Pandit Kushal Das

Hindustani Sitar Surbahar

Pandit Kushal Das

4 minute read

Pandit Kushal Das is a leading master of both the sitar and surbahar, with a style that builds on Pandit Nikhil Banerjee’s Maihar repertoire. Despite growing up in a family of successful sitarists and sarodias he was never pressured to learn classical music, with his family first letting him play his way through film songs and find his own connection to the instrument.

But Kushal soon realised his calling (“when I suddenly realised where my goal was, I became serious”), and worked tirelessly to capture the nuances of his idols. Like Vilayat Khan he uses a first-hand understanding of vocal music to expand his mellifluous string phrasings, bending patiently around both his instruments in a gharana-blending style. And like Banerjee he garners particular respect from fellow musicians – the late sarod master Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta once remarked that he wished to be born again so he could learn music from Kushal.

Pandit Kushal Das has performed at the Darbar Festival on numerous occasions, including in 2010, 2014, 2017, and 2021. Over the years, he has collaborated with a range of distinguished artists such as Satyajit Talwalkar, Pandit Kumar Bose, and Patri Satish Kumar, delivering captivating performances that showcase his deep mastery of Hindustani classical music. His appearances at Darbar have been celebrated for their artistic brilliance and his ability to bring a unique voice to the tradition of sitar playing.

“I fell in love with Pandit Nikhil Banerjee’s style of playing and started shadowing him, both literally and figuratively…there was a point when I tried to imitate Nikhil with all my might and I thought it worked for me rather well; but then I was ticked off by well-meaning veterans, who encouraged me to evolve my own musical persona by finding a different vista. Since then I tried to imbibe whatever I could from all the three greats, forming my own melodic syntax.”

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Pandit Kushal Das | Director

Recorded at Darbar Festival 2021 on 24th October at the Barbican Centre, London. Musician: - Pandit Kushal Das (sitar) Raag Parmeshwari; Samay: Late Morning Pandit Kushal Das, a master of sitar and surbahar, follows in the footsteps of Pandit Nikhil Banerjee's Maihar tradition. Despite growing up in a family of accomplished musicians, he was given the freedom to explore music at his own pace, initially finding solace in playing film songs. But Kushal's true calling soon beckoned, and he devoted himself to capturing the nuances of his idols. With a blend of gharanas reminiscent of Vilayat Khan and the respect of fellow musicians like Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta, Kushal's artistry transcends boundaries, merging vocal influences with mellifluous string melodies, leaving an indelible mark on Indian classical music. Pandit Ravi Shankar created Raga Parameshwari in 1968. Raga Parmeshwari is a Carnatic classical music raga that has a distinct melodic structure and is typically performed in concerts or recitals. It belongs to the 20th Melakarta raga system, which is a system of classifying ragas in Carnatic music. Raga Parmeshwari is derived from the 65th Melakarta raga, Kalyani. The raga is characterized by its unique ascending and descending scales (aarohanam and avarohanam). The aarohanam of Raga Parmeshwari is as follows: Sa Ri2 Ga3 Ma1 Pa Dha2 Ni3 Sa. The avarohanam is: Sa Ni3 Dha2 Pa Ma1 Ga3 Ri2 Sa. The notes in the scale are referred to by their solfege syllables in the Carnatic music tradition (Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, Ni). Raga Parameshwari has a serene and devotional quality to it, evoking a sense of tranquility and contemplation. It is often associated with compositions that express devotion and spirituality. The raga allows for improvisation and exploration within its melodic framework, offering opportunities for the musician to showcase their creativity and virtuosity. As with other ragas in Carnatic music, Raga Parmeshwari has its own set of characteristic phrases, ornamentations, and melodic patterns that distinguish it from other ragas. These nuances are essential for musicians to learn and master when performing the raga. It is worth noting that while Raga Parmeshwari is primarily associated with Carnatic music, there may be variations and interpretations of this raga in other regional Indian classical music traditions, such as Hindustani music. The style of rendition and the specific melodic phrases may differ slightly in these traditions.