Amir Khusro was an Indo-Persian Sufi singer, poet and scholar. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The lively flute and keyboard solo on ‘Jai Jai Nizamuddin’ went well with the melodious vocals, which were dedicated by poet-composer Amir Khusro to his spiritual guru Nizamuddin Auliya. The song, composed in Raag Todi, was a fitting start to the thematic concert Hazrat Amir Khusro Project, conceptualised and curated by keyboardist and fusion musician Abhijeet Pohankar at the intimate Ved Kunba auditorium in Mumbai.
Abhijeet’s idea was to present a mix of popular and rare compositions, which also featured singers Gandhar Deshpande and Kalpana Gandharva. For nearly 90 minutes, he was accompanied by percussionist Shikhar Nad Qureshi, flautist Tejas Vinchurkar, tabla player Amit Mishra and bass player Sabyasachi Deb, who took the audience down memory lane.
Amir Khusro (1258-1325) was known for making many innovations in Indian music. He composed qawwali and tarana, and is also credited with inventing the sitar. Abhijeet has been studying Khusro’s compositions for the past few years. “The audience is familiar with only a few of his songs like ‘Chaap Tilak’. I wanted to do a structured programme where I would introduce some lesser-known gems,” he says.
Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah is a historical site in Delhi. Amir Khusro’s ‘Jai Jai Nizamuddin’ is dedicated to his spiritual guru Nizamuddin Auliya. Photo courtesy: Special Arrangement
Thus, Gandhar, son of classical singer Pandit Ram Deshpande, sang the Raga Bahaar composition ‘Phool Bane Sarso Sakal Bane’ after ‘Jai Jai Nizamuddin’. However, singer Raja Hassan’s version of this song was recently featured in a Netflix series. HiramandiAbhijeet’s composition gave Gandhar the freedom to improvise nuances. The singer gave a stunning performance in a 13-minute tarana in Raga Malkauns, beginning with a flute-keyboard interaction and including a percussion solo by Shikhar Naad.
Kalpana sang ‘Man Kunto Maula’ and Farewell (Bride’s farewell) Sang the song ‘Kahe Ko Byahi Bides’. His voice has a rustic charm suitable for such songs. He sang his song on audience’s demand Hiramandi The song ‘Ek Baar Dekh Liye’ composed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and written by AM Turaz. Although it was loved by most of the audience, and is also a brilliant composition, it deviated from the main theme.
Kalpana Gandharva singing at the Amir Kharau Project. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The programme was introduced and summarized by host Shweta Padda, which ended with a medley of bandish ‘Mora Jubna’ and the popular ‘Chaap Tilak’, in which both the singers participated, along with a fast keyboard solo. Abhijeet said that he is planning to use some Persian composition like ‘Zahal-e-Miskin’ in the next edition.
For the past few years, the mystic poet’s works have been showcased at festivals such as Jahan-e-Khusrau, initiated by filmmaker Muzaffar Ali in New Delhi, and the multi-city Khusrau-Kabir presented by Banyan Tree. These have featured different artists, while this presentation plans to feature the same group during each show. “In my fusion projects, I retain the traditional elements of singing, but use contemporary arrangements to give them a modern flavour,” says Abhijeet.
Gandhar with keyboardist and project curator Abhijeet Pohankar | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Abhijeet, the son of classical singer Pandit Ajay Pohankar, started playing classical music on the keyboard. His albums with his father include ‘Piya Bawri’, which blends classical music with lounge, and Thumri Funk, which features modern interpretations of light classical compositions. In 2018, he started the Bollywood Gharana Concert Series, featuring singers Bhavya Pandit and Gandhar Deshpande.
Abhijeet says, “It is a mix between Bollywood and classical music. I take a popular song, where Bhavya sings it in a familiar form. Then, I look for a classical equivalent in the same raga or thaat. This is performed by Gandhara.” Continuing with Bollywood Gharana, he plans to do more shows in the Hazrat Amir Khusro Project. “Amir Khusro’s repertoire is very vast, and we can do a lot more. This is just the beginning,” he concludes.
