my uttarakhand news Bureau
Dehradun, 5 Dec: Under the aegis of SPIC MACAY Uttarakhand and with the support of the SRF Foundation, Pt Gaurav Mazumdar, accompanied by Zaheen Khan on tabla, performed at Welham Girls’ School and Purkal Youth Development Society (PYDS) today, captivating students with his brilliance on the sitar and his insightful guidance on the foundations of Indian classical music. At Welham Girls’ School, he presented the expressive Raag Charukeshi, drawing enthusiastic appreciation from the students.Grounded deeply in the teachings of his Guru, Bharat Ratna awardee Pt Ravi Shankar, Pt Mazumdar emphasised that even if one is an ace instrumentalist, vocal training remains indispensable. “Vocal music is the base of all learning. If you cannot sing or vocally notate, your purpose as a good musician is incomplete,” he shared. He also highlighted how Pt Ravi Shankar revolutionised the presentation of Hindustani classical music — moving it from intimate baithak settings to a global, proscenium-stage format, making it accessible to audiences around the world.
As part of the same circuit, Pt Mazumdar performed at several other institutions across Dehradun. At DAV Public School, he presented the morning Raag Nat Bhairav, a raag created by Pt Ravi Shankar. At the Central Academy for State Forest Service (CASFOS), he explored the depth and fluidity of Raag Yaman. His recital at BS Negi Mahila Pravidhik Prashikshan Sansthan featured the soulful Raag Jaunpuri. At Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, he performed Raag Patdeep — the very first exposure to classical music for many of the underprivileged students who attend evening classes. Despite their unfamiliarity with the genre, the young listeners were completely mesmerised by the performance.At Purkal Youth Development Society (PYDS), Pt Mazumdar presented the evocative Raag Madhuvanti, guiding students through its delicate interplay of emotion and melody. He concluded his recital with the timeless bhajan Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye, leaving the audience deeply moved.Across each venue, Pt Mazumdar delved into the intricacies of every raag, explaining the time theory, emotional mood, and how even a slight shift in notes can transform one raag into another. Students listened with rapt attention, engaging actively during informal interactions where he broke down complex musical ideas with simplicity and clarity.A Grammy-nominated sitarist and one of the most prominent contemporary figures in Indian and World Music, Pt Gaurav Mazumdar draws from the Dhrupad-Beenkaar style and the Senia lineage. Born into a musical family from Allahabad, he trained under several eminent musicians before being initiated into the sitar by Pt Ravi Shankar, with whom he lived and studied for seven years in the traditional Guru-Shishya Parampara. Over the past three decades, he has performed at global festivals, collaborated with leading musicians across cultures, composed for orchestras and films, and created original raags such as Raag Akanksha, presented at the Vatican to mark the new millennium. His honours include a Grammy Nomination, Bhavishya Jyoti Award, Utthan Nataraj Samman, Naad Yogi Samman, and the Critics’ Choice Award.
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