Virasat at Kolkatta

Virasat 2007, the annual cultural festival of Spicmacay — a movement that promotes Indian classical music among students — was inaugurated by flute maestro Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia at the Regency Convention Centre on December 3. Akshar, a school where differently-abled children are encouraged to interact and study with their peers, hosted the programme on behalf of Spicmacay.
“Sangeet itni badi shakti hai, jo har jagah gunjti hain (Music is such a powerful force that it can reach every corner),” said Panditji. “Every raag has its own specific time of the day. If one plays a raag in violation of the rules, the goddess Saraswati is displeased. This is why I’m going to play an evening raag. Guess the raag after I play it,” he told the students.
Following brief recital, the audience was quiet, except for one bright student who correctly guessed the raag to be Bhupali. “Raag Bhupali has a Carnatic classical equivalent too. What is it called?” quizzed the maestro. “Mohana,” answered another member of the audience.
With characteristic humour, Panditji then played a version of Jingle Bells: “All of you will know this tune,” he smiled. The maestro was at his warmest as he asked the students to sing along to his renditions of Om jai jagdish and Vaishnava janato.
The interactive session left students asking for more from the maestro, as everything from Om Shanti Om and Saawariya to Panditji’s childhood was discussed. Asked about what inspired him to take up the flute, he said: “I come from a very poor background and couldn’t afford to play the sitar or the sarod or even the tabla. The flute was the cheapest. Besides, it is such a beautiful instrument. Sri Krishna charmed all the gopis with his flute. I wanted to do the same,” he smiled.