By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: “The modern youth of today do not acknowledge what they received in the form of India’s tradition and culture. They have imbibed things and believe that if something does not exist in google then it cannot exist at all. At least try to acknowledge those people who are behind the country’s culture, tradition and music,” said F Wasifuddin Dagar, who enthralled the city audience with his Dhrupad rendition at the Durbar Hall of Raj Bhawan on Tuesday.
The programme was organized by SPIC MACAY and ICCR.
Into this art since his childhood belonging to the Dagar Gharana centred around UP and parts of Rajasthan, MP and Delhi, the classical vocalist said that his forefathers have dedicated everything to it and it is the oldest musical Gharana in the country.
While informing that his forefathers have worked on microtones he said that music is an expression of tones. “It is the tones that make the difference. We have seven musical notes and 12 other universal notes,” said Dagar who is against fusion in music.
“We are losing it everyday to western instruments. Instruments like sitar, shenai, flute have gone out of our cinemas whereas electronic instruments like synthesizer, guitar etc. have taken over. What is the need to always fix up with something?
“Have you lost interest in your own music? And then you will throw your fusion stuff on the audience and complain later that they don’t like it,” he said.
The exponent also blamed the media for not publicizing classical and vocal music.
“Do you not have a responsibility here except for running after Bollywood? Is our country has nothing good left in it to showcase,” he questioned while adding “we are known by our culture and tradition.”
However, to a query the Dhrupad maestro said that music is followed in the southern part of the country more in the socio-religious form and so it is practiced widely among the masses there whereas the same is not seen in the rest of the country.
“The government authorities are also to blame for this since they are not giving any importance to the traditional form of Indian music. They are giving assistance to the film industry whereas classical and vocal music is the hardest hit.
“I hear films minting crores of rupees on a single day then why not distribute it. We never see the films struggling,” he said adding that schools have come up in various Indian cities imparting Dhrupad classes to aspirants.
However, he admitted that Dhrupad is neglected in classical music to Khayal as only a few aspects are told but not as much as in Khayal.
