Purbi: Rang, Raar aur Viraha

A Tribute to Girija Devi
Curated and Presented by Debapriya Adhikary
Featuring Kumar Bose (tabla),
Piu Mukherjee (vocals), Purvi Parikh (narration), Vanraj Shastri (sarangi) and Siddharth Mesta (harmonium)

An NCPA Presentation
Supported by Citi

With a focus on Purab ang gayaki, the event has been envisaged as a tribute to the legendary vocalist Girija Devi (1929-2017), who was a representative of this tradition. Unfolding the emotional and philosophical nuances embedded within Purab ang compositions, this evocative musical dialogue is meant to highlight the aesthetical subtleties of that tradition.

Having trained with Girija Devi, Debapriya Adhikary and Piu Mukherjee are well-known exponents of Purab ang gayaki today. Through compositions drawn from the repertoire associated with the tradition—thumri, tappa, dadra, kajri and hori—the duo, individually and together, will explore the many shades of love, from admiration and playful quarrel to longing, jealousy and separation, which is the mainstay of Purab ang gayaki.

Enhancing the musical ambience will be genre-specific rhythmic accompaniment provided by Kumar Bose, the inimitable tabla maestro of the Benaras gharana. Furthermore, narration by Purvi Parikh, also a disciple of Girija Devi, and melodic accompaniment provided by Vanraj Shastri (sarangi) and Siddharth Mesta (harmonium) will add to the overall experience.

Box Office: 09th September for Members & 12th September for Public.