Pune: Mohini, a five-member all-woman group will present a tribute to tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain on Friday at Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav with a jugalbandi featuring Sawani Talwalkar on tabla and Anuja Borude Shinde on pakhawaj.

Gwalior-Jaipur gharana vocalist Ruchira Kedar, who is part of ensemble formed in 2018, said, "We are reeling from the grief of Zakirji's passing away." Sawani, who has trained under her father Pandit Suresh Talwalkar, said, "Zakirbhai has impacted not only our journeys as musicians, but also as students of music."

They have also lined up a tribute to Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. Talwalkar said the group has been meeting more often than usual to practise for Sawai as the festival is a musical milestone. "All of us are really out of our comfort zones when we perform together. It is so different from our solo performances," Kedar added.

Sitarist Sahana Banerjee from Rampur Senia gharana said the connection they feel has enhanced every performance. "Mohini is about musical conversations," she added.

The group, with Aditi Garade on harmonium, is part of the regular classical music circuit and has performed at Royal Opera House in Mumbai and Pandit Bhimsen Joshi Centenary celebrations in Dharwad.

The bonhomie is reflective of their chemistry on stage. "It is common to see men collaborating for a performance. When we perform, we let each other shine on stage," Kedar said.

Banerjee, Kedar and Talwalkar who share a decade-long friendship are secure in their solo careers. "If we didn't like each other so much, I don't think we would have been able to collaborate. Stage mein woh khichdi jamegi nahi," Talwalkar said.

Pakhawaj player Shinde, who has accompanied eminent vocalist Kaushiki Chakraborty, joined Mohini in 2021. She said, "I used to watch Ruchiradi, Sahanadi and Sawanidi perform together. I am learning so much being a part of Mohini. At no point did they make me feel that they are senior artistes."

Banerjee, who will perform a jugalbandi with Kedar, said they will showcase khayal, tarana, thumri and abhang. "Within this repertoire, a female vocalist and a sitarist in a jugalbandi is not a regular feature in the Hindustani classical music," she added.

Author: Prof. Lalitha Suhasini, Faculty of Journalism, FLAME University.