Hindustani Legend at Harvard

Unbeknownst to many of the freshmen eating dinner this past Sunday in nearby Annenberg, Sanders Theater housed a benefit show hosted by Harvard’s Sangeet.

The show, an attempt to increase awareness of South Asian music and art, featured Pandit Jasraj, a legend of North Indian Hindustani classical music. Jasraj performed before a captivated crowd, singing in Hindi and displaying his incredible vocal range. The show began with a standing ovation from the expectant audience who, despite the near half-hour delay, were still enthusiastic. He then sought the audience’s prayers for a successful performance. What ensued were three hours of music that Samir V. Rao ’08, co-presidentof Sangeet, referred to as “bliss.”

At times, the listeners appeared to be more serious than the performers, casting disapproving glances when a child’s cries interrupted their musical experience even as Jasraj himself provoked laughter when his accompanying singer, Sougata Banerjee, was unable to follow Jasraj’s rapid scalar flight between melodious high notes and the lowest notes of his three and a half octave range.

Singing mostly in Hindi, Jasraj’s performance may have seemed completely alien to those unfamiliar with South Asian culture. And yet, while the vocals were indecipherable at times, the emotion was palpable, immersing the listener completely. Commencing slowly, with soft vocals and a steady tabla beat—a small pair of drums played expertly by Anuradha Pal—the music built gradually, becoming faster and louder, and captivating the audience such that it was difficult to track the beginnings and ends of songs.

An epic four hours later, the show ended concluding with another standing ovation. Sangeet hopes to use the proceeds from the concert and other events to fund the production of a media series that will increase the knowledge and recognition of South Asian arts. Hopefully, this greater awareness began Sunday night with Pandit Jasraj’s dynamic performance. And at the very least, those in attendance were privy to a musical and emotional journey chaperoned by one of the finest Hindustani artists; everybody wins.