In the age of turntables, hip-hop and disco, santoor vaadan and Odissi still find takers, though their numbers are diminishing rapidly. The annual Sanatan Sangeet Sanskriti Awards, held to facilitate achievements in classic Hindustani music, had Dr Karan Singh present the likes of Shiv Kumar Sharma (above), Anita Singhvi and Reela Hota with mementos for their contribution to music and dance on Friday. Held at the Sri Sathya Sai Internation Centre, the evening began with the award ceremony and blossomed into a trilogy of instrumental music, song and dance by the recipients. Dressed in a fuchsia and gold silk kurta, Sharma’s performance was inspiring. Alternating between sharp, fast musical notes and barely audible single tones Sharma played a variety of pieces over half an hour. “I’m grateful for an acknowledgement to my work, and I’m glad they thought of me,” smiled Sharma. Singhvi sang ghazals penned by poets like Daagh Dehlavi and Parveen Shakir. Hota enthralled the audiences with her depiction of Shakti after she was decorated with Sanatan Nritya Puraskar 2007. Her orange sari and fierce expressions brought the tempestuous goddess alive.
