Girija Devi's thumri delights

One of the two most respected and widely known exponents of thumri, the light classical form of Hindustani music, in Girija Devi, the other being Shobha Gurtu.

Differents facets of Girija Devi's vocalism could be gleaned from listening to her recital on Saturday, at the Kanshiram Agarwal Hall in Ahmedabad during the current Saptak Festival.

Thumri may lack the virility of musical expression of the Dhrupad or Khayal systems, but it is characterised by a striking note of tenderness and human love.

No performing musician is known to have attained dominance in the musical world on the strength of his or her rendering of thumri, except very few who can be counted on one's fingertips.

Girija Devi, daughter of thumri queen Siddeshwari Devi of yesteryear, is the most acknowledged singer with a string of titles and awards - doctorate, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Sangeet Natak Academy fellowship and a long list of other titles.

Assisted by two very able vocal supporters, Girija Devi sang so impressively - and movingly too - in a way that the music lovers felt gratefully assured of the undiluted variety.

In a way Girija Devi is to Hindustani music, what D K Pattammal is to Carnatic music for their purposeful commitment in upholding music.

Pandit Kishan Maharaj's opening number a Kedar-Thumri, was a majestic twosome of sound - of nada and laya.

The subsequent light varieties of dadra, thappa and bhajans showed the beauty of Indian music.

A vocal recital by Ashok Shah and Susheel Bhavsar, both from Gujarat and guitar solo by Kamala Shankar were the other performances.

While Kamala Shankar's guitar regaled with her customary alap-jor-jhala movements in Bageshree and the subsequent Pahadi dhun, the two vocalists Shah and Bhavsar were a treat to watch in their joint effort to delineate Dhaashri in vilambit and dhrut khayal.

The focal point of Kamala Shankar was the reverberating climaxing sequence in fast teen tall - the piece-de-resistance of guitar solo.

Vineet Vyas a young student of Pandit Kishen Maharaj provided ale accompaniment.

Vinod Vaishnav and Amit Thakkar on the tabla and harmonium sangeet respectively to Shah and Bhavsar maintained the opening musical spirit of the evening

Compiled from local news media