New Delhi, Dec 29: The Dilli Gharana is poised for a two day extravaganza of music and storytelling showcasing its rich legacy and long association with Indian classical and semi-classical music that stretches back to the 13th century.
The two day event is based on two concepts, the first day devoted to ‘Khiraj-e-Aqidat’, a tribute to Taan Samrat Ustad Naseer Ahmed Khan, the guru and legend of Dilli Gharana.
The gharana is noted for a repository of traditional compositions.
“The tribute will be paid by the present Khalifa of the Gharana Ustad Iqbal Ahmeed Khan along with other artists of the gharana such as sitar maestro Ustad Saeed Zafar Khan besides the sons of Ustad Naseer Ahmed Khan namely Tanveer Khan and Imran Khan,” organisers said.
Ustad Saeed Zafar Khan is set to be accompanied by his son Suhel Saeed on Sitar, Ustad Shakeel Ahmed Khan and his son Shahbaz Shakeel on Tabla.
Tanveer Ahmed Khan and Imran Khan on vocals, Babar Latif on Tabla and Zakir Dholpuri on harmonium.
Ustad Saeed Zafar Khan was born in a home where his cradle was literally surrounded by stalwarts of the Delhi gharana like the Ustad Chand Khan, Ustad Usman Khan, Ustad Hilal Ahmed Khan and Ustad Nasir Ahmed Khan (all Vocalists), Ustad Bundukhan (Sarangi Player), Zahoor Ahmed Khan (violinist) and Ustad Zafar Ahmed Khan (sitarist), the last being his father.
Naturally too, his style blends tantrakari (instrumental virtuosity) with flashes of Delhi Gharana Gayaki (Vocalism).
“Rudaad-e-Shireen” celebrates womanhood through a musical story telling based on the bandishes of Hazrat Ameer Khusro and Dastaan Pandit ki is a dastangoi -the lost form of Urdu story telling by prominent dastango- Nadeem Shah Suhrawardy and Shankar Musafir.
