Sarod Masters Amaan Ali Bangash & Ayaan Ali Bangash perform on the eve of Makarsankranti at Parle Tilak Vidyalaya.

Sarod Masters Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash perform along with Pandit Vijay Ghate on the Tabla and Sridhar Parthasarathy on the Mridangam, on the eve of Makarsankranti at Hridayesh Festival at Parle Tilak Vidyalaya. Check out the adjacent pictures! 

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan-Ayaan perform to packed audiences at dawn at The Gateway of India

Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan-Ayaan perform to packed audiences at dawn at The Gateway of India

It was a unique spiritual dawn at The Gateway of India when Sarod masters Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash took to stage accompanied by Pandit Vijay Ghate on the Tabla and Giridhar Udapa on the Ghatam… From darkness to dawn, a jam-packed historical venue resonated with melody.

Soon, the sun rose to greet Sarod Maestro Amjad Ali Khan as he greeted the audiences with Raag Jounpuri, humorously stating that he wasn’t having pedicure but actually filing his nails midway through performance as he needs to play the Sarod with his nails.

The grand finale and the third part of the concert was when the father-sons trio took to stage and mesmerized the audiences along with their esteemed accompanists, leaving audiences spellbound. Interestingly, this father-son performed together in Mumbai after five years!

The spiritual morn was courtesy, Pancham Nishad Creatives, in collaboration with the Cultural Department of Maharashtra and Mumbai Port Trust as was a non-ticketed event.

Says Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, “this early morning concert is a tribute to our ancestors who respected the time of the ragas.”

Adds Shashi Vyas said, "The idea of commencing the concert at dawn gives the audience a chance to listen to some soul-stirring morning melodies that are best appreciated only at this time."

JOSH Foundation's inter-school dance competition for the hearing impaired with Poonam Pandey, Devangi Dalal, Dr.Jayant Gandhi, Ali Asgar, Kunickaa Sadanand, Sanjay Chhel, Aneel Murarka & many others.

Lend these kids your ears!

It was a momentous day for JOSH Foundation when a 100 hearing impaired children from seven schools took to stage,  dancing to songs, choreographed on the diverse culture of India. With parents, Principals, and Dr.Jayant Gandhi and Audiologist-Speech Therapist Devangi Dalal cheering on, the children to danced artistically choreographed numbers in sync. Not one made it evident that he/she is hearing impaired! Hearing impairment aids were also distributed to children on the occasion.

ENT Specialist Dr.Jayant Gandhi and Audiologist-Speech Therapist Devangi Dalal are behind many a children learning to overcome their hearing impairment, under their tutelege, as infants, or from the time their hearing impairment has been detected.

Says Geeta Shelar, Principal, Sadhana Vidyalaya For Deaf, "Today, each child has emerged a winner as they took to stage and overcame their impairment to emerge victorious.  Not one of them wants to come second or third. They all wish to be No 1. This is the strength that JOSH Foundation's initiative has given them."

Adds Devangi Dalal, "When a child learns a dance from, say, Assam, he decides to learn about the culture, the region, the geographical and historical significance, the costumes among others. The child lives and breathes Assam and when they perform, they exude that confidence that comes from the strength of knowledge. Not one child missed a step. Tomorrow,  these children will grow up to be engineers, choreographers,  entrepreneurs, in their own right.  One of my students went to the University of Rochester and wrote a mail saying he was the only hearing impaired student who could speak and he learnt sign language to communicate with his hearing impaired peers at the college. His learning here ensured he could communicate and speak though he could not hear.  Now that is something we want each of these children to do -- grow up to be people who make a dent in any field they choose. And emerge winners always.”

Sarod Maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan performs at the Chhtarapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sanghrahalaya [Prince of Wales Museum] after Two Decades

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya(Prince of Wales Museum) resonated to the sound of Ustad Amjad Ali Khan’s Sarod on Friday evening. The maestro's performance is part of the celebration of the momentous exhibition, India & The World: A History of Nine Stories, at the CSMVS that celebrates the Indian culture and its interaction with the rest of the world. Ustadji being a leading exponent of Sarod, an instrument that has its roots in Central Asia and a globally celebrated artist was perfect to represent this exchange of India with the world. 

The crowd remained mesmerised for over 90 minutes rooted to their seats, clapping as Ustadji with musicians Pandit Vijay Ghate on the tabla and Sridhar Parthasarthy on the mridangam took us on a melodious musical journey, sometimes with soulful ragas and other times with energetic jugalbandis, that made the museum come alive, literally!

Glimpses...

Sarod Maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan performs at the Vrindaban Gurukul

Vrindaban Gurukul resonated to the sound of Ustad Amjad Ali Khan’s Sarod on Saturday evening. The maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan performed with Pandit Vijay Ghate. 

The crowd remained mesmerised for over 90 minutes rooted to their position, clapping as Ustadji with Pandit Vijay Ghate on the tabla took us on a melodious musical journey, sometimes with soulful ragas and other times with energetic jugalbandis, that made the gurukul come alive. All in all, an eventful evening indeed. Glimpses...