Sarangi master due in Auckland next week

Ratna Venkat – 

Sangeet Mishra, a maestro of ‘Sarangi,’ an Indian stringed instrument, will perform in Auckland on Friday, July 8, 2016.

This would be his first visit to New Zealand.

The event, organised by Acharya Ajay Tiwari of ‘Sanskrit Yoga & Jyotish Trust,’ will commence at 7 pm at India Gate Hall, 23 Eric Baker Place in the South Auckland suburb of Papatoetoe.

Entry to the programme, called, ‘Banaarasi Rang, Sangeet Ke Sangh,’ is open to all but the Trust would welcome donations.

Special significance

“We request guests to occupy their seats by 645 pm,” Acharya Tiwari said.

A Hindu Priest, Sanskrit scholar and author of ‘Sanatan Dharam Ke Vidhi Vidhaan,’ a book that explains the meaning of many Hindu rituals (Indian Newslink, August 15, 2014), Acharya Tiwari regards the forthcoming programme with special significance on two counts; it marks his foray into organising cultural programmes; and the visiting artiste hails from his hometown of Varanasi, which is held in religious veneration by hundreds of millions of Hindus worldwide.

‘Banaarasi Rang, Sangeet Ke Sangh’ will be a display dedicated to the glory of Banarasi art, presented by Sangeet in collaboration with Auckland-based artistes, Basant Madhur on Tabla and Ratna Venkat presenting a Kathak dance recital.

Distinguished performer

With a name that bears testimony to his musical lineage, Sangeet Mishra was born in a family of esteemed musicians and belongs to the ‘Banaras Gharana.’

He first learnt vocal music under the guidance of his paternal grandfather, the late Pandit Narayan Das Mishra, and later acquired a strong inclination towards playing the Sarangi under the guidance of his father Pandit Santosh Kumar Mishra and his maternal grandfather, Pandit Bhagwan Das Mishra.

Sangeet was hailed as ‘a child prodigy’ by his gurus and seniors.

Oldest City

“Banaras is considered to be the oldest city in the world, and it is here that many great Indian classical artistes, their successors and predecessors come from,” Acharya Tiwari said.

As an eighth-generation player of Sarangi, Sangeet has worked hard to keep up to his family’s name and reputation. Now based in Mumbai, he continues to evince the interest of people worldwide who know very little about this rare instrument.

He is a specialist in the ‘tantakri’ and ‘gayaki’ styles acquired from his Gurus, aiming to ‘touch the soul’ through Sarangi.

Besides conforming to the tradition, Sangeet has developed an individual style which has allowed him to partake in a number of innovations, be it the intricacies of Indian classical music or the flexibility of Western music.

He and his beloved Sarangi have travelled far and wide, participating in a number of festivals and have successfully collaborated with musicians from various genres and cultures. In addition to being a soloist, Sangeet has gracefully accompanied vocalists, percussionists and dancers.

Hundred Colours

Derived from Persian terminology meaning ‘a hundred colours,’ the Sarangi is so named for its ability to adapt to many styles of vocal music, thus it is known as the ‘singing instrument’ that can replicate the human voice.

In other words, a Sarangi concert is presented in the same manner as a Hindustani Vocal concert, whereby the practitioner has not only to keep in mind the words of classical compositions but also produce the emotional nuances.

Hence it is regarded by many as one of the toughest instruments to master.