Is it a Veena? Is it a Sitar? Is it a Guitar? Is it a violin? With so many strings attached, would it be the Grand Concert Harp?
How can an artiste present a lengthy concert on an unheard of instrument with the support of just a Tabla artiste (joined at times by another)?
These questions were in the air at the Dorothy Winstone Centre on March 16 before the start of a ‘Mohana Veena’ concert by Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt under the aegis of Sargam School of Music and Mohammed Rafi Academy of Music.
‘Mohana Veena’ (which reflects his middle name, also meaning ‘attractive’), was his invention, to give vent to his innovative spirit.
As Master of Ceremonies Ravi Nyayapathi mentioned, ‘Mohana Veena’ is the improvised and ‘Indianised’ version of the Hawaiian guitar, with Pandit Bhatt’s assimilation of Sitar, Sarod and Veena.
Innovative instrument
“He has given it an evolutionary design and shape by adding 14 more stings.”
According to another source, Pandit Bhatt modified the Archtop guitar, added strings as he began to experiment with ragas, songs and bhajans. Mohana Veena today comprises three melody strings, five drone strings to the peg head and 12 sympathetic strings strung to the tunes mounted on the side of the neck. The neck resembles a Veena and hence perhaps its reference in the nomenclature.
My knowledge of music and more so of musical instruments is limited and it was no surprise that there were many in the auditorium who were unaware of some facts about the instrument and the artiste.
Held on the lap like a slide guitar, Mohana Veena undergoes tremendous tension, with the total strings pull in excess of 227 kilograms (500 pounds). Pandit Bhatt has inspired and taught many others to play the instrument. They include fusion artiste Harry Manx and former Counting Crows bassist Matt Malley.
The numbers that Pandit Bhatt chose and the ragas that he decided to execute, the performance of the accompanying Tabla artiste Basant Madhur (and for a couple of numbers by Avirbhav Verma) and the interlude at which four young artistes played on the Tabla and Violin form a part of a review appearing elsewhere in this Section.
Winner of several national and international awards including the Grammy, Pandit Bhatt has received accolades of many celebrity musicians.
