to the subsequent in an unbroken method.
The legendary maestro is of course proud. “Any legacy is just continued with the blessings of Almighty God. In in the present day’s occasions, it’s a nice shock that even my grandchildren are enjoying the sarod. In our nation, many younger folks need to be westernised. However it is usually essential to stay to our custom,” he says.
Amjad Ali Khan says Ayaan began instructing his sons to play the sarod through the lockdown. “They’ve all of the pursuits that kids of their age have. They like Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber and BTS. They love soccer too. Considered one of them is a fan of Ronaldo, the opposite loves Messi. However with regards to studying the sarod, they’re severe college students. They nonetheless have a protracted option to go, however the thought of getting them onstage together with me and my sons Amaan and Ayaan is to provide them confidence and search the blessings of music lovers,” he elaborates.
Born in Gwalior on ninth October 1945, Amjad Ali Khan inherited an illustrious household legacy of sarod enjoying and learnt from his father, the good Hafiz Ali Khan. He represents the Seniya Beenkar gharana, which bears the hallmark of the custom of instrumental music from Tansen and his disciples. The maestro says, “Our custom believes in surrendering to Almighty God and surrendering to our guru. Like many musicians, I wished my sons to be taught music. I didn’t power them, however music grew on them due to their environment, and so they have been eager about studying the sarod.” He provides that his father used to say that one can grasp just one factor in a single’s lifetime. “So once they accomplished college, I suggested them to focus completely on the sarod, if that’s what they wished to do,” he recollects.
Khan says he has taught each Amaan and Ayaan to consider each live performance as a brand new one. “If we begin saying in the present day’s live performance was nice [and become complacent], what’s going to occur tomorrow? I additionally inform them music has no faith. It’s like flowers, water, color, air, perfume. Our household thus feels we belong to each faith. These are values that needs to be imbibed by my grandsons too,” he says.
As a five-member ensemble, the musicians performed collectively first in Delhi after which in New York final yr. The Sarod Quintet live performance in December will start with a recital by Amaan and Ayaan. This might be adopted by a efficiency by the maestro himself. Within the grand finale, Abeer and Zohaan will take part, thus showcasing 5 members from three generations of sarod gamers— the spirit of guru-shishya parampara epitomised within the true sense.
By Narendra Kusnur. This piece was initially revealed by the Nationwide Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai, within the December 2024 situation of ON Stage – their month-to-month arts journal.
