Pandit Buddhadev Das Gupta

Hindustani Sarod

Pandit Buddhadev Das Gupta

3 minute read

Pandit Buddhadev Das Gupta (1 February 1933 – 15 January 2018) was a distinguished sarod maestro of the Senia Shahjahanpur gharana, born in Bhagalpur, Bihar. Though he came from a non-musical family, he began his musical journey under the tutelage of Ustad Radhika Mohan Maitra at age nine—a partnership that spanned nearly four decades. Alongside a successful career as an engineer, he committed himself to deep, sustained practice and first gained public attention through broadcasts with All India Radio from 1949 onward.

Renowned for his scholarly precision and stylistic innovation, Das Gupta blended the rabab-derived rhythmic intricacy and gayaki (vocalized) taans to create a uniquely expressive sarod style. His technique—particularly the lucid, lightning-fast “ekhara taans” and refined right-hand picking—pushed the boundaries of classical instrumental music. He received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1993) and Padma Bhushan (2012), and recorded extensively for labels such as Nimbus and HMV. He also held esteemed positions at institutions like AIR, ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Rabindra Bharati University, and Rotterdam Conservatory.

A profound guru and mentor, Das Gupta guided numerous sarodists and musicians whose artistry continues to make waves. His disciples include sarodists Debashish Bhattacharya, Sugato Nag, and Joydeep Ghosh, alongside tabla-sitar maestro Nayan Ghosh and many others. Among these, Joydeep Ghosh has performed at the Darbar Festival, carrying forward his guru’s legacy on international stages. Through his rigorous teaching and preservation of rare compositions, Das Gupta ensured that the impassioned, cerebral essence of the Shahjahanpur tradition continues to resonate across generations.

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Pandit Kushal Das | Director

Recorded at Darbar Festival 2021 on 24th October at the Barbican Centre, London. Musician: - Pandit Kushal Das (sitar) Raag Parmeshwari; Samay: Late Morning Pandit Kushal Das, a master of sitar and surbahar, follows in the footsteps of Pandit Nikhil Banerjee's Maihar tradition. Despite growing up in a family of accomplished musicians, he was given the freedom to explore music at his own pace, initially finding solace in playing film songs. But Kushal's true calling soon beckoned, and he devoted himself to capturing the nuances of his idols. With a blend of gharanas reminiscent of Vilayat Khan and the respect of fellow musicians like Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta, Kushal's artistry transcends boundaries, merging vocal influences with mellifluous string melodies, leaving an indelible mark on Indian classical music. Pandit Ravi Shankar created Raga Parameshwari in 1968. Raga Parmeshwari is a Carnatic classical music raga that has a distinct melodic structure and is typically performed in concerts or recitals. It belongs to the 20th Melakarta raga system, which is a system of classifying ragas in Carnatic music. Raga Parmeshwari is derived from the 65th Melakarta raga, Kalyani. The raga is characterized by its unique ascending and descending scales (aarohanam and avarohanam). The aarohanam of Raga Parmeshwari is as follows: Sa Ri2 Ga3 Ma1 Pa Dha2 Ni3 Sa. The avarohanam is: Sa Ni3 Dha2 Pa Ma1 Ga3 Ri2 Sa. The notes in the scale are referred to by their solfege syllables in the Carnatic music tradition (Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni). Raga Parameshwari has a serene and devotional quality to it, evoking a sense of tranquility and contemplation. It is often associated with compositions that express devotion and spirituality. The raga allows for improvisation and exploration within its melodic framework, offering opportunities for the musician to showcase their creativity and virtuosity. As with other ragas in Carnatic music, Raga Parmeshwari has its own set of characteristic phrases, ornamentations, and melodic patterns that distinguish it from other ragas. These nuances are essential for musicians to learn and master when performing the raga. It is worth noting that while Raga Parmeshwari is primarily associated with Carnatic music, there may be variations and interpretations of this raga in other regional Indian classical music traditions, such as Hindustani music. The style of rendition and the specific melodic phrases may differ slightly in these traditions.