Keeping Ustad Vilayat Khan’s musical style alive
The Hindu
Celebrating the guru-sishya bond through performances
There are some musicians who have left an indelible impression on the minds of music-lovers, who would want to remain connected to their art. One such is Ustad Vilayat Khan. Every year, on Guru Purnima, his foremost disciple, Pt Arvind Parikh, makes it a point to bring together admirers of the Ustad and musicians who follow his style of music.
The 2024 edition was held at Geeta Bhavan Hall at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Mumbai. The event underlined the significance of the guru-sishya bond in Indian classical music.
A guru is defined by five attributes — gyan (knowledge), vigyan (analytical approach), vachan (the ability to articulate clearly), prayog-siddhi (the ability to demonstrate what he/she wants to teach) and shishya-nishpadan-kshamata (the commitment to mentor the disciple into an artiste). Pt. Arvind Parikh seems to combine these attributes in his music and persona. A dedicated teacher, he remains accessible to his students across the globe.
Being Khan Saheb’s ganda-bandh shagird, Pt. Arvind is one of the principal inheritors of the Vilayatkhani Baaj (style). He painstakingly carries forward the glorious legacy of the Agra gharana. Besides practical lessons, he has recorded a wealth of music material. He has also created a website with detailed information about several raags, their varieties, compositions and much more. This serves both as a musical treasure and lessons for his sishyas.
Each morning, Pt. Arvind listens to the recordings sent by students who can’t reach him in person. He makes a note of the points to be discussed during the virtual class.
At the Guru Purnima event, addressing the students, he said, “Ustad Vilayat Khan’s parampara (legacy) should live long and all of you have to work towards it.”
The two-day event, showcasing nearly 33 students performing vocal, shehnai, surbahar, guitar and sitar recitals, opened with the screening of the video recordings of Pt. Arvind’s senior disciples.