Posted on 8 October 2025:
Baba Allauddin Sangeet Samaroh 2025: A Soulful Tribute to India’s Classical Legacy
IN THE HEART OF KOLKATA, THE 34TH BABA ALLAUDDIN SANGEET SAMAROH 2025 UNFOLDED LIKE A MUSICAL PRAYER AT THE ICONIC RABINDRA SADAN AUDITORIUM—A DREAM STAGE FOR EVERY CLASSICAL ARTIST IN INDIA.
Organized by the Baba Allauddin Memorial Committee under the patronage of the Department of Information and Cultural Affairs, Government of West Bengal, and in association with the Annapurna Devi Foundation, this year’s edition was graced for the first time by the support of Omkarnath Mission.
The festival began on 6th September with a heartfelt garland ceremony at 4:30 PM, where dignitaries and artists paid homage to the legendary Acharya Baba Allauddin Khan.
As twilight gently embraced Rabindra Sadan, the evening unfolded with warm felicitations—honourable vice president Goutam Bhattacharya, treasurer Gayatri Bhattacharya, and chief guest Pandit Nityanand Haldipur, Trustee of Annapurna Devi Foundation, were honoured with deep respect, followed by the festival’s president Debashis Kumar, lovingly felicitated by Pandit Dishari Chakraborty in the presence of secretary Anupam Sarkar.
The air was filled with reverence and joy. With a dignified welcome speech, the president opened the musical gateway, and soon, the radiant anchor Madhumita Chatterjee took the stage, welcoming each artist and guest like a melody greeting the dawn—setting the perfect tone for a celebration of soul-stirring music.
A Day of Divine Duets, Vocal Brilliance and Rhythmic Fire
The first day of Baba Allauddin Sangeet Samaroh 2025 opened with a soul-touching Sitar–Sarod duet by internationally acclaimed Pandit Partha Pratim Roy and Pandit Pankaj De Sarkar, who offered Raga Hem Bihag in Alap, Jor and Gat with deep devotion.
Their homage to Baba Allauddin’s lotus feet was beautifully supported by Sri Debabrata Gupta on tabla, and all three were warmly felicitated by the esteemed Pandit Sujit Saha.
The evening then soared with Pandit Koushik Bhattacharjee’s vocal magic, joined by harmonium legend Pandit Ajay Jogelkar and tabla artist Sri Asif Khan. Beginning with Raga Bageshwari, flowing into Gour Malhar in Arachowtaal, and ending with a vibrant Kajri in Misra Pilu, their jugalbandi left the audience spellbound.
Secretary Anupam Sarkar called it the finest vocal performance of the year, praising Koushik’s swara ornamentation and his rare ability to bridge two gharanas with grace.
The night reached its crescendo with Banaras Gharana’s tabla maestro Pandit Samar Saha, accompanied by his disciples Sri Debjyoti Bose and Sri Jyotirmoy Chakrabarty, and Pandit Hiranmay Mitra on harmonium.
His rhythmic tapestry blended tradition with dynamic artistry, culminating in a joyous tribute to Durga Puja through Bengali dhak and Kashi bols.
The auditorium pulsed with celebration, and Pandit Saha’s team was honoured by Pandit Parimal Chakraborty, closing the day in a wave of cultural ecstasy.
Maihar Band’s Timeless Symphony Echoes Baba Allauddin’s Legacy
On the second day of the Baba Allauddin Sangeet Samaroh 2025, the festival opened at 1 PM with the majestic orchestral composition of the Maihar Band.
Born from Baba Allauddin’s visionary spirit in 1925, the Shastriya Vadya Vrinda Maihar carried forward his magical legacy with grace and grandeur. A constellation of talented musicians—Kumari Jyoti Chaudhary on Nal Tarang, Smt. Anshu Sharma on Sitar and Sri Mukesh Kumar Sitar-Banjo, Sri Sujit Kumar on Sarod, Sri Zunaid Ahmed on Esraj, Sri Ashok Bharti and Kumari Pragya on Violin, Sri Shivpal Singh and band master Pandit Gautam Bhartiya on Harmonium, and a powerful trio of tabla artists—Sri Rohit Kumar Saket, Kumari Sonali and Sri Uday Kr. Suryawanshi—wove a tapestry of sound that danced between Raga Kirwani, Hem Hindol, Abhogi, Maand, Mewari Dhun and Western melodies composed by Baba himself.
The audience, enchanted and eager, called out “one more please,” and the band gifted them with a radiant finale—“Yaman Ki Led.”
Their performance was a living tribute to a century of musical devotion, and they were lovingly felicitated by Pandit Dishari Chakraborty.
Young Voices and Healing Strings—A Brief Musical Bloom
The second day of the Samaroh welcomed a soulful Hindustani vocal recital by Sri Anniruddha Chakraborty, a promising talent from the Patiala Kasur Gharana and disciple of Guru Navodeep Chakraborty. With Sri Goutam Guha on tabla and Sri Sayan Chatterjee on harmonium, his rendition of Raga Multani in Vilambit laya revealed a depth beyond his years, ending gracefully with a Dadra that lingered sweetly in the air.
Following this, Dr. Bedorshi Bandopadhyay, a next-gen Sitar artist and dedicated medical professional, stunned the audience with a serene Dhrupad-style Alap and Gat in Raga Bhimpalasi. His performance, accompanied by Sri Debabrata Gupta on tabla, was a rare blend of precision and passion—proof that healing flows through both hands and strings.
A Rare Harmonium Solo That Touched Every Heart
Pandit Jyoti Goho, the harmonium maestro who has graced the classical stage for over five decades, offered a rare solo recital at Rabindra Sadan—his first ever in this iconic auditorium despite accompanying over 500 performances here.
Joined by his gifted son Sri Sourabh Goho on tabla, he presented the ancient and seldom-heard Ragas Sree and Pilu, weaving timeless melodies with delicate grace. The recital ended with the beloved tune “Yaad Piya Ki Aaye,” leaving the audience deeply moved.
Secretary Anupam Sarkar called it a moment of great honour for the organization, and both Pandit Goho and Sarkar were warmly felicitated by Pandit Samar Saha.
A Graceful Tribute from the Rampur Senia Gharana
Smt. Yagnaseni Majumdar, carrying the proud legacy of the Rampur Senia Gharana, offered a soulful vocal recital in Raga Shyam Kalyan and Durga, set in Ektaal. Her performance reflected the deep marks of her guru’s tradition, blending elegance with devotion. Accompanied by Professor Biswajit Nandi, Rabindra Bharati University, on tabla and Sri Pradip Palit on harmonium, the trio paid a heartfelt homage to Baba Allauddin Khan, filling the auditorium with serene reverence and timeless melody.
Santoor and Flute—A Celestial Finale to the Samaroh
The two-day Baba Allauddin Sangeet Samaroh reached its spiritual peak with a mesmerizing santoor recital by Pandit Dishari Chakraborty. A self-taught maestro, he brought alive Raag Durgeshwari in Dhrupad Senia-style alap and jor, followed by Baba Allauddin Khan’s own Raag Pahari Jhinjhoti in vilambit and drut, ending with a breathtaking jhala. His unique blend of veenkari and Rababi techniques, shaped over 30 years of deep training, created waves of melody that touched every soul. Accompanied by tabla masters Bibhas Shanghai and Soumen Nandy, the performance was pure magic.
The festival concluded with a divine flute recital by Pandit Nityanand Haldipur, a disciple of Maa Annapurna Devi, whose Raga Desh and Pilu carried the true essence of Hindustani classical music, with Sri Sangram Roy on tabla adding rhythmic grace.
A Grateful Farewell and a Promise to Return
As the final notes faded into silence, the Baba Allauddin Sangeet Samaroh 2025 bowed with gratitude. Over two soulful days, many honourable guests—including Sri Kaushik Kanti Bhattacharya, Sri Pranabesh Chandra and Pandit Nityanand Haldipur—were felicitated for their heartfelt contributions to preserving our musical heritage.
With love and respect, the organizers thanked every artist, dignitary, and the devoted audience whose presence made the festival shine.
And with joy in the air, the dates for next year—6th and 7th September 2026—were announced, promising another chapter of timeless melodies at Rabindra Sadan.
