Swami Haridas-Tansen Festival, fixture in Delhi’s winter calendar, to take place this weekend

For nearly three decades, Swami Haridas-Tansen Sangeet Nritya Mahotsava has stood firm in the rapidly changing cultural climate of the Capital. In its 27th year in Delhi and 35th if one considers its beginning in Vrindavan, it has been supported and sustained by Kathak dancer Uma Sharma, 84, and DCM Group Director, Vinay Bharatram, 90. Presented by Sharma and HCL Concderts, the festival has also been supported by SRF Foundation, Sri Ram Centre for Performing Arts and Indian National Theatre Trust. When the festival began in Vrindavan, Sharma would collaborate with the priest of the Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan for it.

“It is that time of the year again when I am very excited. When the time comes for the festival, I want to not come back home. I want to sleep there, eat there and just listen to music,” says Sharma, who will also perform on Day 3 of the festival, which opens today (January 9) at Shankar Lal Hall in Delhi’s Modern School.

Sharma will return to perform in a wheelchair and will rely on eloquence of bhaav rather than footwork. “Bhaav for me, however, is a gift from Shambhu Maharaj,” says Sharma, about who trained under the aegis of Jaipur gharana before imbibing expression training from Maharaj of the Lucknow gharana.

Uma Sharma

The festival will open with a performance by mohan veena exponent Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, setting the tone for the evenings to follow. The opening day will also feature the evocative folk traditions of Manganiyar musicians from Rajasthan. The second day will present a familiar presence — sitar exponent Ustad Shujaat Khan, who will showcase the distinctive elegance of the Imdadkhani baaj. Day 2 will also feature Jaipur-Atrauli gharana vocalist and noted academic Ashwini Bhide Deshpande. Her performance will be followed by a sarod recital by Amaan Ali Khan and will conclude with a performance by Ulhas Kashalkar, whose rigorous training in Gwalior, Jaipur and Agra gharana and fine presentation has established him as one of the finest and more accomplished male Hindustani classical vocalists in contemporary classical music.

Day 3 will open with a performance by 87-year-old Hariprasad Chausaria. He sounds nothing like he used to, especially after a car accident that affected one of his arms, but listening to him live in a concert is a rare treat as it comes with years of brilliance and dedicated spiritual practice he brings along. The performance will be followed by a santoor recital by Rahul Sharma and will conclude with a finale performance by one of Patiala gharana’s most significant woman artistes, Begum Parveen Sultana, known for her rare ability to balance spareness with restraint.

Entry to the three-day festival is free.