Kafi with Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty electrifies Amdavadi rasikas

Nawab Kalb Ali Khan (1865-1887) of Rampur - now in Uttar Pradesh - was a worshipful disciple of Bahadur Khan, an ustad of sursingar (a precursor of sarod). The nawab's love for his mentor inflamed wild envy in his courtiers. The nawab decided to use music to eliminate the meanness.

One day, he ordered the courtiers to report to his durbar at a particular time. Before the session was to begin, he requested Ustad Bahadur Khan to start playing outside the durbar hall. No courtier kept the appointment that day. The ustad's mastery not only froze the courtiers, but also purged their souls.

If Ustad Bahadur Khan made the courtiers put off their durbar appearance, Pandit Chakraborty made Amdavadi audience put their lives on hold.

At the festival venue - Amrut Mody School of Management - one young neo-rasika gushed: "Is raat ki subah nahin honi chahiye' (This night should not end!). Panditji elucidated Kafi, a raga not normally associated with the khayal form he presented. But because of his supreme saadhana, Kafi looked as resplendent and proud on khayal as jewellery would on a beautiful bride.

As for his Saptak performance, panditji set his own composition to Kafi. He began with the hymnal deliberation of 'Jako man laago' and then roused the sparklier disposition of the raga with 'Batiya banavo nahin bar bar'. In the finale - 'Ja rey koyaliya', panditji annexed every register with regal authority. Kafi expressed its innate shringar ras like a lover's heart: surging at the sight of the beloved; plummeting at the moment of farewell; and soaring again when an embrace is granted.

TOI