Memorial Foundation organised its annual memorial program in Kolkata adherence with Dasturji’s loving dedication to his art reports Arpita Chatterjee.

Pandit Feroz Dastur, a doyen of the Kirana Gharana was born on 30th September 1919 in a Parsi family, to parents who had a deep love and respect for music and poetry. He began his professional career as an actor and singer and was a well known figure in the film industry in the 1930s. He took his early lessons in Hindustani vocal music from Shri Krishnarao Jaokar, a disciple of the legendary Ustad Abdul Karim Khan. Later, he took advanced training from Shri Rambhau Kundgolkar popularly known as Sawai Gandharva, one of the greatest exponents of the Kirana Gharana and a stage artist, also a disciple of the late Ustad Abdul Karim Khan.

In his singing career that had spanned almost six decades, Pandit Feroz Dastur had enthralled audiences both in India and abroad. In addition to his performances at prestigious conferences like the All India Music Conference – Karachi, Sadarang, Sarva Bharatiya Surdas Sangeet Sammelan, Sur Singar Sansad and Tansen Music Festival, he was a regular feature in every Sawai Gandharva Mahotsav, Pune since 1953 till 2008.

He was the senior most faculty member of Hindustani Classical Music at the Mumbai University since the inception of its Music Department in 1969.  He had many honours and awards to his credit, namely the prestigious Sangeet Natak Academy Award, Tansen Puraskar, Maharashtra State Gaurav Puraskar, Honorary Doctorate of the South Gujarat University and many others. Besides being a great performer, he had trained many disciples who in turn are now performing artistes of distinction.

After his demise on May 9, 2008, his students and admirers established a foundation aimed at preserving the legacy of this great master. A charitable organization registered in Thane, Maharashtra, the activities of the ‘Pandit Feroz Dastur Memorial Foundation’ are conducted in adherence with Dasturji’s loving dedication to his art. Four programmmes are scheduled annually, namely birth and death anniversary concerts in September and May, a young masters’ programme featuring the most talented performers of India, and an annual memorial programme held in different cities. At the birthday concert, the Pandit Firoz Dastur Memorial Award is presented to a senior musician who has dedicated his life to the service of music. This year’s awardee was Pandit Bhai Gaitonde, senior disciple of the late tabla maestro Ustad Ahmedjan Thirakwa. In addition, the foundation manages the copyright to Dasturji’s music and releases one compact disc each year, generally at the annual memorial programme.

Celebrating its inaugural memorial festival in Kolkata, the Foundation presented ‘Geetam, Vadyam, Nrityam’, a three-day festival of vocal music, instrumental music and dance, held on 5th, 6th and 7th March 2010, at Chowdhury House, 5/1 Gariahat Road, Kolkata 700 019. At every session a very talented, upcoming artist were presented, followed by a master artiste. The first evening began with the vocal recital of Shrimati Yashasvi Sarpotdar, a talented disciple of Shrimati Padma Talwalkar. A dedicated student, Yashasvi has spent more than twenty years under the loving guidance of her guru and has blossomed into a confident singer. If morning shows the day, her inaugural performance in Kolkata has certainly whetted the appetites of the city’s music lovers. She began her recital with khayals in Raga Multani “Gokul Gaon” set to vilambit ektaal and “Nainan mein aan baan” in drut ektaal. She then moved to Raga Durga, beginning with “Sakhi mori rum jhum” in jhaptaal, followed by a tarana in teentaal. She concluded with a thumri “Tarasata jiyara hamaar”. She was ably accompanied on the tabla by Utpal Dutt, disciple of Pandit Suresh Talwalkar while Suyog Kundalkar, disciple of Dr Arvind Thatte provided supportive harmonium accompaniment.

The evening concluded with a contemplative sarod performance by Kolkata’s own maestro Partho Sarothy, disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar and late Ustad Dhyanesh Khan. Presenting alap, jod, jhala and gats in rupak taal and teentaal in Raga Abhogi, the artiste gradually unfolded the raga, allowing the audience to appreciate its finer nuances, bringing out its mood and thus creating a serene atmosphere. He concluded with gats in teentaal in Raga Simhendra Madhyam. He was ably accompanied on the tabla by Ashish Pal. 
 The second evening began with the Odissi dance recital of Yogini Gandhi of Pune. Disciple of late Shri Natwar Maharana and Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra in Odissi, Yogini is also an equally adept Kathak dancer having trained under Pandit Birju Maharaj. Dancing for the first time in Kolkata, Yogini entered the stage covering space gracefully in half circles while maintaining the tribhanga – bending of the body in three angles- position, a hall mark of the Odissi style of dance, all through. Commencing with ‘Mangalacharan’ after paying homage to Lord Jagannath, followed by bhumi pranam and trikhandi pranam to mother earth, to God, to guru and to the audience, she extolled the qualities of Ganesha and entreated his blessings in the success of her recital. Pallavi which was danced next was a pure nritta piece involving eye movements, body postures and intricate footwork. At first she slowly built up a crescendo and then went on to trace multiple patterns in space of multilayered dimensions of taal and laya. 

She was able to bring out the sculpturesque quality of Odissi. The dancer declared abhinaya to be her forte and chose a theme of ‘sthayi’ vatsalya rasa – centring around the relationship of Yashoda and child Krishna. Rasa was created when all the nine emotions were used by her to describe a mother’s love for her child. Vibhatsa rasa and roudra rasa was mimed authentically when as child Krishna, she breaks the vessel of butter, which had turned sour and had failed to excite his taste buds. Much of the story of child Krishna was told as Yashoda was trying to make him sleep. Mahishasuramardini was her moksha piece. She soared into the realms of pure aesthetic delight as she was completely immersed in dancing in praise of the Devi in ecstasy.

Manoj Desai’s vocal and harmonium support was commendable. The other musical hands were mardala player G. Ramprasad, violinist Agnimitra Behera, and flautist Vijay Tambe. Their support was truly flawless. Senior disciple of Yogini, Advaita Mane did a good job with the manjeera, while the lights were expertly handled by handled Kolkata’s own Kanishka Sen.
 
Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar, recognized master of the Gwalior, Agra and Jaipur gharanas presented a vocal recital after the Odissi performance. Considered to be one of the greatest exponents of this art today, his contribution to the cause of music was recognized when he was recently awarded the Padmashree. The maestro began his inspired performance with a vilambit ektaal khayal in Raga Puriya “Sugara bana”, followed by a tarana in teentaal. He then presented Raga Shiv Kalyan, an interesting combination of Ragas Shivranjani and Yaman Kalyan. “Mai pitam karo dulhan ke”. He also presented “Kaise suhavan savan” in Raga Basanti Kedar and concluded with a bhajan. He was accompanied by Utpal Dutt on the tabla and Suyog Kundalkar on the harmonium. The concluding session was in the morning, beginning with the vocal performance of Girish Sanzgiri, a disciple of Pandit Feroz Dastur from 1983 to his last days in 2008.

An able successor, he began with khayals in Raga Bairaagi, presenting two of his guru’s compositions, “Karo mope daata” in vilambit ektaal and “Tum pe nisar sub hove” in drut teentaal. He concluded with traditional khayals in Raga Vibhas “Piya tuma vahi jaat” in vilambit ektaal and “Pyari pyari batiyan” in drut teentaal. He was accompanied by Utpal Dutt on the tabla and Suyog Kundalkar on the harmonium. The festival came to a grand conclusion with the vocal performance of Shrimati Padma Talwalkar, the highly acclaimed and versatile performer of the Kirana, Gwalior and Jaipur styles of music. True to the audience’s expectations, her performance of Raga Jaunpuri elevated the spirits of all the enthusiasts in attendance. She presented the traditional compositions “Baje jhana” in vilambit ektaal and “Chhanana bichuwa” in drut teentaal. The Marathi bhajan by Sant Vithaldas that she chose to conclude with, provided a fitting climax to three days of music-making, the likes of which Kolkata audiences have not often heard in the recent past.