Film show on the journey of Indian classical music

"When words fail, music speaks" William Shakespeare

India is a country enriched with diverse traditions, cultures, ideologies and communities. Indian classical music has been an intrinsic part of this heritage.

On 21st November 2017, to introduce students to the the diversity of classical music, select students of classes IX to XI were shown a documentary film named, 'Gwalior - A Journey of Indian Music' directed by Mr. Nandit Desai.

Nandit Desai is trained photographer who belongs to a family of classical singers. In his documentary, the audience was introduced to the history of classical music and the evolution of the Gharanas. The film traced the history of the hallowed Gharanas with its pantheon of musicians, distinctive styles and trademark nuances. The film showcased the styles of legends like Tansen and Baba Ramdas during the reign of Raja Mansingh Tomar, Badshah Akbar and others.

[gallery link="file" order="DESC"] Regarded as the fountainhead of Gharanas, Gwalior is the revolutionary and dynamic capital of music. Interviews with some celebrated musicians were presented in the documentary, giving a great deal of information. The Gwalior Gharana singers (experts in the Dhrupad style) played a revolutionary role in the shift from the Dhrupad to the Khayal style. Ustad Nathan Pir Baksh was the inventor of this style of music. During the lifetime of Ustad Haddu - Nathu Khan, Gwaliors traditional music reached the pinnacle of its glory. The film consisted of videos and audios of some of the greatest singers of all times.

The fifty-two minute film took the students on an enduring journey of Hindustani classical music. In the end there was an interesting question-answer session between the director and the students.

Reveling in the glorious past of classical music, all we could do was close our eyes and feel every rhythm, every beat and every tune.

Avreen Kaur - IX D.