Chandigarh 13 November 2021(22G TV) On the second day of the three day 43rd Annual Chandigarh Sangeet Sammelan organized by Indian National Theater in association with Durga Das Foundation and Sangeet Natak Akademi, Shashwati Mandal performed before the audience, leaving them spellbound. On the other hand, the singing of Shashank Maktedar kept the audience captivated and got a lot of praise from the audience. Shashwati Mandal gave the first performance with Raga Dhankoni Kalyan, a related unexplored new raga which was created by Pt.CR Vyas. She started her recital with vilambit khayal set to ektaal with lyrics “Saras Sur Gaau”.
It was followed by drut khayal in teentaal with lyrics “Dekh Chanda nabh nikas aayo” Tabla accompaniment was provided by Pt. Vinod Lele, Harmonium accompaniment was by Poromita Mukharjee, Tanpura and vocal support was provided by Mudhlika Pande and Tripti Garg.students of Shashwati Shashwati was born in Gwalior in a family of musicians. Her maternal grandfather Pt. Balabhau Umdekar ‘Kundalguru’ was a darbar-gayak (court musician) at the royal court of Gwalior, and a singer of the Gwalior Gharana. Shashwati started her early classical training under the guidance of her mother, Smt. Kamal Mandal, at a very young age. From 1987-1992, she received a Department of Culture (Govt of India) scholarship to study under the veteran Gwalior gharana singer Pt. Balasaheb Poonchhwale. Balasaheb instilled into her the finer nuisances of Gwalior gayaki, and also trained her into the art of Tappa singing, the vibrant semi-classical genre.
Shashank Maktedar gave the first performance with Raga ‘Kausi Kanada’ combination of Maalkauns and Kanada, vilambit bandish in ektaal ‘Naiya Mori paar karo’ followed by drut bandish in teentaal ‘Kanse kahun Aali Re’ Raga is pet Raga of Agra Gharana. Tabla accompaniment was provided by Pt. Vinod Lele, Harmonium accompaniment was by Paromita Mukharjee. Shashank Maktedar is one of the leading vocalists of his generation. He belongs to the very rich traditions of Gwalior, Jaipur and Agra Gharana. He had a privilege to get his Talim from none other than Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar for nine years in the traditional guru-shishya parampara at ITC Sangeet Research Academy Kolkata, from 1991 to 2000. Before that he had his initial training from Pt. Nath Neralkar in Aurangabad. Shashank has toured and performed in many other countries like the USA, UK, France, Switzerland and Dubai to name a few.
