By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 1 May: SPIC MACAY organised a lecture-demonstration on the sitar by renowned sitar player Sahana Banerjee at various schools of Dehradun, including Moravian Institute, Doon International School Riverside, Indian Institute of Petroleum, Shri Ram Centennial School and Central Academy for State Forest Service. Accompanied by Pt Mithilesh Jha on the tabla, Sahana Banerjee presented mesmerising performances that left the audience spellbound.
Belonging to the Rampur Senia Gharana, Sahana Banerjee is one of the leading female sitar players in India. Sahana was born into a family of rich musical heritage and was readily recognised as a child prodigy at the early age of four. Her father, Prof Santhosh Banerjee, is a celebrated Sitar and Surbahar player of India and former Head of the Department of Instrumental Music at Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata. Prof Banerjee was a disciple of the famous ‘Veenkar’ Ustad Md Dabir Khan of Rampur Senia Gharana, whose lineage traces back to Tansen.
Sahana has also received extensive training in vocal music from her illustrious mother, Chhabi Banerjee. Sahana is a recipient of the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, awarded by the Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi. She is a Grade ‘A’ artist with All India Radio and National Television and has been giving recitals since 1995.
Pt Mithilesh Kumar Jha is an accomplished tabla player. He has performed solo and with renowned artists, receiving state and national awards.
During her performances, she played Raga Shudh Sarang, Raag Yaman, Raga Miyan ki Todi, and Raag Tilak Kamod. She also played the Baul Ang of the famous Tagore song, ‘Bhenge Mor Ghorer Chhabi,’ and improvised it in Khamaj. She concluded her session with a lively interactive session with the students, during which she spoke about the origin of the sitar and how a sitar is made.
One of the spectators Jyoti, said, “Sahana Banerjee’s sitar performance was truly mesmerising and transported us to another world. It was an amazing opportunity to witness such a talented artist and learn more about Indian classical music and culture.”
The programme was well-attended by the students and faculty of the schools, who were thoroughly impressed by the performance. The sitar lecture demonstration by Sahana Banerjee was an enriching experience for all, and it furthered SPIC MACAY’s mission of promoting Indian classical music and culture amongst the youth.
