A two-day classical music festival, organised by Chhayanaut, concluded yesterday morning at the main auditorium of Chhayanaut Shangskriti Bhaban. Through rendition of National Anthem, the festival was set off on December 29 evening. Noted music guru Ustad Saimud Ali Khan of Dinajpur inaugurated the festival while Khairul Anam Shakil, general Secretary of Chhayanaut delivered welcome address at the event.

The festival, comprising two sessions, came to an end yesterday morning (December 31). Based on Raga Desh, artistes of Chhayanaut began the musical flight. The rendition captivated the audience. Chhayanaut guru Asit Dey directed the performance. On the opening day, Yakub ali Khan performed Raga Madhuvanti, Latifun Jilio rendered Raga Chhayanat, Salahuddin Ahmed presented Raga Jog, Satindranath Halder rendered Raga Madhukauns and Rajrupa Chowdhury offered sarod recital at the evening.

The nightlong second session of the

festival started at 6am on December 30 and concluded on the morning of December 31. Directed by Murtaza Kabir Murad, artistes of Chhayanaut set off the session playing Raga Bhupali on flute. Sushmita Debnath Suchi sang Raga Multani while Salok Hossain rendered Raga Marubehag. Ebadul Huq Shaikat played Raga Jaitkalyan at the event while Tinku Shil rendered Raga Puria Kalyan. Sanjiban Sanyal Shubho performed Raga Durga.

Khairul Anam Shakil beautifully rendered a romantic Raga Behag at the festival. Priyanka Gope next took the stage and rendered Raga Jog. Her performance of beautiful ragdari, long meend, drut taan and murki was fantastic.

Noted flautist Murtaza Kabir Murad captivated the audience with his superb recital of Raga Abhogi. The artiste, along with the tabla accompanist Swarup Hossain earned accolades from the audience as the artiste styled some evocative melodies. Murad ended his presentation with a folk dhun.

Accomplished classical vocalist Aloke Kumar Sen stood out in his performance.

Gripping the apt mood and majesty of the Raga "Jogkauns", he enthralled the audience with a dramatised performance. The artiste precisely portrayed the ragdari and established the bandish of the raga elaborating bistaar ang of his rendition. He performed his vilambit bandish "Sughar Baar Payo” (on vilambit ektaal) and drut bandish "Peer Parayi" (on teentaal) at the festival. Aloke Sen's weaving of the bandish together with drut aakar taan, pukar, bolbut, meend and melodic resting on swar of three octaves were fascinating. His vistar presentation was an evocative of meaningful musical phraseology. Sen's ecstatic presentation of a chhoto khayal on Raga Kaushik Dhwani diffused the pristine melody in the early morning. Goutam Sarker on tabla and Bizon Chandra Mistry on harmonium embellished the performance.

Among others, Abhijit Kundu rendered Raga Shankara, Shekhar Mandal rendered Raga Bageshree, Liton Das presented Raga Malkauns and renowned artiste Asit Dey wrapped up the festival through vocal music performance.