Behind the Bazaar: Revitalizing the Bhendi Bazaar Gharana
A two-day festival celebrating Mumbai’s best kept musical secret; the Bhendi Bazaar Gharana. Steeped in Hindustani Classical Music, the artists from the Gharana have left their imprint on contemporary Indian music and continue to be part of the larger musical ecosystem in India.
Program Schedule
June 15 | 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Discussion between Shubha Joshi and Saurabh Hatnolkar (student) over the mentorship process, initiated as part of the Bhendi Bazaar Gharana Project.
June 15 | 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Live performances by Anuradha Kuber and Kishori Janorikar in the unique Bhendi Bazaar Gayki
June 16 | 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM
A lecture demonstration dedicated to introducing the participants to the history and basics of Bhendi Bazaar Gayki will be conducted by Anuradha Kuber and Kishori Janorikar.
About Bhendi Bazaar Gharana Project
The Bhendi Bazaar Gharana Project is a project undertaken by the G5A Foundation for Contemporary Culture as a revival and music training program for the Gharana and young students of Hindustani Classical Music.
Live performances dedicated to the Bhendi Bazaar Gharana are fewer compared to other Gharanas of Hindustani Classical Music. As a result, its presence in the consciousness of classical music aficionados is continuously declining and at present is the least known Gharana to the general public. An absence of the sixth generation of disciples to carry the baton of this rich musical legacy is another challenge facing the Bhendi Bazaar Gharana.
G5A cityLAB is working on an online portal dedicated to the cultural heritage of the Bhendi Bazaar Gharana, where music lovers can have access to a wide range of resources ranging from old recordings of the giants of Bhendi Bazaar Gharana, archival data on the history of the Gharana, and paintings of Anjabai Malpekar who was one of the muses of Raja Ravi Varma.
Apart from the online portal, the two-day festival is dedicated to the celebration of this homegrown cultural legacy of Mumbai. Programs such as Bhendi Bazaar Gayki lecture demonstration, discussion, and live performances of the fifth-generation exponents will regale the audiences in the beauty and intricacies of this Gharana.
This project is supported by Shilpa Kumar.
