ITC Sangeet Sammelan is held in the capital city of Delhi and was started in the year 1971. With time and exposure this event is now one of the prestigious events in Indian classical music. This music festival have been loved, appreciated and adored by music lovers from across the country. ITC Sangeet Sammelan takes place annually all over India. Well known musicians and singers come to participate in various events that are organized in this festival. Usually a noteworthy cash price is given to the oldest musician or performer during the festival as an honourable gesture. This music festival is regarded as one of the most popular cultural events of India.
History of ITC Sangeet Sammelan
This festival was founded in the year 1978 with the motive of encouraging and preserving Indian classical music. Many eminent musicians and Gurus of Indian music have been associated with this academy since its foundation. Satyajit Ray, the popular film director, was one of the trustee members of the academy. Some of those popular musicians are Hirabai Barodekar (Kirana), Latafat Hussain Khan (Agra), Ajoy Chakraborty (Patiala) Ulhas Kashalkar (Gwalior), Nissar Hussai Khan (Rampur Sahaswan) and Nivruttibua Sarnaik (Jaipur).
ITC Sangeet Research Academy has also made a chain of artists such as Shubhra Guha, Kaushiki Chakraborty, Ajoy Chakraborty, Rashid Khan, Shashank Maktedar, Omkar Dadarkar, Shantanu Bhattacharya, Anirudh Bhattacharya, Samarth Nagarkar, Arshad Ali Khan, Abir Hussain (Sarod), Supratik Sen Gupta (Sitar) and many more. The Gurus for the instrumental section of the academy are Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta (Sarod) and Pandit Manilal Nag (Sitar).
Spread of ITC Sangeet Sammelan
Skilled and talented Indian classical instrumentalists and musicians from across the country gather here to perform various types of Indian classical music. In this festival, renowned sarangi, veena, tabla, mridangam and other instrumentalists come and mesmerize the audience with their skilful performances. Musicians of numerous genres such as Dhrupad, Dhamar, Khayal, Tarana, Thumri, Dadra, Qawali and Ghazal present their masterpiece in this festival.
Some of the musicians and instrumentalist who are associated with this academy is A. K. Datar, who is one of the leading vocalists in India. He belongs to the virtuous tradition set up by the great personality Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, Pandit Manilal Nag, the sitar player who is from the fifth generation of Nag family (the family of instrumentalists) of the Vishnupur Gharana of Bengal and Subhra Guha, who is one of the leading lady singers of the present time. Her style is a combination of feminine appeal with masculine magnificence of the Agra Gharana.
This musical event is organized by ITC Sangeet Research Academy and has helped to promote the Indian classical music and have been successful in proving it with a new vivacity. The study and credential of the academy have added more importance to the educational aspect of music. This festival stands for pure relationship between a master (guru) and a dedicated student (shishya). It also indicates the complete intellectual, spiritual and emotional bonding of both, a master and a student. ITC Sangeet Sammelan became popular across the country and people come from all over the country to attend this grand festival comprised with pure Indian classical music.
