The presentation began with an explanation by choreographer, painter and classical singer Bina Jawwad, the driving force behind SCA, about the raison d'être of the establishment of her organisation. The main objective of SCA, she elaborated, was to encourage, support and promote activities designed to restore to our classical heritage its pristine glory.
She referred to a number of previous SCA-sponsored events, including a classical dance show, a series of concerts and a quawwali presentation by late Munshi Raziuddin and his group in Basant Bahar - a colourful cultural event pegged to the theme of spring.
Kathak dancer Adnan Jehangir featured in the programme sponsored by SCA on December 20 along with flutist Ustad Khadim Husain Haidri, sitar player Shezad Khalil and classical vocalist Ustad Naseeruddin Saami, an exponent of kheyal style of classical vocalisation, who hails from the famous Delhi gharana of professional classical singers. Adnan Jehangir, a fourth year student of design at National College of Arts in one of his dance performances was supported by Ismet Jawwad. Young tabla players Riaz Ahmed and Riaz Husain provided rhythmic accompaniments to all the participating artistes, who contributed to the success of the programme billed as Sur Taal.
Dance, which late poet Josh Malihabadi once defined as "poetry of the limbs of human body", comprises a set of movements, emanating generally from hands and legs, which are performed to the accompaniment of especially-composed music that brims with strong rhythmic emphasis. That is why it is often called the art of rhythm and movements that creates enticing patterns of symmetrically balanced movements of different limbs of a human body.
The art of kheyal vocalisation, which is considered a supreme example of Muslim creative genius in the sub-continent, was an outcome of the metamorphosis, which took place in the art of vocal classical music during the 800-year Muslim rule in the sub-continent. In this mode of singing, the artiste enjoys the liberty of making impromptu improvisations albeit by remaining within the basic contours and scalar parameters of a particular raga.
First item on the agenda was an impressive dance in the Kathakali strand performed by Adnan Jehangir in which he narrated the story of a wanderer, who was groping to find his way out of a difficult situation. Ismet Jawwad, an up-and-coming dancer, whose spotlessly white raiment stimulated the imagination of the viewers, supported him in the explanation of the theme of his dance by her rhythmic movements.
Ustad Khadim Hussain Haidri was the next artiste to demonstrate his melodic prowess on his flute by rendering pentatonic raga hansdhun. His brief presentation set the mood for a rather extended elaboration of raga des by Shehzad Khalil on sitar. His deft handling of the string of this delicate instrument and dexterous manipulation of the notes of a popular but difficult classical formulations were persistently cheered by a knowledgeable and appreciative audience.
Ustad Naseeruddin Saami, an inveterate exponent of kheyal style of classical singing then presented several short pieces of a number of ragas, including Behar, Bhopali and Sohni much to the delight of the votaries of classical music. Drenched in his highly mellifluous and malleable voice the astha-antaras rendered by the Ustad created enduring impact on the listeners.
Adnan Jehangir folded up the programme by presenting another dance, which was choreographed by his mentor Bina Jawwad.
The most appreciable aspect of Sur Taal presentation was that it was made without the help of any government department or agency. Even the amount of Rs 12,000 as rental of the hall, which should have been waived by LAC for SCA (as is done for other art promoting agencies) was paid out of the generous contributions made by Depilex of Ms. Musarrat Misbah and Messrs. Servis Industries, whose banners were put on display at the auditorium.
It is heartening to see an organisation of the prestige and leadership qualities of Society of Classical Arts striving hard to preserve our classical heritage and trying to prevent it from being pushed into the shadows.