Patna: Arthshila Patna hosted a special Khayal recital, ‘Malhar Rang’, on Saturday evening, bringing the musical traditions associated with the monsoon season to audiences through Hindustani classical music.
The recital featured classical vocalist Dr Ranjani Ramachandran, who presented a selection exploring the emotional and musical dimensions of monsoon ragas. The programme was held alongside Arthshila Patna’s ongoing exhibition, linking visual art with music and cultural heritage.
Exploring Monsoon Ragas
Through her approach to Khayal, Ramachandran explored the relationship between nature, seasons and human emotions that has long been reflected in Indian classical music.
Her performance featured the nuances of raga, alap and rhythmic exploration, highlighting the improvisational and expressive elements of the Khayal tradition.
Ramachandran is trained in Hindustani classical music and has studied under musicians including Dr Veena Sahasrabuddhe, Pt Ulhas Kashalkar and Vidushi Girija Devi. She also performs Thumri, Dadra and Bhajans.
She is an empanelled artist of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and an accredited artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan. She holds a PhD in Music and teaches Hindustani Classical Music at Sangit Bhavana, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan.
Accompaniment
Ramachandran was accompanied on tabla by Bivash Sanghai and on harmonium by Rupashree Bhattacharya.
Sanghai trained under Prof Lalit Mohan Sanghai and Pt Krishna Kumar Ganguly, popularly known as Natu Babu, and is a senior disciple of Pt Samar Saha. He has also studied different tabla styles under Pt Ajoy Chakrabarty.
An A-Grade artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan and an ICCR-empanelled artist, Sanghai has performed in India and abroad. He is associated with the ITC Sangeet Research Academy in Kolkata.
Bhattacharya is known for her nuanced harmonium accompaniment. She received her initial training from her father, Durga Chandra Bhattacharya, before studying under Ashit Bandopadhyay, Vidushi Shipra Bose and Sanjay Chakrabarty.
She was a scholar at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy from 1996 to 2002, where she trained under Pt Ajoy Chakrabarty of the Patiala Gharana. She has been a faculty member at the academy since 2002 and is a B-High graded artist of All India Radio.
Music And Visual Art
The programme was presented in conjunction with the ongoing exhibition at Arthshila Patna, creating a setting for audiences to experience classical music alongside visual art.
The interplay between Khayal, tabla and harmonium shaped the evening’s performance, with the recital focusing on the expressive character of monsoon ragas and the aesthetics of Hindustani classical music.
The performance concluded with applause from the audience.
With ‘Malhar Rang’, Arthshila Patna continued its programme of presenting Indian classical music and performing arts alongside its broader cultural activities, offering artists a platform while encouraging engagement with India’s artistic traditions.
