NCPA-CITI Music Workshop

Exploration of bandish with special reference to Gwalior gharana

A free workshop on Zoom by Dr. Vidyadhar Vyas
(Approx. 60 mins followed by Q&A session)

In the context of Indian art (classical) music performance, the main objective is to portray the personality of a raga in an unambiguous manner, with maximum aesthetic effect. A good composition, often referred to as bandish, helps achieve this. Basically, a bandish holds within its structure, elements that can be improvised upon, and hence, serves as an edifice upon which the architecture of a raga can be sculpted.

It becomes imperative therefore, for a performer to understand the various modalities that could be adopted in the exploration of a bandish. Some techniques are, no doubt, gharana– (school/style) specific. Nevertheless, there are exploratory facets that lie beyond the gharana framework, which are equally crucial for enhancing the overall effect of a raga presentation.

The Gwalior gharana is regarded as the fountainhead of all gharanas that emerged later. Its aesthetic ideology hinges on presenting commonly known ragas in a style that is well-balanced with equal significance to svara, raga, tala, bandish as well as improvisatory modalities such as alap, bolalap, tan, boltan, sargam etc.

Groomed in the tradition of the Gwalior gharana by his illustrious father, Narayanrao Vyas, Vidyadhar Vyas has been active in three major spheres of music: performance, education and administration. Having had an illustrious career with involvement in numerous national and international pedagogic pursuits and music performances, Vyas has been honoured with several awards and accolades.

With a focus on khayal bandishes of the Gwalior gharana, this lecture-demonstration will attempt to highlight some essential concepts and modalities that need to be adopted in order to achieve a meaningful exploration of a bandish.

Registration now open.