#bengalclassicalmusicfestival
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Pandit Birju Maharaj, alias Brij Mohan Nath Mishra, was born in 4 February, 1938. He trained in Kathak under the guidance of his father, Achchan Maharaj, and uncles, Lacchu Maharaj and Shambhu Maharaj. Besides his mastery over kathak, he was also a superb musician, percussionist, composer, teacher, director, choreographer and a poet. Birju Maharaj is a recipient of several honors and awards including the Padma Vibhushan, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, and the Sangam Kala Award. He taught at Sangeet Bharati, Bharatiya Kala Kendra and headed the teaching faculty Kathak Kendra in Delhi till his retirement in 1998. The maestro passed away on 17 January 2022.
Vidushi Girija Devi (1929 - 2017), ‘Appaji’ to many, was a nonpareil singer of the Seniya and Banaras gharanas. Very few have been able to match her singing skills in the light classical genre. Her flawlessly rendered Thumri instantly touched the listeners’ heart and left an indelible impression. When Appaji passed in 2017, Pt Birju Maharaj, the doyen of Kathak spoke of his special relationship with Girija Devi, who though older than him, was like a sister-in-law with whom he grew up. She had also taken lessons in music from Maharaj's father-in-law, Chand Misra. Because of this kinship, it was common for them to exchange affectionate jibes on stage during their frequent jugalbandis. Both Girija Devi and Birju Maharaj were recipients of the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award.
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On the third night (1st December) of the Bengal Classical Music Festival 2012, a growing audience watched renowned Kathak dancer Pt Birju Maharaj alight the stage with a fiery solo performance.
The audience swayed as the lilting sensual voice of Vidushi Girija Devi beckoned Pandit Birju Maharaj to perform the Chaiti Bairan re koyelia tori boli na suhaye. Her singing intertwined with the magical body movements and facial expressions of Maharaj to bring out the love, joy, mischief, and restless vigour, inherent in the poetic imagery of the Chaiti. The jugalbandi of the singer and performer were aptly accompanied on stage by Pt. Subhankar Banerjee.
We are saddened that the three great performers - Vidushi Girija Devi, Pt. Birju Maharaj and Pt. Subhankar Banerjee - who lit up the stage in Dhaka on December 1, 2012, have all passed since. The three are deeply loved and remembered not only for their flawless artistry but also for their high humanist ideals, and the love and joy they spread so selflessly.
Artistes & Musicians:
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-Vidushi Girija Devi (vocal)
-Pt Birju Maharaj (dance)
-Saswati Sen (dance & paran)
-Pt Subhankar Banerjee (tabla)
-Anirban Bhattacharyya (vocal & harmonium)
-Chandrachur Bhattacharjee (sitar)
-Sarwar Hussain (sarangi)
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The Bengal Classical Music Festival, an initiative of Bengal Foundation’s Music Programme, is the world’s largest classical music festival in terms of the number of performers on a single stage, audience capacity and duration. The Foundation introduced the Classical Music Festival back in 2012. It all began with an idea. Abul Khair, the Chair of Bengal Foundation, wondered whether something as complex as classical music could reach the hearts of the average audience through the right presentation. He envisioned an event where classical music would be presented in a large-scale festive ambience open for all, dispelling its elitist image.
The Festival was launched with the conviction that an annual classical music event would revive the Bengali heritage and enrich popular taste in music. Exposure to the unfathomable depth of classical music is a humbling, yet enriching experience. Immersion into its acute sensibility awakens our spirit, fostering humane values and compassion. The Foundation’s experience from the last six years has led the Foundation to believe that popular taste in classical music has been rising; the audience has not only stood out in numbers, but their capacity to appreciate and concentrate in the subtleties of classical music has also broadened.
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