Dev Gandharv

Sometimes, you are at a right place at a right time and things work in your favor without you planning for it initially. I was at kalyan a week back when Gopal Rao visited our house. The topic of music came up, and he mentioned about this program. Incidentally he is a working member of the kalyan gayan samaj, who organized the event. Tickets came easy, not like Pune’s Savai Gandharva Program. I did not have to stand in queue for hours, like I have to do in Pune. So I jumped for it. In a way, I was destined to attend this program at Kalyan. Icing on the cake was that I was in the second row from the stage. I had a VIP seat of sorts. A blind wishes only an eye, and here I got both, so to say.

Shri Ajay Chakravarti was simply superb on the opening day. His rendition of raga Kalyan followed by a thumari in Pilu, followed then by a Bhairavi was a treat to the ears. His control in lower and higher pitch ( saptak ) is amazing. He ended the program with a Kabir bhajan. They say  “ A job well begun is half done ”. In my case I had accomplished what I looked for, and that too on the very first day.

Team of musicians of the celebrated movie - Balgandharv lead by Producer Shri Nitin Desai mesmerized the audience on day 2. Shri  Subodh Bhave, Anand Bhate ( Nicknamed Anand Gandharv by none other than Pu – L : P L Deshpande )Kaushal Inamdar, Aditya Jog and others kept the audience in splits of laughter and at times brought tears by narrating interesting anecdotes which were foundations of the whole process of movie making. I realized that though the end product appears very easy,  it takes hell lot of efforts , hard work dedication and commitment in any creation, and Balgandhav was no exception. 

The day 3 too was an eternal joy. Pandit Rahul Sharma played Rag - Bhoop and a pahadi dhun. Then Ustad Shabir khan & Dilshad khan played Rag Megh and then a couple of small pieces. Both the programs were equally good.

I missed Dada, my brother and my wife Meena.  My dad was a true music lover. I distinctly remember him going to my uncle’s house about 2 / 3 Kms away on weekends to listen to classical music. We did not have a Radio those days. I was a kid that time and used to wonder why he takes that trouble. Later when I was drawn to this genre / form of music, I knew why that madness was. Unfortunately, he left us early and we ( my brother included ) were not in a position to give him that heavenly joy of music in his last days. I always remember him on such occasions and that brings tears to my eyes even today when I attend a concert par excellence.

Thanks Gopal Bhau.