RKJ organizes classical music concert by women quartet

Lalit Gupta

Artistes performing during music concert. -Excelsior/Rakesh
Artistes performing during music concert. -Excelsior/Rakesh

JAMMU, Mar 10: In a befitting finale to the Women Week Celebrations, Radio Kashmir Jammu hosted a historic Indian classical music concert in which all four artistes were nationally acclaimed women practitioners hailed as serious young exponents of Indian classical music in the country.
The first of its kind in winter capital, the concert held at Brig. Rajinder Singh Auditorium, University of Jammu, figured promising women quartet which included Geetika Umedkar Masurkar, Kakli Mukerjee, both vocalists, Chitrangana Agle Reshwal, the first ever women Pakhawaj player and Dr Radhika Umedkar Budhkar, first ever Vichitra Veena player of India.
Today’s concert, which will be remembered by audience which comprised of discerning local community of classical musicians, music aficionados, faculty members, students of JU and members of civil society, started with vocal recital by Geetika Umedkar Masurkar. An exponent of Gwalior gharana, granddaughter of well known guru Balbhau Umedkar, she started with a composition in Raag Hamir, followed it with a tappa.
Chitrangana Agle Reshwal, who has made her place in the male bastion of Pakhawaj, and figures in Limca Book of Records, started her recital with Taal Choutal and followed with two more compositions that made many a head sway in ecstasy. Kakli Mukerjee from Kolkata, also impressed with her perfect recital.
The Vichitra Veena recital by Dr Radhika Umedkar Budhkar was another highlight of the concert as there are not many artistes in the country who are playing this old and difficult instrument that traces its origin in ancient Ektantri Veena. Her presentation was marked with deep understanding of ragas and weaving of various intricate musical patterns and their rhythmic synchronization.
The local talented young female musicians who gave accompaniment to the invited artistes on Tanpura were Nidhi Kaila, Vanshika Jaral and Anajli Sharma and Darbari Lal Kaswalia on Hanrmonium.
Held in collaboration with Dean, Student Welfare, JU, the chief guest of the concert was Priya Sethi, Minister of State for Information, Culture and Education, who appreciated talent of these determined daughters of India and hoped that women of Jammu will also achieve similar distinctions.
Other prominent among the audience included Arvinder Singh Aman, additional secretary, J&K Cultural Academy, Saujanya Sharma, director Information, Dean, Studnet welafare, JU, V K Sambyal, Station Director, Radio Kashmir Jammu.