Rembering Ustaad Allauddin Khan: An evening of Indo-Bangla classical music
As a tribute to the genius of Ustaad Allauddin Khan and his unparalleled contribution to Indo-Bangla classical music, Music Alliance Worldwide Foundation (MAWW) hosted "An Evening of Sub Continental Classical Music" to mark his 50th death anniversary.
The event took place at Alliance Française De Dhaka on September 28. The magical evening of melodies was graced by the presence of maestros from both India and Bangladesh, alongside a soulful and enthusiastic audience of all ages.
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Lovingly known as Sangeet Acharya Baba, Allauddin Khan was a multi-instrumentalist Sarod player and the sole founder of Maihar Gharana—the most eminent school of Indian classical music in 20th century—that nurtured legends like Dr Annapurna Devi, Ravi Shankar, Ustaad Ali Akbaar Khan, and many more.
In his journey from jatra parties of Bengal to the Ballet troupes of Europe, Baba Allauddin Khan vastly diversified and enriched our musical hereditament through his compositions and teachings.
Besides commemorating his timeless legacy left in the wake of Maihar Gharana, the short opening ceremony also provided an insight on the non- profit MAWW's decade-long journey and its visions.
The programme, interestingly held in the main gallery with paintings from the exhibit "Searching for Space" still in place, had a distinct ambience right off the bat. The artworks are a dialogue between the past and the present, though unrelated, and added a dimension to the night that intended to bridge the gap between young music aspirants and their centuries-old native musical heritage.
This is exactly what the founder of MAWW, Mehjabeen Rahman, described as the principal prospect of her organisation. "Spending a big part of my childhood on the premises of Alliance shaped my cultural-worldview greatly. Music to me is both a form of art and a medium of prayer, and I founded MAWW in order to share that very gift," said Mehjabeen.
In the main event, all the artists were fantastic in their zone. However, Khurram Ali Niazi with his Tabla; Robin Chowdhury with his divine vocals; Chamon Fariya islam with the tanpura, and Murtaza Kabir Murad with his flute were especially remarkable in their performances.
The fact that musicians from both sides of the border performed together was also a stirring representation of our shared love of art, that harmoniously binds us all together. Another addition to the evening was a brief talk about Maa Annapurna Devi, an icon herself, who was Baba Allauddin Khan's daughter and disciple. The discussion highlighted her own contribution to Maihar Gharana as one of the very first female gurus of the modern classical music scene of India.
Even as someone who regrettably isn't in touch with the many forms of classical music in this subcontinent, I thoroughly enjoyed it all. The zeal and passion paired with the masterful skills of all the performing artists reverberated through the gallery as prominently as the beautiful melodies they were stringing out, and I couldn't help but close my eyes and sway in my seat.
Many of the attendees and organisers were teenagers and youngsters as well, and it was a rather welcome surprise.
MAWW regularly hosts such gatherings, details of which can be found on their Facebook page. I for one, went as a person with little knowledge about classical music and returned with a newfound interest in it, which is witness to their dedication in executing their cause.
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