Day : 3. SE : 3 – 6:55 PM to 8:15 PM
Sitar : Neelandri Kumar
Tabla : Satyajeet Talwalkar
He started his recital with Raga Yaman Manj and said this was played by Ravi Shankar and that he is attempting it first time. It’s always a very lively event with Niladri Kumar Ji on stage. His sense of humour puts audience as ease. He is an outstanding artiste carrying forward the legacy of his father Karthik Kumar. It was a blazing performance.
Niladri ji has an amazing sense of humour and presence of mind. He has the unique and very rare ability to blend humour with a serious art form such as Hindustani Classical Music. The blend is so beautiful, one cannot object to his such endeavours. At the end of the beautiful recital he asked if he has more time to play. Here goes the conversation which only Niladri ji can manage to engage into.
Niladri Ji : Ok, I am happy Shrinivas Joshi has allowed me another 15 min. But I am worried, by giving these 15 min extra he should not decide not to call me for next 5 years! The audience could not control but to laughed their hearts out.
Here goes one more…
Niladri Ji : Ok. Now that I am allowed another 15 minutes, what would you all like me to play?”
At this point, audiences started putting across their requests. Hearing such complex demands, Niladri Ji says “Oh, sorry. I made a mistake of asking you people” and carried on with playing a Dhun which he already had in his mind, as the audience broke into a huge laughter.
At the end of recital Niladri Ji’s father his Guru and himself an acclaimed Sitar player Karthik Kumar bestowed the occasion with his presence. Performance ended with a huge clapping session with standing ovation to Niladri Ji.