The melodious, crystalline chimes of the jaltarang’s water-tuned bowls are a delight to the senses, and yet are rarely heard in this day and age. This Kalaa Utsavam, one of the jaltarang’s finest proponents, Milind Tulankar, brings us the beauty of this rare, 500-year-old art form in an enchanting jugalbandhi with bansuri flutist Rajendra Kulkarni.

Jaltarang
The jaltarang (where "jal" means "water" and "tarang" means "waves") is one of the oldest and most rarely heard instruments today, the art of playing it, bordering on the verge of extinction.

It consists of bowls filled with water, with each bowl tuned to a specific frequency by the addition of a specific amount of water. These bowls are positioned in a semi-circular arrangement around the player and played by striking the bowls with two sticks, producing light, pleasant, tinkling, ringing sounds.

Capable of producing both delicate and vibrant sounds, the jaltarang can be used to play Indian classical ragas and light melodies alike. An uncommon instrument, it is often played solo, as a melodic instrument accompanied by the tabla, or as percussive accompaniment to kathak dancing.

Milind Tulankar
Born to a family of musicians, Milind Tulankar was trained in the art of jaltarang playing by his grandfather and famous artist, the Late Pandit Shankar Kanhere. Milind is also a proficient santoor, tabla and harmonium player and a good vocalist. Currently, he is a disciple of sitar maestro Ustad Shahid Parwez.

Milind has performed on radio and television, across India and Malaysia and in Germany, Austria, New Zealand (solo), and Switzerland. He has also directed music for the Pali film Punarutthan, released two VCDs, performed with accomplished musicians across genres, won awards, and now additionally composes music for the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.

Rajendra B Kulkarni
Shri. Rajendra B. Kulkarni is an accomplished bansuri flutist from Maharashtra, trained by his father Shri. Balasaheb Kulkarni and subsequently by Pt. Narayanrao V. Patwardhan. His style of flute playing is non-traditional and unique, blending the rich qualities of various vocal traditions.

An "A" grade artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan, he has performed across India as well as abroad. In recognition of his talent, he has received many awards and honours including the Surmani, Sangeet Alankar and Yuva Kalakar.

Jaltarang and bansuri jugalbandhi
In jugalbandi, two or more equally skilled musicians perform together in a playful, competitive musical dialogue.

Here, maestros Milind Tulankar and Rajendra Kulkarni present an unusual jugalbandhi featuring the rare pairing of the jaltarang and the bansuri. The duo will start their performance with an evening raga, Raga Puriyakalyan, featuring a musical conversation in slow (aalap), medium (jod) and fast (zala) tempo as well as one composition in 16 beats (Teen taal). This will be followed by a folk tune based on a monsoon raga, Raga Megh, a well-loved and ecstatic raga that evokes the thunder and rain of the Indian monsoon season. Then the two will perform a fast tempo composition in Raga Chandrakauns featuring call-and-response Sawal Jawab and conclude their recital with a dhun (a light composition).

Milind and Rajendra will be accompanied on the tabla by Singaporean artist Nawaz Mirajkar, grandson of tabla maestro Mehboob Khan Sahib Mirajkar of the Poorab Gharana style of playing.

Enjoy the soothing, heavenly sounds of their water and wind music, enhanced by hypnotic tabla rhythms.

You are strongly advised to be seated 15 minutes before the performance start time.
No admission will be allowed into the venue once the performance has commenced.
Exceptions may be made at Esplanade's discretion depending on the nature of the performance.

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