After a gap of more than 2 years, it was sheer pleasure to listen to a live Hindustani Classical music concert! What the pandemic took away, two young and extremely talented musicians replaced over the course of a few hours. The audience was treated to a musical journey through various raags and taals, classical and semi-classical compositions. Organized by the Parish Center for the Arts in Acton on March 25^th was a unique concert that featured Chethan Anant on the bansuri and vocals accompanied by local young talent Pranav Ghatraju on the tabla. What is praiseworthy is Chethan’s equal comfort on the bansuri as well as in vocals. He seamlessly switched from one mode to the other showcasing two beautiful ways to express the same notes. 

Chethan is a senior disciple of legendary flautist Pandit Ronu Majumdar and has been learning the bansuri in the instrumental Maihar Gharana style since 2007. Simultaneously, he also received vocal training from multiple gurus including Smt. Pramila Bhatia, Shri Haresh Bakshi, and Shri Ganesh Desai. Currently he is studying the intricacies of the Gwalior and Agra Gharana styles under musicologist and singer Dr. Vikas Kashalkar. This talented musician has also trained in the Hindustani percussion instrument, the tabla. Chethan is local to the United States and is an avid performer all across the country as well as in India.  

Pranav Ghatraju, a next generation tabla player is known to many in the New England area, having seen him as a young boy playing the tabla in many local music programs. Pranav began his tabla training with Dr. Nishikant Sonwalkar at the Learnquest Academy of Music in Waltham, and went on to continue his training from Ustad Shabbir Nisar. Today Pranav actively accompanies artists and gives solo performances all across the U.S. 

Chetan began his concert in Raag Bihag, with a traditional bada khayal ‘Tuma Bina Chayn’ composed by his guru Dr. Vikas Kashalkar in vilambit (slow) tempo. The composition is set to a 16 beat cycle in the not so commonly used ‘tilwada’ taal. He followed this by the very popular drut (fast pace) bandish ‘Lat Uljhi Suljha’ composed by saint-poetess Chandrasakhi and set to sixteen beats taal Teentaal. Chetan treated us to slow alaaps in his bada khayal rendition, both in sargam and aakar with innovative structures that beautifully landed on the ‘sum’ (the first beat) each time, and also showcased many creative fast paced taans in the drut bandish. All throughout his concert Chetan alternated between vocal rendition and playing on his bansuri, both with equal prowess and truly impressing the audience. Chetan was beautifully accompanied by Pranav; the energy betwen the two young musicians, their understanding of each other and their simple enjoyment of the music was a joy to watch. 

Chetan went on to present three shorter compositions – the first was a natya sangeet composition from the Marathi movie, Katyar Kaljat Ghusali. This unique composition is both a ragamala (multiple raags within the same composition) as well as a taalmala (multiple taals within the same composition). Chetan effortlessly moved from Raag Sohni to Raags Malkauns, Darbari Kanhada, Kedar, Sur Malhar, Bahar, and Miyan ki Malhar with some lines set to sixteen beats Teen Taal, eleven beats Ek Taal and ten beats Jhaptaal. Chetan delighted the audience by singing such a complicated rendition with ease. Next, Chetan presented a Tulsidas bhajan that was immortalized by Pt. D. V. Paluskar, ‘Jab Janaki Nath Sahaya Kare’ in Raag Manjh Khamaj set to sixteen beats Chachaar Taal. 

The concert finale was a beautiful rendition in Raag Bhairavi which is often sung at the conclusion of a Hindustani concert – ‘Baat Chalata Mori Chunari Rang Daari’ composed by Goswami Shri Lal 'Kunwar Shyam' and set to sixteen beats Teentaal. 

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