Goa’s deep connect with classical music comes alive at ‘Malhar and the Sea’ festival

The clouds played peek-a-boo as raindrops splashed against the window. When the aircraft began its descent at the Manohar International Airport (Mopa) in North Goa, a carpet of green stretched endlessly on either side, with hardly a hint of concrete in sight. Outside the terminal, Portuguese-inspired architecture and the iconic ‘Under the Coconut Tree’, a creation of the famed Goan cartoonist Mario Miranda, caught the eye. Driving out, the view remained unchanged for a few kilometers — verdant stretches and hills draped in tropical foliage — a landscape quintessentially North Goa. There couldn’t have been a better start to a trip that found its crescendo at the ‘Malhar and the Sea’ music festival.

Goa is best known for its vibrant folk songs, distinctive Konkani art forms, and of course Fado — a legacy of its Portuguese past. But contrary to the common perception that classical music is not a significant aspect of its soundscape, the region has produced legendary Hindustani musicians such as Mogubai Kurdikar, Kishori Amonkar, Kesarbai Kerkar, Dinanath Mangeshkar, and Jitendra Abhisheki. Annual festivals are even held in memory of some of them.

Kishori Amonkar, the trailblazing vocalist, took immense pride in her Goan ancestry. Fluent in both Konkani and Marathi, she credited her roots with shaping her identity and artistry. Jitendra Abhisheki too drew liberally from the cultural fabric of Goa, collaborating with the state’s poet-laureate Bakibab Borkar to weave its linguistic and poetic sensibilities into classical music. A mention of Kesarbai Kerkar, from the Goan village of Keri, brings to mind her popular khayal ‘Maan na kariye’ in raag Gaud Malhar – a reminder of Malhar’s special resonance with Goa, the land of a long, lush monsoon. The festival’s title, ‘Malhar and the Sea’, couldn’t have been more apt.

In its second edition this year, the festival made room for diverse artistic expressions, much like the region’s pluralistic ethos – classical, folk, Fado and ghazal came together seamlessly. In fact, such soirées have become favoured venues for the uninitiated to explore our arts, and this festival, held in the beautiful performance space at the ITC Grand Goa by Arossim Beach, was no exception

“The idea was to convey to the attendees, including those from outside India, that Goa offers much more than sun, sand, beaches, and Feni,” said Omer Haider, managing director of Showhouse Events, whose brainchild this festival is.

“Though classical musicians headline the festival, we wanted to keep the setting informal to make the music accessible and the ambience less intimidating.While artistes relish the opportunity to bring fresh creative energy to the stage, it’s also a wonderful way to welcome new listeners,” added Omer.

The festival commenced on a warm afternoon. The pristine white sands of the beach shimmered beneath the sun’s rays. The opening act featured singer Malini Awasthi, widely regarded as the ‘Folk queen of India’. Amid cheers and thunderous applause, Malini’s robust, energetic voice evoked the colourful rural hues.

“These multi-genre festivals motivate me to explore our darohar (heritage) and rediscover rare folk compositions. This is my way of documenting a fading tradition,” shared Malini, a foremost disciple of thumri legend Girija Devi, during a conversation before her performance.

The evening belonged to three generations of sarod artistes, led by Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. The performance featured his sons, Ayaan and Amaan Ali Bangash, and his grandsons, Abeer and Zohaan. This concert was a stellar example of how some families have contributed to the preservation of classical music in India. Though the sons have kept the family flag flying and the grandsons show great promise, it’s definitely hard to emulate the Ustad. His brief performance showcased the many hues of raag Malhar. The melodies that flowed through the strings of his sarod during both the swar (notes) and sahitya (lyrics) segments exemplified how he has set the bar of his music exceptionally high.

These festivals, set in unconventional spaces, have become ideal platforms for percussionists too, who, within the classical format are seen only as accompanists. The expanded scope for experimentation gives them the confidence to take centre stage. This was evident at the late-evening Taal Vadya ensemble, featuring Taufiq Qureshi (djembe), Yogesh Samsi (tabla), Sridhar Parthasarathy (mridangam) and Shikhar Naad Qureshi and Omkar Salunkhe (drums). “When festival organisers make efforts to create space for percussion-exclusive concerts, it pushes us to think out of the box within the traditional format,” said Taufiq.

Day two belonged to Gen-Next artistes. It began on a melodic note with a morning concert by flautist-sisters Suchismita and Debopriya Chatterjee and concluded with Madhubanti Bagchi’s diverse setlist. Between these two performances, the scions of formidable legacies such as sitarist Shakir Khan (son of Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan), vocalist Arshad Ali Khan (from the lineage of Abdul Wahid Khan and Abdul Karim Khan, founders of the Kirana gharana) and Armaan Khan (son of Ustad Rashid Khan) owned the stage. Events such as ‘Malhar and the Sea’ provide them an ideal space to put their training and individual skills to the test, since the audience here is less likely to indulge in comparisons.

The closing act was by Samandar Khan Manganiyar’s 13-member ensemble of singers and instrumentalists. “We Manganiyars are grateful to cultural curators and impresarios, who have broken down barriers and freed music from labels. Because of them, our community has grown — women have stepped out of their homes to join us on stage,” he said, pointing to the lone woman performer sitting behind him with her face covered in a veil. As Samandar Khan’s voice rose to render the timeless, ‘Padharo maro des,’ the desert winds carried the Rajasthani refrain to the Goan shores, inviting all to cherish the shared musical heritage.

Threads of tradition

The festival paid tribute to the legendary Indian fashion designer Wendell Rodricks, celebrating his significant contributions to fashion and sustainability. MODA museum