Chandigarh, February 20 : The 5th annual "Guru Madan Lal Koser – Guru Shobha Koser Award" for excellence in the realm of performing arts was presented today at a glittering function organized by the Pracheen Kala Kendra at M.S. Randhawa Auditorium, Sector-16, here. The two immaculate stars of Indian classical music and dance who received the award were Tabla maestro Pandit Shankar Ghosh and Kathak virtuoso of Banaras Gharana Guru Sunayana Hazarilal.
Accompanied by Kathak Guru Shobha Koser and Sh. S.K. Monga, IAS, Sh. Sajal Koser, Vice-Chairman and Secretary of the Kendra respectively, the creator of Rock Garden Shri Nek Chand conferred the award on both the exponents. Each recipient was presented a shawl, a memento, a citation besides a sum of Rs. 51,000/-.
The award ceremony was followed by a well-knit concert of percussion music and dance featuring Shankar Ghosh (Tabla solo) and Sunayana Hazarilal (Kathak dance). One of world’s greatest Tabla players, Shankar Ghosh’s music is the spontaneous expression of powerful emotions and his deep knowledge of the Tabla. His ingenuity has ushered in a purely new style of Tabla playing. It is undoubtedly through his clarity and elegance of performance both as an accompanist and as a soloist that he has achieved such fame throughout the world as a true master of the drum.
He began his recital with traditional starting point Peshkar in a rarely heard ‘Nasrukh taal’ laced in 9 matra, introduction the audience to a wider range of phrases and sounds. Shankar Ghosh, the magician of Tabla, then moved on to present Qayida, the most important form because of its great potential for elaboration. He showed his prowess in mastering difficult Relas, Tukre and Chakradar Parans. It was followed by a sequence of improvised variations known as Paltas played according to set rules. He showed his skill in reaching the ‘sam’ with ‘tihais’ casting a magical spell on the audience.
The tukre, chakradar gat set to ‘Taal matra’ proved Shankar’s complete command over the Tabla playing with very crisp and clear hand. He reflected dexterity of hand, a mathematically precise approach, artistic endurance, appealing and captivating the masses instantaneously. He was accompanied by Navtej Singh on the Nagma (Harmonium).
Amidst lofty applause the star performer of Kathak from Mumbai, Guru Sunayana Hazarilal took the centre stage. She regaled the audience with her fine combination of intensive abhinaya and technical expertise while executing the fundamental patterns of the Banaras gharana Kathak after an invocation piece ‘vandana’. She then moved on to present pure Kathak sequences like thaat, tode, tukre, chakradar paran, gat nikas, etc. to the point of perfection.
She was at her best in presenting a Thumri “Aaye ri baanke more sayian”. Sunayana demonstrated her impressive ability to control footwork as well as abhinaya presentation in this piece suiting to the essence of the theme. She concluded her recital with a Jugalbandi with Tabla.
Somnath Mishra (vocal) and Tabla maestro Kalinath Mishra provided excellent support to the danseuse.