Festival celebrates 'Guru-Shishya' tradition

Taking forward the tradition of transmitting art and culture through generations, a new festival here is celebrating the unique relationship between the master and his disciple.
"Uttaradhikar" organised annually by the Raza Foundation, features eminent Gurus of Indian classical art forms, who select one of their disciples to perform at the festival.
"Inheritance and transference in classical arts in India are complex issues. In spite of modernization of education and training, the 'Guru-Shishya' parampara has remained vital, relevant and active, and our festival is very much in keeping with the mandate of Raza Saheb (the late artist S H Raza) who was deeply invested in keeping these traditions alive," Ashok Vajpeyi, managing trustee of the foundation, said.

In its second edition, 'Uttaradhikar' is hosting six artistes from around the country from various domains of instrumental and vocal music, and classical dance.
Under the guru-shishya parampara, the masters introduce the disciple, affirming them as an inheritor of their tradition and style of the art form.
The disciple, in a way, is the torchbearer who will carry forward the dance/music tradition of their Guru.

"At one level the series features some of the most well- trained and talented young performers of classical music and classical dance and, at another, it affords the classical rasikas to view the current status of the Guru-Shishya Parampara," Vajpeyi said.

The festival that opened on October 3 at the India Habitat Centre here, saw a Sitar recital by Rajeev Janardhan, a disciple of Pandit Arvind Parikh. The evening was taken forward by Kathak dancer Rupanshi Kashyap, trained under renowned dancer Padma Bhushan Kumudini Lakhia.
The second day will see a performance by Hindustani vocalist Saniya Patankar, a disciple of Vidushi Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, followed by Manipuri dance by S Karuna Devi, a disciple of Preeti Patel.
Sarangi expert Farooque Lateef Khan, a disciple of late Ustad Abdul Lateef Khan, and Odissi dancer Pavithra Reddy, a disciple of Surupa Sen, will bring the festival to a close on October 5.