Latest news with #Dhrupad
The Hindu
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Delhi's calligraphers are struggling to protect their art
'Calligraphy is an art of beautiful writing; it is meditation where you nurture each piece with love,' says Qamar Dagar, calligraphy artist and recipient of 2016 Naari Shakti Puraskar. Her skilful blending of Urdu and Hindi scripts is a visual treat for the audience. Qamar, who hails from Dagar family renowned for its expertise in Dhrupad music, grew up in a household that breathed art and always welcomed prominent poets, painters and philosophers. As a child she imbibed everything creative without realising how it was shaping her. Interested in visual arts, she began designing posters for classical music programmes, paving her way to calligraphy. 'I used to make up to 50 posters, all handwritten and repeating the same info', says Qamar. With Hindi and Urdu close to her heart, Qamar says she used to get excited by the idea of Hindi written from left to right and Urdu from right to left. Her art, she says, is the 'coming together of two streams'. Inspired by Nature, music, and her spiritual guide Hazrat Amin Abdullah Khan, Qamar's art works engage audiences in a meaningful dialogue, exploring the abstractions of language and human emotions. Concerned about limited number of calligraphers left due to lack of opportunities, Qamar initiated a programme in 2010 aimed at preserving the art of calligraphy with sustainable space for the artists. As founder of Qalamkari Calligraphy Creative Trust, she proffers the idea of 'giving as you receive'. Calligraphy is like meditation; it allows you to have a dialogue with yourself,' says Qamar. Multi-lingual calligraphist While Qamar breathes new life into Hindi and Urdu Scripts, Mohammed Mohsin Ul Haque keeps the tradition alive across languages including English, Urdu, Odia and Hindi. 'Calligraphy is the highest form of line art that requires lot of practice,' he says. Haque has been a practitioner of multilingual calligraphy for close to four decades. He moved to Delhi from Odisha and lives with his family in Malviya Nagar in pursuit of better opportunities. From his school days, he was praised for his beautiful handwriting and his teachers always assigned him the task of creating posters. 'My art came from my grandfather Muhammed Ikram Ul Haque who was a good calligrapher.' Haque works with universities across India, writing degree certificates, carving name on mementoes for companies, and also takes time out to teach the art to children. Haque began with crafting invitation letters and cards for special occasions, designing logos and certificates. 'This was before digitalisation took over,' says the 63-year-old. It is important to know a language and its history to be able to perform well, he adds. While most of his students learn the art with passion, only a few are motivated to pursue it as a career. 'It demands full time attention and engagement but with little remuneration,' he says. Urdu letters in ink In a city racing towards the future, one man's ink holds back the tide. Mohammad Ghalib, 62, says calligraphy is not just written words; it is the art of breathing life into letters, where ink becomes memory and every stroke whispers history. Urdu calligraphy, known as the 'bride of calligraphy scripts', is an art of preserving a language of love and resistance, he adds, as he dips a finely-sharpened bamboo reed, the tip honed to precision, in black ink to begin a work of art sitting inside the Kutub Khana Anjuman-e-Taraqqi-e-Urdu, a bookstore with a beautiful view of the majestic Jama Masjid. Ghalib learnt the art in a madarsa in Darul Uloom, Deoband, Uttar Pradesh. His teachers ingrained into him that mastery would come only through repeating the same work. 'Each letter was practiced a thousand times, until muscle and memory worked in quiet harmony. We had to devote one hour daily until our writing was perfect.' He recalls the days when the market thrived on the art of hand-lettered Urdu script and his craft adorned wedding invitations, official documents and the pages of Urdu newspapers. 'People would come to me for everything—from writing names on voters' lists and designing hoardings to crafting the perfect words for invitations of all kinds,' he says, adding that the business has fallen silent now. But it has not stopped him from chasing the elegance of a dying script. 'Earlier calligraphers would sit together giving shape to beautiful letters; then printing press snatched away the craftsmanship and produced artistically designed letters mechanically. Today one computer gets the same job done within a fraction of time, cost and effort. Back in the day, the government helped to set up the Ghalib Academy and the Urdu Academy to promote the art of calligraphy. Now, the art does not offer a sustainable means of living. As a result people are not interested in pursuing it,' he rues. 'Only the artist connected to this art know the emotional weight it carries. The human warmth and personal touch that were inherent in each handwritten piece, is going extinct,' he says. Fathima Zahra and Adeeba Jamal
New Indian Express
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Dhrupad notes stir soulful peace in Hyderabad concert
HYDERABAD: Dhrupad, a serene and meditative form of Hindustani Classical music, goes beyond entertainment to evoke inner peace. This essence was beautifully captured on June 28 at Ravindra Bharati, during a soulful performance by students of the Dhruvpad Gurukulam Foundation. The event marked the sixth anniversary of the foundation, established in 2019 by Manish Kumar, a noted Dhrupad musician, and art enthusiast Vijaya L Ramam. Accompanied by Dnyaneshwar Deshmukh on the pakhawaj, the students delivered a three-hour musical journey that immersed the audience in the spiritual depth of Dhrupad. The programme began with a Ganesh Vandana in Raag Bhupali, introduced through a calming alaap by Sindhu Rajesuryah, followed by the bandish Sankara Suta Ganesha and Sur Laya Bhed Ko Bakhan. Senior students then took the stage: Supriti Chakraborti presented Saghana Bana Chhaayo in Raag Bhairav, while Shivali Shukla sang Tero Daras Se in Raag Yaman. Premlatha Zaveri performed Kahaan Se Tum Mad Pi Aaye Ho in Raag Bihaag, followed by Sannihita Murthy's powerful Jab Kartaar Karam Kare in Raag Pardeep. Raag Chandrakauns came alive with Vamsi Madhavi and Mahati's rendition of Chalo Sakhi Braj Mein Dhoom Machi and Hey Shiva Shankara. The concert concluded with Hriday Bhushan's emotive Aayi Hai Ghata and Shambu Bholanath in Miyan ki Malhaar. Manish, who has been teaching Dhrupad for over a decade, expressed pride as he spoke about his students: 'They are of different ages and from diverse occupations but are still so dedicated to Dhrupad.' Vijaya, who is 81, revealed that she started learning the Dhrupad style when she was 70. She told TNIE, 'In a world with digital dominance, I urge more youngsters to take up music. Dhrupad, in particular, brings peace to a listener. However, not many Dhrupad concerts have been taking place in Hyderabad. So, Manish and I have been promoting it greatly.'
Indian Express
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Tansen's grave ‘deserves to be protected': Madhya Pradesh HC denies nod for religious, cultural activities at Gwalior monument
Observing that the monument that houses the grave of Tansen, one of the 'nine jewels' in the court of Mughal emperor Akbar, deserves to be protected, the Madhya Pradesh High Court dismissed an appeal seeking permission to perform religious and cultural activities at the tomb of Hazrat Sheikh Muhammad Ghaus in Gwalior. The tomb of Hazrat Sheikh Muhammad Ghaus was declared a protected monument of national importance in 1962 under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. A Bench of Justice Anand Pathak and Justice Hirdesh noted that the monument 'deserves to be protected with utmost care and caution' and no such activities, as sought by the appellant, can be permitted. '…Constitutional vision and constitutional morality ought to prevail over personal and vested interest. It (the monument) deserves to be protected with utmost care and caution, and no activity as sought by the petitioner can be permitted, lest the monument lose its originality, sanctity and vitality. It would be a national loss then,' the court said on June 16. According to court documents, the premises of the monument contain the graves of musical maestro Tansen and Sufi saint Hazrat Sheikh Muhammad Ghaus, both from the 16th century. The court documents said Tansen was remembered for his classical Dhrupad compositions. 'Dhrupad, an epic form of music, is considered to be invented by Raja Man Singh Tomar (ruler of Gwalior), in medieval times,' the court said, while reasoning that the monument where he is laid to rest deserves preservation and protection. The court was dealing with an appeal by one Syed Sabla Hasan, who claimed that he is the Sajjada Nashin (spiritual caretaker) and the legal heir of Hazrat Sheikh Muhammad Ghaus. It was argued on his behalf that various religious and cultural practices had been performed at the dargah premises for over 400 years and that their discontinuation by the Archaeological Survey of India, following the declaration of the site as a protected monument, was arbitrary and illegal. The court stressed that 'it is the duty of the ASI and the district administration to protect this monument of national importance with utmost care and strictness' so that the monument carrying history and culture can be preserved.
New Indian Express
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Day 5 of SPIC MACAY fest a warm, melodic embrace
The 10th International Convention of SPIC MACAY, being held at IIT Hyderabad, continued to unfold a vibrant tapestry of sacred music and deep cultural immersion on Day 5. The day began with a diverse array of workshops that showcased India's cultural and spiritual depth. Participants started their mornings with Hatha Yoga sessions led by Swami Tyagarajananda and Zarna Mohan, alongside tranquil meditation sessions with the Brahma Kumaris offering a grounding start steeped in discipline and mindfulness. There was Dhrupad training by Ustad Wasiffuddin Dagar, and Hindustani vocal sessions by Jayateerth Mevundi, giving young participants a direct experience of India's classical music traditions. Adding a Western twist, the Neemrana Music Foundation Choir introduced foundational elements of Western classical music and harmony, offering a rare blend of global and local musical pedagogy. Visual and performing arts had their moment in the spotlight too. Kathakali was taught by veteran Kalamandalam Balasubramaniam, bringing the dramatic storytelling dance form alive. Participants also explored traditional art through hands-on sessions in Gond painting with Bhajju Shyam, Majuli mask-making with Hem Chandra Goswami, Cheriyal painting with D Vaikuntam, and Kalamkari with Niranjan Jonnalagadda — each rooted in centuries-old folk traditions. The afternoon took on a spiritual tone. A meditative choral performance by the Neemrana Music Foundation Choir opened the session, gracefully blending Indian and Western sacred music motifs. This was followed by a deeply moving Shabad Kirtan by Bhai Gurudev Singh Hazuri, who performed Sikh devotional hymns that filled the hall with peace and introspection.
New Indian Express
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Dive deep into Dhrupad with Anant Gundecha
In fact, the Gundecha Brothers established the Dhrupad Sansthan in Bhopal. It is a unique musical academy patterned after the ancient guru-shishya (teacher-disciple) tradition of education, which the young singer swears by. 'When I attended one of the classes, I realised that the reason I am not getting bored is because it can be improvised — there is no fixed way to go about it. Every time you attempt a raag, you are searching for something new,' he shares, with eagerness in his voice. So, what is Anant's favourite raag? Initially hesitant to choose, he eventually relents, saying, 'Raag Bhimpalasi, an early evening raag. It is still in my mind because I taught everyone this raag in the workshop.' Anant is someone with a unique understanding of Hindustani classical music. While his knowledge comes from two Dhrupad stalwarts, he is aware of changing times and realities. As such, he urges aspiring singers in the tradition to first find a good guru. 'That is the most important step. Next, completely surrender to what your guru advises. As students, we tend to carry some ego, questioning authority. But don't question…simply imbibe,' he underscores. At the same time, he highlights the gaps in the music space, saying, 'Institutional support is needed to reach out to newer, younger audiences. When children are exposed to music early on, they are likely to embrace it with much more warmth as they grow older, correct? Ideally, each city should have five to six music circles that invite both local and visiting musicians. If artists consistently present good music, a good audience will naturally build over time.' It's simple — for Anant, music is what made him who he is today. 'It has taught me many, many lessons, and I keep learning.'
