Pune: Soor Mahatee Festival 2025 concludes with the audience witnessing melodious classical music and graceful Kathak dance
Pune, 1st December 2025: The Soor Mahatee 2025 festival, organized annually for the past three years by the Soor Mahatee Foundation under the guidance of renowned vocalist and disciple of the late Dr. Veena Sahasrabuddhe, Atul Khandekar, recently concluded with performances by well-known artists at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch, Swargate. The festival, held in memory of the late Dr. Veena Sahasrabuddhe, was dedicated this year to the birth centenary of Padma Shri Jaymala Shiledar. Dignitaries present at the two-day festival included senior vocalists Pt. Ajay Pohankar and Pt. Vinayak Torvi, Chetan Wakalakar, Academic Advisor at Indira University; Dr. Hari Sahasrabuddhe; Soor Mahatee Foundation members Ravindra and Mansi Khandekar; and Atul and Bhakti Khandekar.
Day 1 of the festival featured disciple and son of renowned violinist Guru Pandit Milind Raikar, Yadnesh Raikar, performing Raag Tilak Kamod, including the traditional bandish ‘Teerath Ko…’ in Jhaptal, a tarana composed by Dr. Sahasrabuddhe, a one-taal gat composed by Guru D.K. Datar, and concluded his recital with an original composition in Mishra Kaafi. He was accompanied by Bharat Kamat (Tabla), and by Parth Deshmukh and Parth Kulkarni (Tanpura).
Following this, Rachna Bodas, disciple of Pt. Kashinath Bodas and Dr Veena Sahasrabuddhe presented Raag Vachaspati, ‘Sacho tere naam’ in vilambit ektaal, followed by ‘Chatur sughar balama’ in addha teen taal Madhya Lay, and concluded the Raag with Tarana in drut teen taal. She then presented Raag Durga with compositions, ‘Ambe Durge’ in teen taal, followed by a Tarana in drut teen taal. She was accompanied by Pranav Gurav (Tabla), Leeladhar Chakradev (Harmonium) and Sayali Kulkarni and Chinmayee Oak (Tanpura).
The first day concluded with senior Gwalior and Kirana gharana vocalist, Pandit Vinayak Torvi, presenting Raag Chhayanat, with the traditional composition ‘Ab Gund Lao Re Mannaniya…’, bandish ‘Pal Pal Soch Vichar Karun Main…’ , ‘Ghar Jaane De Ab More Mann Basiyan…’ He concluded with the abhangs ‘Chidambar Raya Brahmanda Nayaka…’ and ‘Dev Majha, Mi Devacha…’ He was accompanied by Bharat Kamat (tabla), Suyog Kundalkar (Harmonium), and Dattatray Velankar and Dhananjay Hegde (tanpura).
Day 2 of the festival featured Atul Khandekar presenting Raag Bhimpalas, the khayal ‘Re Biraha Bamna…’ and the bandish ‘Piya Paas Le Ja…’ followed by a tarana. In the second half of his presentation, he rendered Raag Hemant, presenting the bandish ‘Hamari Sudh Leeje Murari…’ and ‘Tan Man Dhan Kar Arpan Guru Charan Mein…’ and concluded with the natyapad ‘Mai Maine Govind Lino Mol…’ He was accompanied by Pranav Gurav (tabla), Leeladhar Chakradev (Harmonium), and Bhakti Khandekar and Shreej Dani (tanpura).
Further, Devesh Mirchandani, disciple of Padma Vibhushan Pt. Birju Maharaj performed a traditional Shankar Stavan, presenting the well-known composition ‘Shankar Girijapati Mahadev…’, Taal Pancham Sawari and concluded with a graceful interpretation based on ghazal and sargam. He was accompanied by Shubham Khandalkar (vocal & harmonium), Kaushik Kelkar (tabla), Sunil Avachat (flute), Aniruddha Joshi (sitar), and Shruti Patki (padhant).
Following the performances, the Soor Mahatee Foundation screened and inaugurated its short film ‘Parijat Phulala’, created to honour Padma Shri Jaymala Shiledar in her birth centenary year. The two-day festival concluded with Padma Shri Dr. Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, senior vocalist of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana, showcasing Raag Maru Bihag, the vilambit bandish ‘Aaj Suhaag Ki Raat…’ the addha chautaal bandish ‘Bajao Re…’ Raag Chandrakauns, the madhyalaya roopak taal bandish ‘Sakhi Mukhachandra…’ and concluded with the drut teen taal composition ‘Aaj Bhailava Milan Pi Sang…’ she was accompanied by Bharat Kamat (tabla), Suyog Kundalkar (harmonium), and Rutuja Lad and Swaraali Joshi (tanpura). Swanand Patwardhan anchored throughout the festival.
The festival was supported by major sponsors, including Indira University, SBI, Vilas Javdekar Developers, SUMA, and LIC.
