Dhrupad in Banaras

At Varanasi’s Dhrupad Mela, a celebration of classical music unlike any other in India

Thanks are due to the team at First Post. The unedited version placed below. The piece on First Post here.

All images by Roshni Subhash.

During my trips to Ramnagar for the Ramleela I came across people refer to the performance as Mela – celebration of the epic. On similar lines, this music festival, organized under the auspices of the Banaras Vidya Mandir Nyas, and now in its 45^th year, is known as the ‘Dhrupad Mela’ – a celebration of Dhrupad. Where else to celebrate the oldest existing form of north Indian classical music but in one of the oldest cities in the world?  

The entry, like at most music events in town is free, decoration is simple or basic while the artists and connoisseurs mingle (away from the stage) after performances. Absence of the west influenced practices for music concerts, read formal and dry, is conspicuous. Shailaja Khanna, during 2018, wrote, ‘it is not merely a festival of music, but a mela involving more than just music concerts’. Like with else in life, there are those who hold a different view. Nandini Majumdar, during 2015, wrote, ‘Dhrupad Mela remains most of all a kind of mela or fair, which most people – most of all the music community of Banaras – seem to visit for entertainment’. Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar, during his performance on the 2^nd evening, mentioned that he preferred calling it the Dhrupad Samaroh as opposed to the Dhrupad Mela.

Moving ahead of terms coined but staying on the 2^nd evening, Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar’s performance was exquisite. This was the first time I heard him and I more than agree with what Sruthin Lal, during 2016, wrote on Ustad’s singing, ‘It is not uncommon among his listeners to lose track of time or be transported to another world during his performances’. That evening, the 2nd of March, had a total of 13 performances. Three lists were put up bearing artist names – one for Pakhawaj, another for other instruments and the final list for vocals. Each of these boasted of local artists as well; Ankit Parikh for Pakhawaj, Deobrat Mishra for Surbahar and Prof Ritwik Sanyal for vocals amongst others. A simple A4 paper carrying a list was also put up each evening in a corner. It mentioned artists, in order of their performances, that particular evening. In sync with the ambience it mentioned only the start time, 7 pm.  

Performances went on well after sunrise. One of the organizing team members, I had a brief conversation with, shared that he went from the Dhrupad Mela to the Subah E Banaras straight away. Subah E Banaras is the cultural program organized at Assi Ghat each morning. Assi Ghat abuts Tulsi Ghat – the location of the Dhrupad Mela. Location is an area where, to put mildly, Dhrupad Mela is difficult to match. Few steps from the chairs (placed for the audience) took me to the terrace over-looking the river. Some prefer to savour the music from here. As I faced the river I could see the Assi Ghat to my immediate right and the Dufferin (Rajghat) bridge to my far left. Straight ahead, lay darkness. I was then reminded of Aatish Taseer’s eloquent description of this darkness, but for now I move on.

On the third evening I saw people on the ghat below, walking in large numbers – as if a huge tap had opened up and people flowed out in lieu of water. They were undertaking the annual pilgrimage – Panch Koshi Yatra – a 75 km walk. A different world, a different people. This was also the evening it rained. The lights went off, for a brief period, but the performance continued.

That evening I also caught Akhtarbhai alone. I had noticed his stall, next to the coffee-stall, last year as well, having tanpuras on display. Akhtarbhai has been attending the Dhrupad Mela since 20 years; the only music event he attends regularly. This year his son too accompanied him and together they had got with them the tanpuras, in the train. Their’s is one of the approximately 50 families in Miraj (Sangli, Maharashtra) making Tanpuras. They make other string instruments as well. Ankit Agarwal in his article, during 2017, states, that ‘Other important places known for making of the tanpura are Thanjavur, Rampur and Banaras.’ As we discussed he shared that the gourds, for the tanpuras, came from Pandharpur (Solarpur, Maharashtra). When I asked him where he put up during his Banaras trips – he smiled and said Rewa Kothi. This palace, donated to Banaras Hindu University, is currently used as a hostel for students of performing and visual arts. During their stay Akhtarbhai and his son also repaired the tanpuras of these students. Ustad Zakir Hussain had mentioned, during an interview, that the audience for Indian classical music was only rising in numbers. Akhtarbhai’s views, on the subject, were on similar lines.

The 4th, and the final, day had 11 performers including those from Austria, Kathmandu and France. This year also saw an increase in the number of young female performers. Pandit Bhajan Sopori stated that innovation was crucial in music as he set the Santoor. Like he had done during the previous year’s edition as well, he elevated the bar for the evening and had the audience go into an attentive silence. The silence, ended after the performance, with a ‘Har Har Mahadev’. He made me wonder on how different the same music instrument can sound in different hands.

It does not have the tag of the biggest or THE music festival in town only because the town is Banaras. And it is a testimony to Banaras’ identity as the cultural capital that the day Dhrupad Mela had its final set of performances, another event, less than half an hour’s walk away, had its first. The, 3 day, Shivratri Sangeet Mahotsav boasted of performances by artists like Ustad Moinuddin Khan and Sonal Mansingh.