Mysuru recently witnessed a truly exceptional cultural event: an all-night Hindustani classical music concert, a rarity in the city in recent memory.
The Hindustani Sangeet Kalavidara Okkuta (Hindustani Musicians Association) spearheaded this magnificent gathering, held at the Swaradhara auditorium in KSRTC layout, Srirampura, last Saturday. It was a beautiful collaboration where passionate musicians, devoted music enthusiasts, and dedicated organizers united to present this unparalleled tribute to the profound legacy of Indian classical music.
Commencing at 9 p.m. on Saturday and gracefully unfolding until 6 a.m. on Sunday, the concert offered an exquisite array of performances. Attendees were mesmerized by soulful vocal renditions, dynamic tabla solos, enchanting bansuri (flute) recitals, and even Carnatic flute interpretations of traditional night ragas. It was a truly captivating experience for everyone present, according to the organizers.
The stage came alive with stellar performances from renowned artistes including Sharada Kattige, Shrimati Devi, Veerabhadrayya Hiremath, Sameer Rao, Adarsh Shenoy, Chandan Kumar, Prithvi Bhaskar, Radhesh, Ramesh Dhannur, Dundayya Poojera, Shubhang Hebbar, Harikrishna, Bhimashankar Bidanoor-Panchami, Ramesh Kolkunda, and Shriram Bhat. Their mastery deeply impressed the ‘rasikas’ (music connoisseurs), ensuring the night was an unforgettable tribute to Hindustani music.
A unique aspect of Hindustani classical music is its tradition of performing specific ragas at designated times of day and night. Unfortunately, with most contemporary concerts held in the evenings, audiences rarely get the chance to experience the profound beauty of nocturnal ragas. This special Mysuru event was conceived by local artists and a discerning group of connoisseurs with the noble aim of revitalizing and savoring these rarely heard night melodies.
Historically, all-night Hindustani music gatherings have been a cherished tradition. Legendary festivals like the Sawai Gandharva Music Festival, initiated by Pandit Bhimsen Joshi in Pune, were famously known to continue throughout the night. Even today, the Sawai Gandharva festival in Kundagol extends over two overnight sessions. Other esteemed overnight musical events include the special segment of the Veereshwar Punyashrama fair in Gadag, Kolkata’s Dover Lane Music Festival, ‘Saptak’ in Ahmedabad, and the ‘Harivallabh’ festival in Jalandhar.
Similar all-night concerts were once prevalent in cities like Dharwad and Hubballi. However, declining audience numbers have gradually shortened these events into mere midnight sessions. Recognizing this shift, and driven by a desire to rekindle a rare, deeply immersive musical experience, the Mysuru organizers meticulously planned and executed this extraordinary concert.