Music for the soul

Mahesh Kale, a renowned vocalist from San Francisco, who will be part of the event, says, "Sawai is for me what a wari (pilgrimage from Alandi to Pandharpur) is for a warkari. Sawai has been graced with my Guruji's presence and performing on the same stage is an honour for me."

Sanjay Garud (35), another vocalist from Pune who is also a first time performer at Sawai, says, "It is a dream for every singer or musician to perform at Sawai and I consider myselfu00a0very lucky to get a chance to perform here at such a youngu00a0age. The event is a coming together of two great musicians -- Pandit Bhimsen Joshi andu00a0

Sawai Gandharv."u00a0

Carnatic singer Vyankatesh Kumar who is performing for the third time at the festival and hails from the same village as Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, says, "I am very privileged to perform on the stage that was graced by his presence. I consider myself lucky, it is sad that Panditji won't be there to watchu00a0me perform."

Talking about the future of the festival and the fact that the late Pandit Bhimsen Joshi's name has been added to the festival, Kale says, "Bhimsenji was a phenomenon that happens once in many centuries. He has left behind a huge body of work and his hold over the audience can never be replaced. The festival is a sapling planted by Panditji which is now being nurtured by his son and the future seems very bright."u00a0

On December 7 to 11

At New English School, Raman Baug Grounds.

Tickets Seasonal tickets are priced at Rs 350 and will be available at Shirish Traders (Kamla Nehru Park), Navdikar Musiclas (Tilak Road and Kothrud), Dinshaw & Company (Laxmi Road) and Behare Bandhu Ambewale (Bajirao Road). Students will get season tickets for Bhartiya Baithak for Rs 150. On event day, Bharatiya Baithak tickets will be sold at the venue at Rs 100 per day.

> An audio-visual production on the life of Pandit Bhimsen Joshi.

> An exhibition of caricatures by Prabhakar Wairkaru00a0

> A performance by Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and a host of singers including music composer Shankar Mahadevan.

Tukaram Daithankar (Shehnai), Sanjay Garud (Vocal), Pandit Satish Vyas (Santoor), Pandita Ashwini Bhide Deshpande (Vocal) and Pt Ajay Pohankar (Vocal).

Mahesh Kale (Vocal) followed by Shaila Datar (Vocal). Pt. Ronu Majumdar (Flute) and Kadri Gopalnath (Saxophone) performing Hindustani and Carnatic together. At the end of the day connoisseurs of music will get to hear Veteran vocalist Dr. Balmuralikrishna.

Kumar Mardur, (Vocal), Kartik Seshadri (Sitar), Shankar Mahadevan (Carnatic Classical) and Pt. Jasraj (Vocal)

Yojana Shivanand (Vocal), Shrinivas Joshi (Vocal), Pandita Malini Rajurkar (Vocal). There will be Bharatnatyam and Kathak dance performances. The session will end with the performance of Sarod Maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan.

Omkar Dadarkar (Vocal), Padma Deshpande (Vocal), Dr Nagaraj Rao Hawaldar (Vocal), Dr Shrimati N Rajam (Violin) with her daughter Sangeeta Shankar and two grand daughters followed by Pt Venkatesh Kumar (Vocal).