Posted on 6 June 2026:
Monsoon Festival 2026 – A Tribute to the Timeless Strings of Pandit Nikhil Banerjee
As the monsoon clouds gather over Kolkata, Bandeesh (Kasba) presents An Evening of Classical Music and Dance—a heartfelt homage to the legendary Padmabhushan Pandit Nikhil Banerjee, whose sitar once spoke the language of eternity.
The event, curated by renowned musician Partha Pratim Roy, unfolds on 20th June 2026 at Triguna Sen Auditorium, Jadavpur University, celebrating the enduring resonance of India’s classical heritage.
Partha Pratim Roy’s connection to the maestro runs deep—woven through lineage, devotion and destiny.
“Nikhil Banerjee was a legendary sitar maestro belonging to the Maihar gharana. My guru Debi Prasad Chatterjee was a disciple of Nikhil Banerjee. My father was a close friend of Dilip Banerjee, elder brother of Pandit Nikhil Banerjee,” he reflects with reverence.
His words breathe life into memory, tracing the quiet corridors of 90 Linton Street, where he once resided in the ancestral home of the maestro.
“I had the privilege to reside at the ancestral house of Pandit Nikhil Banerjee for a few years and saw Pandit ji from close distance,” he recalls, his voice carrying the tenderness of remembrance.
Curated by Bandeesh Kasba, renowned Partha Pratim Roy’s own organization, this evening brings together eminent artists—Pandit Jayant Khot (Chairman, Sangeet Natak Akademi, Lucknow), Nayanika Ghosh (Kathak, New Delhi), and a constellation of accomplished accompanists including Pandit Raghunath Bhattacharya, Shri Amit Chatterjee, Amitananda Roy, Avijit Koy, Shri Siddheshwar Bhowmick and Shri Kamalaksha Mukherjee. Each performance becomes a prayer, each note a remembrance.
“This program is curated by me, in his rich memory.” “I have received the prestigious Pandit Nikhil Banerjee Smriti Sangeet Samman,” Partha Pratim Roy adds humbly, his words echoing the continuity of a tradition that transcends generations.
An evening where melody meets memory, honouring the eternal legacy of Pandit Nikhil Banerjee.
