Sitar Samrat Nikhil Banerjee: Raga Kaushiki: Kolkata: 1977: Tabla: Ustad Zakir Hussain

This is one of Nikhil Banerjee's finest performances. We have to do with the quality of the recording available. The current version has been improved as much as possible. Further improvements can come from digital remastering. No other disciple of Baba Alauddin Khan has performed this Raga on the sitar.
Raga Kaushiki is a subtle, beautiful variation from the Great Raga Malkauns.
Ragas Pancham Malkauns | Sampoorna Malkauns | Kaushi/Kaushiki
These ragas are brought under one umbrella because they share a common foundation. The related Kaushi Kanada also shares genetic material with these forms.
As the name suggests, Pancham Malkauns comes to be when pancham is dropped into Malkauns, usually in an avarohi prayoga such as g M d P or g M d n d M P. The arohi flow retains the Malkauns contours.

[@arkarupgangopadhyay5081]

The best Kaushiki ! Even his co-representatives like Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, Annapurna Devi , Bahadur Khan couldn't play this Raag with such deep emotion and devotion.

[@ayanavabanerjee1999]

I would say that it is the very best of Nikhil Banerjee's music, the sum total of his musical knowledge and expertise.

[@shuklakar9349]

I have a natural love for Sitar performances!!! What I just learned about Sitar Samrat Nikhil Banerjee through this performances absolutely unmatched with anyone I have heard before!!!!

[@VISHUDDHATMA]

A phenomenal 1 hour solo and then the tabla player comes in. A most beautiful conversational melody begins at 1:03. Melody that touches the Wings of God.

[@VISHUDDHATMA]

Beauty, where there are no words. Space , where there is no mind. Creation, where there is no doer.

[@user-wc5nz5vg8y]

The unsung Maestro🙏🙏 Gandhaba of paradise❤🙏🙏

[@sankaranka7793]

What you experience is pure bliss Beyond description.

[@charmingdevelopers]

Amazingly beautiful Rendition by a True Legend

[@arkarupgangopadhyay5081]

An important information for all. In 1977 Nikhil Banerjee first suffered from a cardiac attack and it affected his riyaz and playing. He had to change his playing style a bit to allow his health for playing. During this period he concentrated more in raagdari and temporarily kept the super fast taans, tough "bols" and like things aside. This outstanding recording is one of the transitory period. If you listen to his early recordings of Kaushiki , the difference will be distinguished. Here he is more careful in alap and playing more slowly and passionately.

[@kailashray1187]

ARKARUP GANGOPADHYAY shudder sarang Shuddh sarang

[@kailashray1187]

ARKARUP GANGOPADHYAY shudder sarang Shuddh sarang

[@VISHUDDHATMA]

Dear Siri Arkarup: Thank you for this information.

[@gautamsen6423]

Pandit Nikhil Banerjee was always deeply immered in his rendition as a performing artiste where a concentration of mind of the level of meditation ,almost, is extremely required to portray the true frame and inherent structure of a Raga ,with devotion,to get the audience also involved in the process of the creation of divine music ,ultimately. But in most cases what happens is the superficial approach followed by the performing artiste which ultimstely fails to evoke any response in the minds of the concerned audience. Technique is undoutedly required for playing an instrument or for rendering a vocal performance before the audience,but the term music implies something else which is the ultimate goal to reach of any performance. The hearts of the audience have to be moved by any sort of musical performance to satisfy their mental demand of getting a chance of hearing a good music . Only a dedicated and devoted and brilliant performer can achieve this goal . He has to forget everything while performing before audience. Only Pt Nikhil Banerjee was able to do that due to his supernatural skill and other qualities possessed by him ,almost consistently.

[@peterdavidian4359]

Superb recital from THE superb musician. Thank you for posting

[@gautamsen6423]

Simply awesome performance by pt Nikhl banernjee keeping his outstanding recital to sppechless. Such a divine perfomance is rarely heard.

[@sitarbaba]

There is also a very fine recording of Kaushiki by Annapurna Devi ji -- Baba's daughter

[@VISHUDDHATMA]

Thank you for this information. Is the recording is with sitar or sarod?

[@sitarbaba]

I think it is surbahar

[@andrewrai5752]

Hi would like to add my father has played kaushiki! He learned it from Ustad Allaudin Khan in maihar back in 1957

[@VISHUDDHATMA]

Thank you. I presume you are Vasant Rai's son. He was a phenomemnal master. I have 2 of his You Tube Videos kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4XMgWZnndSthLs Jai Javanti kzbin.info/www/bejne/rmSVaYOPgJmckNU Darbari Zila kafi. Please let me know where the Kaushiki is and I can improve the sound dynamics and reload it.

[@andrewrai5752]

VISHUDDHATMA thank you so much! You are doing so much for this music. Let me send you the kaushiki!

[@VISHUDDHATMA]

yes please send it to [e-mail] Thank you

[@VISHUDDHATMA]

Dear Andrew Rai. I have shared the email with you. Here it is again. Please connect with me by email so that I can receive the Raga played by your father. With your permission, I would be very happy to share it. Kind regards and best wishes

[@andrewrai5752]

@@VISHUDDHATMA Hello I just emailed you yesterday.

[@ShahidulIslam-jr7gb]

Wonderful.

[@ainoddinwarsi5197]

Can i know who founded this raga , i asume that this raga is composed by guru Maa annapurna devi ji , cause only nikhil ghosh and annapurna devi’s recordings are available on youtube , please reply if anyone has any leads or info cuz i am not sure

[@chanchalchakraborty3953]

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@nitinarya4939]

Can somebody give an idea where this concet was held? I thnik Ust. Zakir Hussain is on Tabla. Pl confrim.

[@VISHUDDHATMA]

If another person confirms it, I will be glad to give credit to Zakir Hussain ji in the description. I am not capable of identifying the Tabla Artist from the sound. Thank you Nitin ji.

[@nitinarya4939]

@@VISHUDDHATMA Thank you sir for your kind and prompt reply. I will try to confirm the Tabla artist. However, you have given no comment on the venue. Actually Pandit ji did play Kaushiki at Gurdev's residence during his short stay at Shantiniketan. But that was in 1978 as far as I remember. What a detailed exposition and treatment of Kaushiki - long meends and heart-piercing purity of the Sur with his characteristic deep tone really went staright deep within and touched the soul.

[@debulyou]

Most probably it's Pt. Anindo Chatterjee on the Tabla

[@nitinarya4939]

It's Ust. ZAKIR HUSSAIN on the Tabla. I confirmed with Pt. NAYAN GHOSH JI. you can pleaee put it in the description.

[@VISHUDDHATMA]

@@nitinarya4939 That is fast work. Please convey my thanks to Pt. Nayan Gosh ji. I will place this in the description. Thank you, Nitin ji.

[@ranjankumarghosal6758]

There are lots of debates about the difference between Kaushiki and kaushi kanhara. AAK used to think both are the same. AD had a different opinion. RS swung between both ends. Same for Sharan Rani. Mixes between Malkauns, Sampoorna and Darbari have taken place in Shrutiji's rendition. It seems NB is starting without any Kanhara(Darbari) touch in abroha but with the progress lapses into his own recording of Kaunsi Kanhara.

[@gautamsen6423]

Rest portion of the programme of Sitar Recital by Pt Nikhil Banerjee ,would have been a full satisfaction to the listeners. The performance was held at the Dover Lane Music Conference in 1977. I had heard him in 1976,at Netaji Indoor Stadium,as the last performer where he had played " Komol Rishav Asbari" for an hour..It was also an amazing performance by the great Master player of the instrument of Sitar.

[@gautamsen6423]

Pt Nikhil Banerjee had not received proper recognition for his performance of Sitar recital ,whereever it might have been held,both in India and abroad, in a completey new style which he developed himself ,due to his training under different Teachers or Gurus of different Gharanas.,although he learnt mainly from Ud Ali Akhbar Khan and Annapurna Debi as an official disciple of Utd Alauddin Khan but the latter one did not fulfill his obligation due to some internal problem and misunderstanding. But he had to repent later on in his life for such failure to discharge his duties properly in respect of teaching Nikbil Banerjee. Anyway,it probably helped Nikhil Babu indirectly as he came in direct contact with Ut Ali Akhbar Khan and Annapurna Debi who were great musicians themselves .

[@rkdasindia]

​@@gautamsen6423 It is no new style, it is a partial remnant grace of mushtaq ali khan (compact and perfect raagdaari), an important guru of young and growing nb, and of course some influence of annapurna devi.