Shujaat Khan, Wasifuddin Dagar headline Goa music fest

The third edition of the Malhar & The Sea Music Festival in Goa will feature leading classical artistes like Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar, Ronkini Gupta, and Shujaat Khan, blending dhrupad, khayal, Sufi, and fusion performances at a luxury coastal venue

Panaji: The third edition of the Malhar & The Sea music festival will bring together a diverse lineup of Indian classical artistes across disciplines, featuring dhrupad by Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar, khayal and thumri by Ronkini Gupta, and sitar by Shujaat Khan.

The luxury residential music and arts festival, organised by Showhouse, will be held from July 24-26 at Taj Exotica Resort and Spa at Benaulim here, the organisers said. Designed as a curated getaway where music, art, and hospitality come together, the festival aims to blend “a premium vacation experience with intimate performances” by leading multi-genre artists.

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“This time, its scale and span will be larger and more diverse than ever before. We have worked very hard to curate varied vocal traditions and artforms like ‘Dhrupad’, ‘Khayal’, ‘Ghazal’, ‘Sufi’, ‘Bhajan’, ‘Musical Theatre’ as well as a tribute to The Beatles in line with the festival theme: ‘One India, Many Voices’,” Omer Haidar, chairman and managing director of Showhouse, said in a statement.

The three-day festival will open with a line-up of performances, including dhrupad by Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar, carnatic vocals and abhang by the Raga Sisters – Ranjani and Gayatri – followed by a musical theatre performance by Danish Husain, titled “Main Pal Do Pal Ka Shayar Hoon”, in a tribute to Sahir Ludhiyanvi.

The opening night will also feature Sufi music by the Tasawwur Ensemble, led by Shivam Bhardwaj.
“For me, this is a beautiful opportunity to shed light on the extraordinary life and poetic brilliance of Sahir Ludhiyanvi. In fact, over 18 Sahir classics will be sung on stage live to celebrate his vast body of work. To bring this rich musical treat in an unhurried way before a discerning audience is going to be very fulfilling,” Husain said.

Day two will witness a bhajan recital by Anup Jalota, followed by a khayal and thumri performance by Ronkini Gupta. The evening highlights include ‘Gaayeki Ang Sitar’ by Ustad Shujaat Khan, ghazal and geet by Priyanka Barve, and Wanted Yesterday’s evocative tribute to The Beatles.

“Late maestro Ustad Vilayat Khan Saheb’s pioneering ‘ Gayaki Ang’, where he ingeniously made the sitar emulate the human voice, can now be seen in the masterful technique of Ustad Shujaat Khan who is set to stir the listeners with his evocative recital. We will not only be celebrating music and arts across genres but will also offer a refreshing new take on luxurious leisure,” Haidar added. The festival will come to a close on July 26 with ‘Fado Unplugged’ session by Nadia Rebelo.