Delhi: Ustad Kalaratullah Khan Society presented a Hindustani classical music and dance festival ‘Alankaar’ on April 23-24, 2022 at Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre. The festival took place in celebration of 100 years of tabla legend Ustad Karamatullah Khan. Day 2 of the festival saw two performances. First was a Kathak recital by Samraggi Ghosh, a disciple of Ustad Sabir Khan and Smt. Chetna Jalan followed by Sitar - Violin and Tabla Jugalbandi by Partha Bose, Dr Santosh Kumar Nahar and Durjay Bhaumik respectively.
Ustad Karamatullah Khan (1917-1977) was the 32nd generation of the Farrukhabad gharana who popularised his father's Ustad Masid Khan's Masitkhani gat composition. Now his son, Ustad Sabir Khan, and grandsons, Arif, Asif and Ameen, are taking forward his legacy of Hindustani classical music.
Patrons of art and culture from Delhi came to be part of the festival. All artists were presented with a bouquet by Ustad Sabir Khan.
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The Kathak recital was performed by Samraggi Ghosh from Calcutta in tribute to Kathak legend late Pandit Birju Maharaj. The 'taal' was specially designed by Ustad Sabir Khan and was called ‘Maharaj Ki Sawari’. Musicians including Arif Khan, Asif Khan and Ameen Khan. While introducing the taal, Ustad Sabir Khan said, “Kathak begins and ends with one name, Pandit Birju Maharaj.”
The second performance was a harmonious combination of tabla violin and the sitar. Sitar player Partha Bose says, “Given Khan’s Saab's connection to Delhi, it seems poetic justice that Khan Sahab's festival is being held in Delhi as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrating 75 years of India’s independence.”
