Final Flourish

Athletic, romantic, picturesque, multi-cultural, friendly, progressive, intelligent… Madison in Wisconsin, my home for three years during my Master’s studies, is all this and more. There could be no words to express how much I am already missing being there, my lab, my home, my roommates, my entire day. Madison changed a lot about me, mainly for the better. I lived through uncountable moments of laughter and thrill, fun and frolic.

What made my final stay in Madison very memorable besides good times with friends and well-wishers was the opportunity to witness a concert by Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravi Shankar. I never really had a chance to hear him ever before in India or in the US. On the 17th April, just as I was leaving Madison for good, Ravi Shankar accompanied by his daughter Anoushka Shankar performed at the newly renovated Overture Center in Madison downtown. For me, it was a dream come true to hear undeniably the most popular performing Indian classical artist. I was more curious to know how Ravi Shankar could deliver at the age of 87. Lots has been written and said about his music, much acclaim, and plenty of criticism to go along with that too. Yet, I was thrilled to experience first-hand, what many non-Indians consider as the best and predominant expression of Indian culture and music.

Glamorous pamphlets (if I can dare to call those information booklets that!), heavy security checks and an enormous buzz greeted us at the entrance doors. Past that, I was pleasantly surprised at our seating that was in the 6th row from the front in an auditorium that seated over 2000. We didn’t need the binoculars that I took along to catch a glimpse of the artists from close quarters. Still, I did not lose the chance to use them to get a clearer view of Anoushka who was glittering like no other classical Indian artist I have ever seen on stage!!

Anoushka staged the first half of the performance with Tanmay Bose on the tabla and Ravi Kullur on the flute, all highly creative and talented, but only one who ran the show from the beginning to the end. If I was impressed with her playing skills, I was in complete awe of the confidence and pizzazz that she oozed. And she played Puriyadhanashree and Keervani ragas, both that have counterparts in Carnatic music (called Panthuvarali and Keeravani respectively), and both my absolute favorites. After a short break, we were finally treated to the Maestro’s music for which we had all been waiting for: Ravi Shankar entered to a standing ovation from the audience. He played a beautiful khayal in Behag followed by a thumri in Mishra Kafi. Whereas he took some incubation time to display his toned flourishes, it was well worth the wait.

If there were any complaints in my mind, it was only that we couldn’t hear them for longer; and the fact that their music is an abbreviated (or abridged) version of the true presentation of Hindustani classical music, made to suit the Western audiences’ tastes. The world already knows all the greatness about Ravi Shankar. Now, all eyes and ears would be on Anoushka as she takes Indian classical music to even further beyond what her father attempted.