About The Event
Discover the meeting of wind and strings as Pandit Shailesh Bhagwat and Ustad Rafique Khan present a rare Hindustani classical jugalbandi.
Named for the traditional categories of Indian instruments Sushir (wind) and Tantu (string), this Hindustani classical jugalbandi brings together the shehnai of Pandit Shailesh Bhagwat and the sitar of Ustad Rafique Khan in an exploration of their expressive depth.
As they move through Hindustani ragas, the two maestros bring the shehnai’s rich, vocal tone into dialogue with the lyrical resonance of the sitar. Rather than a contest, the performance unfolds as a collaborative exchange, with melody and improvisation passing fluidly between the artists.
A foremost disciple of Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan, Pandit Shailesh Bhagwat has spent over five decades performing and teaching the shehnai. Renowned for his gayaki ang, he brings vocal expressiveness to the instrument, with a repertoire spanning classical ragas, natya sangeet, abhang, bhajan, ghazal, and film music. He is a recipient of the Government of India’s Senior Fellowship for research on wind instruments and has been an ICCR-empanelled artiste since 2004.
Joining him is Ustad Rafique Khan, a sixth-generation musician of the Dharwad Gharana whose lineage has played a defining role in the evolution of the modern sitar. A recipient of the Sur Mani Award and an ICCR-empanelled artiste, he has performed extensively across India and internationally, earning acclaim for his nuanced artistry and command of the instrument. The ensemble is complete with Maheshraj Salunke on tabla and Vitthal Kengar on shehnai.
This performance is supported by Reliance Foundation
