Sukhan (सुख़न)

Attended a concert of titled 'Sukhan (सुख़न)'. Jaydeep Vaidya, Mukta Joshi, Abhijit Dhere (Vocals), Ketan Pawar (Tabla), Mandar Bagade (Dholak & Sarangi), Devendra Bhome (Harmonium), Apoorva Petkar (Harmonium and Santoor) Nachiket Deosthali and Om Bhutkar (Anchoring and Shero-Shayri). The concert was organized by  Maharashtra Mandal Abu Dhabi and ISC at ISC, Abu Dhabi on 1st Mar 2018. I attended the concert with Aditi, Mihika, Sucheeta, Jayant, Prakash, Swati, Vijay, Jyoti, Sameer, Rucha and Pooja.

It was a program that can be termed as a melange of Urdu Shero-Shayri, Stories, Poetry, Gazal, Najm and Hindustani music.

Concert started with song 'O husna (ओ हुस्ना)' that explores similarities between Pakistan and Hindustaan. 

Om Bhutkar and Nachiket Deosthali then presented some Sher (शेर) and narrated an interesting story of a Deemak (दीमक) and it's commentary on Urdu Shayari written by Mujtaba Hussain. Nachiket narrated a good Hindi Gazal.

Mukta presented 'Aapki yaad aati rahi raatbhar (आपकी याद आती रही रातभर )'. Om and Nachiket presented more Shero-Shayri.

Jaydeep and Abhijit presented a qawwali 'Hai kahanka irada (है कहाॅका ईरादा)' and 'Janejan dil dukhana buri baat hai (जानेजां दिल दुखांना बुरी बात है). That was interval. 

Mukta started post interval session with Abeeda Parveen's very famous 'Chhap Tilak (छाप तिलक)'. It's not an easy song. Her's was a softer version as compared to Abeeda.

Jaydip and Om then presented 'Sare jahan se accha' in an interesting confluence of prose and song. Om and Nachiket engaged audience in more Shayri. Nachiket then sung a song with only tanpura to accompany. 

Jaydeep presented Sargam followed by 'Raat bhi neend bhi (रात भी निंदा भी)' with only tanpura to accompany. Om narrated Magloob Poonawala's gazal. Nachiket presented Jan Nisar Akhtar's gazal 'In jakhmonse sharmaye Kya (इन जख्मोंसे शरमाए क्या)' followed by his Nazm 'Dhundle saye (धुंदले साएॅ)' presented by Om.

Program ended with a qawwali 'Sadgiko hamari jara dekhiye (सादगीको हमारी जरा देखिए)' by Abhijit and supported by other two singers. There was a very long applause that did not die easily as well as standing ovation at the end. 

They presented compositions of Nida Fazli, Allama Iqbal, Amir Khusru, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Mirza Galib, Sahir Ludhianvi, Javed Akhtar, Magloob Poonawala etc.

Om and Nachiket's passion for Shayri was evident and they did a good job of holding the program together. Their diction was very good. It was also Om's 27th birthday. 

It was first time I saw an artist (Mandar) playing a string instrument and percussion instrument in a concert. He was very good. 

Stage and seating arrangement was good with anchors in center, singers on either side, Purcussionists behind and Harmonium wallas elevated in two corners. However, elevation of Purcussionists should have been increased as most of the time they were obscured by the artists in front. 

Sound system was flawless. Lighting was mostly realized with focus or spot lighting. Entire stage was lit for very limited time. 

There was a melancholy of regressing Urdu in India in this program and also its celebration. It reminded me a statement made by Aatish Taseer in one of his book where he argues that with partition, India handed over Urdu to Pakistan whereas more people spoke Urdu in India than Pakistan. 

It was a very off the track program. It not only demonstrated the various aspects of Urdu but also was a step in preserving and revitalizing the receding language. The program has created it's own niche. Artists deserve an applause for the effort. 

Entertainment rating 8.5/10.