MUMBAI, August 25: Soft strains of Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia's flute greet you as you approach the Savitri building in Khar. Every year, for the past 13 years, the Padmavibhushan award winner has been organising a special offering to Lord Krishna on the occasion of Gokulashtami through his music.

Chaurasia started the celebrations at midnight last night, after an offering to the Lord, with a dozen of his students. ``I wanted to build a temple for my lord since childhood, but only after I bought this place in Mumbai could I fulfil my dream of building my own Vrindavan," he said. The marathon session lasts for over 12 hours, with a customary break for a paan.

Chaurasia's Vrindavan is a small temple in the terrace of his flat. ``I believe that God visits my house every night, and I thought that I should spend at least one day every year with him.'' The ustad was dressed in a white kurta pyjama with an ochre robe draped around his shoulders and a red tilak on his forehead.

``This is the only puja that he performs throughout the year. Wherever he might be, he comes back here especially for this day,'' said Rupak Kulkarni, his student of 12 years. Chaurasia started his marathon flute run at midnight. About 200 people attended the puja. ``We learn a lot during this period from him, because he plays straight from his heart," said his nephew and shishya Rakesh. This, however, is the last year that the maestro's festival will be held at his residence. Starting next year, he will shift the venue to his gurukul, a temple built by him in Juhu.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.