Swami Haridas-Tansen Festival, fixture in Delhi’s winter calendar, to take place this weekend
Thirty-five years ago, when the festival began in Vrindavan, Kathak exponent Uma Sharma would collaborate with the priest of the Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan for its presentation
For nearly three decades, Swami Haridas-Tansen Sangeet Nritya Mahotsava has stood firm in the rapidly changing cultural climate of the Capital. In its 27th year in Delhi and 35th if one considers its beginning in Vrindavan, it has been supported and sustained by Kathak dancer Uma Sharma, 84, and DCM Group Director, Vinay Bharatram, 90. Presented by Sharma and HCL Concderts, the festival has also been supported by SRF Foundation, Sri Ram Centre for Performing Arts and Indian National Theatre Trust. When the festival began in Vrindavan, Sharma would collaborate with the priest of the Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan for it.
“It is that time of the year again when I am very excited. When the time comes for the festival, I want to not come back home. I want to sleep there, eat there and just listen to music,” says Sharma, who will also perform on Day 3 of the festival, which opens today (January 9) at Shankar Lal Hall in Delhi’s Modern School.
Sharma will return to perform in a wheelchair and will rely on eloquence of bhaav rather than footwork. “Bhaav for me, however, is a gift from Shambhu Maharaj,” says Sharma, about who trained under the aegis of Jaipur gharana before imbibing expression training from Maharaj of the Lucknow gharana.
Uma Sharma
The festival will open with a performance by mohan veena exponent Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, setting the tone for the evenings to follow. The opening day will also feature the evocative folk traditions of Manganiyar musicians from Rajasthan. The second day will present a familiar presence — sitar exponent Ustad Shujaat Khan, who will showcase the distinctive elegance of the Imdadkhani baaj. Day 2 will also feature Jaipur-Atrauli gharana vocalist and noted academic Ashwini Bhide Deshpande. Her performance will be followed by a sarod recital by Amaan Ali Khan and will conclude with a performance by Ulhas Kashalkar, whose rigorous training in Gwalior, Jaipur and Agra gharana and fine presentation has established him as one of the finest and more accomplished male Hindustani classical vocalists in contemporary classical music.
Day 3 will open with a performance by 87-year-old Hariprasad Chausaria. He sounds nothing like he used to, especially after a car accident that affected one of his arms, but listening to him live in a concert is a rare treat as it comes with years of brilliance and dedicated spiritual practice he brings along. The performance will be followed by a santoor recital by Rahul Sharma and will conclude with a finale performance by one of Patiala gharana’s most significant woman artistes, Begum Parveen Sultana, known for her rare ability to balance spareness with restraint.
Suanshu Khurana is an award-winning journalist and music critic currently serving as a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is best known for her nuanced writing on Indian culture, with a specific focus on classical music, cinema, and the arts.
Expertise & Focus Areas Khurana specializes in the intersection of culture and society. Her beat involves deep-dive reporting on:
Indian Classical Music: She is regarded as a definitive voice in documenting the lineages (Gharanas) and evolution of Hindustani classical music.
Cinema & Theatre: Her critiques extend beyond reviews to analyze the socio-political narratives within Indian cinema and theater.
Cultural Heritage: She frequently profiles legendary artists and unearths stories about India’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
Professional Experience At The Indian Express, Khurana is responsible for curating and writing features for the Arts and Culture pages. Her work is characterized by long-form journalism that offers intimate portraits of artists and rigorous analysis of cultural trends. She has been instrumental in bringing the stories of both stalwarts and upcoming artistes to the forefront of mainstream media.
Find all stories by Suanshu Khurana here ... Read More
Uma Sharma
