Mysore/Mysuru: Music has always proved to be an easy escape from the chaos of life. It also serves as a nourishment for both mind and soul.

One such musical escape is brought by Kalasuruchi in the form of Hindustani sitar recital along with explanation by Ustad Rais Bale Khan on Dec. 3 at 7 pm in Suruchi Rangamane, Chitrabhanu Road, Kuvempunagar. He will be accompanied on harmonium by Pt. Vighnesh Bhagavat and on tabla by Pt. Bheemashankar Bidanur. 

Artiste’s Mysuru connection

There is a unique connection which perhaps is not known to many, between the cultural city of Mysuru and the sounds of sitar. During 1900, an invitation went from the king of Mysore, Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar to Ustad Rahimat Khan of Indore to perform in the annual Dasara festival.  

Rahimat Khan Saheb enthralled the King and people of Mysore with his unique sounds of sitar and rendition of raga. A patron of arts and music, the king requests Rahimat Khan to reside in Mysuru and grace as a durbar musician. Khan sahib politely refuses the invitation to reside but goes back to Indore with a promise of visiting Mysore annually. 

During this bonding that lasts over a decade between Indore and Mysore, Rahimat Khan discovers and develops cultural affinity to Dharwad that was growing as a citadel of Hindustani music for South India. Rahimat Khan decides to reside in Dharwad and his musical contributions culminate in the establishment of ‘Bharateeya Sangeeta Vidyalaya’ in 1932.  

With this legacy and background, Ustad Rais Bale Khan, who is the great grandson of Ustad Rahimat Khan and son of Ustad Bale Khan, will be performing in ‘Suruchi Rangamane’ on Dec. 3 bringing the same sounds and melody that echoed hundred years ago in the durbar of Krishnaraja Wadiyar.

Born in 1974, Rais Khan got his music training under his father Ustad Bale Khan along with inspiration and encouragement from his grandfather Ustad Abdul Karim Khan. After attaining gold medal in Master’s in Instrumental Music from Karnatak University, Rais has made the city of Pune in Maharashtra as his residence, performing music in India and abroad as well as teaching and managing his own ‘Saptak School of Music’.

Kirana Gharana

Having adopted Kirana Gharana, the music of Rahimat Khan and his subsequent generations has acquired a unique sound and style and hence is also known as Dharwad Gharana. Rais Khan’s sitar rendition begins with soothing alaap, gradually delineating the essence of raga. The variations and modulations in his music bring out what is known as ‘Rahimatkhani Baath’.

Rais Bale Khan is an accredited artiste of All India Radio and Doordarshan, both in sitar and Hindustani vocal. His versatility in singing khayal, thumri, ghazal, kannada vachanas, daasara padas, nirgun bhajans and Marathi abhangs has won appreciation by music lovers.

Rais Khan has been awarded Guru Gangadhar Pradhan Memorial Award (Bhubaneswar) in 2011 and ‘Sur Mani’ from Sur Singer Samsad, Mumbai. An engrossing musical dialogue – Sitar jugalbandi of Rais and his younger brother, Hafiz have won wide acclaim in India and abroad including countries like USA, UK, Kuwait, Iran and Singapore.