Somjit Dasgupta

Hindustani Dhrupadi Rabaab Rabaab

Somjit Dasgupta

3 minute read

Somjit Dasgupta plays various and often rare string instruments, particularly those of Afghan origin such as the sursingar and rabaab. He does not hail from a family of professional musicians, but was accepted as a disciple of Radhika Mohan Maitra after displaying great dedication (although his soon-to-be guru first consulted an astrological calendar).

Today he learns and collects rare stringed instruments, including a 250-year-old sitar and a 300-year-old Dhrupadi rabaab (which, remarkably, is still playable), and has devised his own instruments including the dilbahar and nabadeepa. Today he tours internationally to fund the maintenance and upkeep of his vast collection, as well as taking students on a variety of instruments, pursuing a peaceful, meditative style.

Somjit Dasgupta performed at the Darbar Festival in 2009, accompanied by the renowned tabla maestro Sukhvinder Singh. Their performance captivated the audience with the intricate melodies of the sarod and the rhythmic precision of the tabla, highlighting their deep understanding of Indian classical music. The collaboration between Dasgupta and Singh showcased the dynamic interplay between string and percussion, contributing to the rich musical experience at the festival.

“Bengal has the richest stash of musical instruments. I’ve found unique pieces in unlikely places – Ustad Waliullah Khan’s sitar in a dilapidated house and a sarangi with a baiji [courtesan] in the red light district in Kolkata.”

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S3 EP2 | Pandit Kushal Das

Recorded at Darbar Festival 2010, on 3rd April, at King's Place, London. Musicians: - Pandit Kushal Das (Sitar) - Satyajit Talwalkar (Tabla) - Gunwant Kaur (Tanpura) Raag Bhimpalasi; Thaat: Kafi; Samay: Afternoon Das bridges the different styles of the Senia Maihar and Etawah gharanas providing a unique hybrid style. His rendering the popular afternoon Raag Bhimpalasi reflects his intense use of phrases interwoven to the strict raga framework which comes to a steady climax through speed and dexterity of taans with young dynamic tabla accompaniment by Satyajit Talwalkar to a standing ovation. The recital starts with a Gat (composition) set to Teentaal or 16 beat rhythmic cycle in slow tempo called vilambit laya. Here, Das develops the raga with his own sensibility with supportive tabla accompaniment by Talwalkar. This is followed by another composition, also set to Teentaal but in a higher tempo or drut laya. Das’s father, Shri Sailen Das, was a disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar. His uncle, Shri Shantanu Das was also a Sitar player and a disciple of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. For some years, he even trained in the Etawah gharana style under Pandit Sanjoy Banerjee. A job transfer of the latter resulted in a vacuum which later was filled by the tutelage of Pandit Ajoy Sinha Roy, a disciple of Baba Alauddin Khan. Das therefore, retracted to the Senia Maihar style of playing, not sacrificing the strong influences of the Etawah Gharana. Another stalwart who has deeply influenced him is Pandit Nikhil Banerjee. However, he later went on to develop a signature style of his own. Blessed with an exceptional talent and charisma, Satyajit Talwalkar stands true to his training from his father, Pandit Suresh Talwalkar, as he demonstrates the ability to play resounding solos and also play an amiable accompanist to most of the leading classical musicians from India. Satyajit delivers a traditional concert with as much sensibility and dexterity as his cross-over projects where he regularly collaborates with Jazz and electronic musicians.