The vision to preserve and promote India’s artistic heritage is what gave birth to a national centre dedicated to the performing arts. It has since been a guiding principle woven into the very fabric of the NCPA. In nearly six decades, the centre has never lost sight of that responsibility. 

The centre has also been a member of the International Music Council and under the essential music rights for all people defined by the council, the NCPA endorses and encourages every individual’s right to wilful participation in cultural life.

All major genres of music find a home at the NCPA, which honours and presents a broad spectrum of Indian music. An equally wide range of artistes— budding and legendary—perform under robust annual programming. In addition to educational and outreach initiatives within Mumbai, consistent measures have been adopted to take Indian classical music to different towns and cities of the country. 

What started with an observation by the NCPA’s former Executive Director P. L. Deshpande is carefully nurtured and carried forward by Dr. Suvarnalata Rao, Head of Indian Music. A well-loved theatre personality, musician and writer, Deshpande felt a distinct lack of live classical performances in smaller cities. As artistes flocked to the metropolises in search of better opportunities, the towns struggled with small auditoriums and smaller budgets. The NCPA then stepped in to support several cultural groups spread across the country to change that. 

For years now, collaborative concert series have been organised in smaller cities and towns, where the NCPA shares the financial burden with local venues. The performances are free and open to all. Dr. Rao asserts that the endeavour came about as a call of duty to cultivate audiences of tomorrow. “It is essential to nourish the hunger for classical music in these cities. This, in turn, promotes art education. When more people consume good art, there are more good artistes,” she elaborates.

Amidst shrinking funds and reducing attention spans, the NCPA’s collaborations over three decades have been successful in Jaipur, Udupi, Kochi, Kolhapur, Nashik, Pune and Jalgaon. 

ON Stage speaks to the collaborators for this year. 

A lasting bond  

An unbroken string that conjoins the cities of Mumbai and Kolhapur is strengthened, year after year, by music. The Gayan Samaj Deval Club’s affiliation with the NCPA began in 1992 and has seen over 50 concerts in the city in southern Maharashtra. With a focus on promoting up-and-coming and mid-career artistes, the concert series will feature vocal music recitals by Kalyani Pande-Salunke in September, which follows a performance by Mrunal Natekar-Bhide in August. Shining a spotlight on emerging musicians has been a priority for the club since its inception.

“Being a platform for budding artistes is of utmost importance for us. The NCPA’s support enables us to take chances. After all, the masters of today were once beginners too,” says Shrikant Digrajkar, Director of the club. 

For nearly 140 years, the Gayan Samaj Deval Club has been at the centre of Kolhapur’s music tradition. A labour of love, it was formed by musicians and became a meeting point for them to share their craft. Digrajkar fondly recollects mehfils from when he first joined. It was a different time, before the turn of the century. “Mehfils would last all night, and a single musician would hold the attention of hundreds in the audience,” he reminisces. 

Being a smaller city is no indication of a meagre appetite for classical music when it comes to Kolhapur. The club has hosted doyens of music from pre-independence India, including Alladiya Khan, Govindrao Tembe and Rajab Ali Khan to name a few. One of the earliest performances of Bhimsen Joshi, Digrajkar tells us, was held here. 

As India became a free nation, the club lost its patronage from royal families and zamindars. As for most artistic pursuits, government grants are scarce and survival becomes challenging. The collaboration with the NCPA helps bridge this gap.

A new chapter 

A dhrupad recital by renowned vocalist Uday Bhawalkar, along with accompanist Pratap Awad on the pakhawaj, will mark the beginning of a fitting union in September when the NCPA takes the music to a new neighbour: Ahmedabad University. 

When the collaboration extends to an educational establishment, it turns into an opportunity to introduce a new generation to great music. Dr. Lakshmi Sreeram, a vocalist in both Carnatic and Hindustani traditions, is an Associate Professor at the university and will be at the helm of the concert series. 

“I am encouraged to contribute to the vibrant academic atmosphere at the university. Given the university’s commitment to liberal education and the new Dual Degree Programme in Integrated Arts, concerts such as what we are planning in collaboration with the NCPA are invaluable in promoting a spirited culture of learning,” Dr. Sreeram tells us.

Speaking of the dearth of funds faced by academic institutions, she points out that it would not be viable for an artiste of the calibre of Uday Bhawalkar to perform at the university if it was not for the collaboration. “It is often through relationships like these that different corners of the country can experience the artistry of these renowned musicians. As a house of culture, the NCPA adds a lot more than access to artistes to the table,” explains Dr. Sreeram.

Originally from Chennai, where classical music— especially in the Carnatic tradition—is vastly learnt and heard, Dr. Sreeram notes that though Ahmedabad is still up-and-coming when compared to other metropolises, she sees tremendous potential in the city. A yearning for classical music often peers through promising young students and heartening audience turnout at concerts organised in the city. 

A series of performances featuring a mix of established and emerging local talent is in the works. Dr. Sreeram is keen on presenting skilled accompanists through these concerts for an engaged audience. 

To promote Indian classical music is to make it accessible. Each time a new listener revels in a raga or a connoisseur is saved the trouble of travelling far to hear a favourite artiste, it is music which emerges as the ultimate winner.