Gayana Sabha, Mysuru, is noted for organising variety of programmes in city, related particularly to Hindustani Music. The events are not limited to only vocal and instrumental recitals, but there have also been music workshops, lecture-demonstrations on various learning and training aspects of Hindustani Music, which have helped the students and professionals immensely. Eminent artistes and scholars are being invited to present such programmes.

On similar lines, Gayana Sabha is organising yet another lecture-demo by the renowned musician and scholar Pt. Indudhara Nirody. The doyen of music will be presenting the programme  on ‘The Specialities of Agra Gharana’ on Saturday, 1st June, at Kalpakshetra, Vijayanagar 4th Stage, Mysuru, starting at 5.30 pm.

Agra Gharana is important and unique among many gharanas of Hindustani music. It has adopted Nom Tomaalaap from Dhrupad style, variety of Bandishes, mesmerising rhythm — all such multifarious characteristics have contributed to the specialities of the Gharana. The maestros of this Gharana, being very resourceful in imagination and technic, have blended their creations into the style. They have contributed meaningful and delightful bandishes to the Hindustani music.

Pt. Nirody was initiated into music at his young age of 10 by his father Nirody Sunderrao and had the opportunity of learning at Udupi (Karnataka from Gawai Pitre Ramarao), a disciple of Pt. Vinayakrao Patwardhan. He had the unique distinction of giving his first concert in Hindustani Music at his age of 12 at Kundapur (Karnataka) which was appreciated by all who had heard him. On migrating to Mumbai in 1951, he was further trained by Pt. Gurudatt Heblekar. At the same time, he came under the tutelage of Stalwarts in Hindustani Classical Music — Acharya SCR Bhat, Acharya K.G. Ginde, Pt. Dinkar Kaikini and Pt. Chidanand Nagarkar.  He received intensive training under them for well over two decades. This has helped him to assimilate and imbibe some of the finest aspects of Raagadari Sangeet in his music. He is a stickler to the tradition. However, he improvises his music with great imagination giving importance to the aesthetic contents of the bandishes. While his forte is Khayal singing, having received training in Agra Gharana style, he is equally comfortable in rendering Dhrupad-Dhamars and Thumris.

To enlighten the students and connoisseurs of Hindustani music, Gayana Sabha has requested Pt. Nirody to introduce to them the specialities of this Gharana through this event. Pt. Ramesh Dhannur and Pt. Shriram Bhat will provide support on tabla and harmonium respectively.