A Classical Indian Music Soiree
Pictured (l-r) Avesh Ramsunkar, Ketan Parshotam, Arundhati Date, High Commissioner of India Jaideep Sarkar, Harendra Tanna and Vevek Ram
9 May 2022
An atmosphere of musical bliss filled the serene landscape of India house located in the lofty hills of Waterkloof in Pretoria in South Africa’s capital city of Tshwane. An Indian Classical Soiree was hosted by High Commissioner Jaideep Sarkar of India to South Africa and Mrs. Minako Sarkar on Saturday afternoon where the elements seemed to align to create ideal conditions that deepened the effects of the profoundness of classical Indian rhythm and sound.
The Sitar recital performed by Vevek Ram and accompanied on the Tabla by Harendra Tanna opened the program playing several dhuns. Dhuns are light instrumental tunes played in the classical style and may be more freely interpreted. These dhuns are often played to a raga or melodic pattern which was superbly demonstrated by Arundhati Date in the Dhrupad style of singing which lifted the senses as the sun began setting on the luscious green backdrop of the surrounding gardens. Date ended her rendition in a tribute to the late great Indian singer, Lata Mangeshkar, with a medley of her songs.
Pictured (left) Captain Nitin Kapoor, Indian Defence Attaché and Mrs Kapoor with Arundhati Date. Pictured (right) Shruthi Purushotam, Second Secretary who was MC for the evening
Vevek Ram started sitar lessons with Jairam Bhana in Lenasia in the late 1970s and continued his training under Ustad Shamim Ahmed, a senior disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar. In the past few years, he has been mentored by Shubendra Rao, also a disciple of Ravi Shankar. He has performed widely as a solo artist and also with other artists such as Rabin Ram, Deepak Ram, Darius Brubeck and others. Vevek Ram has performed widely in South Africa and internationally.
Harendra Tanna is an accomplished tabla player who started learning tabla and later harmonium under the guidance of Guru Shree Parshuram Bhorvani at Bharatiya Sangeet Natak Academy in Rajkot, India. He has accompanied renowned music artists across India, USA, England and South Africa at various concerts and performances. Harendra Tanna has been based in South Africa since 1989.
Arundhati Date was introduced to the Dhrupad style of singing by Guru Pandit Bimalendu Mukherjee. She later learnt the Dagar wani style under the tutelage of late Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar in the Guru-Shishya system. She has performed internationally and in India winning various awards. She is currently based in South Africa and is associated with the Shankar Mahadevan Academy in India.
TDS