New Delhi, 13th February 2023: Dilli Durbar 2023 is being organized by Dilli Gharana on 10th, 11th & 12th February 2023 (Friday, Saturday & Sunday) at Kartavya Path, Central Vista, New Delhi (India Gate Lawns). Dilli Durbar 2023, the biggest celebration of Indian Classical Music in India (basis the stature and varied congregation of the Musical Maestros and exponents participating), is aimed solely towards the renaissance of age-old Indian Culture and Hindustani Classical Music in the country. Renowned Singer Malini Awasthi and Creator of the Mohan Veena Grammy Awardee Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt Captivate the audience on the opening day of Dilli Darbar 2023
Dilli Gharana, Delhi’s own Music Conservatory and arguably India’s oldest Music Gharana has been promoting Indian Classical Music in every possible way so as to preserve and showcase India’s rich cultural legacy for our next generation.
Late Ustad Iqbal Ahmed Khan saheb, the last Khalifa (Doyen) of Dilli Gharana had seen an open-eyed dream of creating a bridge that will connect the present generation, especially the Youth, with our country’s rich and age-old Indian culture and Hindustani Classical Music. Dilli Durbar is the culmination of that dream.
The 2023 edition of Dilli Durbar is being organized under the aegis of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and powered by IndianOil. It promises to be the most melodious musical extravaganza ever in the city, bringing together the greatest exponents of Indian Classical Arts on one platform to present a grand spectacle, one like never experienced before.
Ustad Iqbal Ahmed Khan, the Founder of Dilli Durbar and the Doyen (or Khalifa) of Dilli Gharana used to say, “I had the great privilege to learn music under the tutelage of great maestros of Indian Classical Arts; they not only taught us the art but also imbibed in us the great culture and traditions of India. I being the flag-bearer of Dilli Gharana feel that it is my responsibility that I now pass on my learnings to the younger generation to refine their sensibilities and to cultivate their taste for these finer things in life.”
This second edition of Dilli Durbar will witness the participation of renowned Music Maestros and Culture proponents including Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar, Shri Hansraj Hans, Ustad Saeed Zafar Khan, Guru Shovana Narayan, Smt Malini Awasthi, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt; Arts Entrepreneur Sanjoy Roy; and Hindi Film Industry’s personalities like Shyam Benegal, Piyush Mishra & Yashpal Sharma.
Apart from the established personalities, we would also have the younger torch-bearers of Indian Cultural traditions like Antara Nandy, Jayateerth Mevundi, Vusat Iqbal Khan, Pandit Naveen Sharma, Vidya Shah,
Pandit Anantha Krishnan, Shahid, Saami Niyazi Qawwals, and many more. This year we would also see the performance of American citizen Stephanie Gravelle performing Western Classical vocals.
Dilli Durbar 2023 will also be a reflection of Indian Cultural tradition, Music, and its ethos. We are sure this year too our efforts will help in attracting music connoisseurs and the general public from far and wide. The main attractions of our Festival include typical Indian Cultural elements of Music and Dance; and Seminars, Panel Discussions and Performances on them, all led by world-renowned personalities.
Sursagar Society (an NGO which works for the legacy of Dilli Gharana) has instituted the “Sangeet Martand Ustad Chand Khan Lifetime Achievement Award” which this year will be conferred upon Shri Shyam Benegal, the legendary octogenarian Indian film director, screenwriter, and documentary filmmaker, He is the pioneer of parallel cinema who is widely considered as one of the greatest filmmakers India has ever produced.
Ustad Chand Khan was a legendary Indian classical vocal maestro of the 19th Century of the Dilli Gharana of Classical Music and so far the award has been conferred on towering personalities like Pandit Jasraj, Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan, Pandit Birju Maharaj, Ustad Abdul Haleem Jaffer Khan, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, and Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt.
Shri Shyam Benegal is the recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, eighteen National Film Awards, a Filmfare Award, and a V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award. He made his first Documentary film in Gujarati, Gher Betha Ganga in 1962 and his first feature film in 1973 – Ankur. Since then he has made 23 Feature Films, 41 Documentaries, 4 Short Films, and 6 Television Series. He is still busy and directing a biopic on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman named Mujib: The Making of a Nation which will presumably be released this year.
Vusat Iqbal Khan, Co-Founder of Dilli Durbar says, “The idea of Dilli Durbar originated from the fact that many youngsters in the country today are being fed a deadly cocktail of cacophony in the name of Music which is as far removed from true Music as chalk is from cheese. It does not adhere to the basic tenets of music – whether Indian, Western nor any other. Hence, we wanted to reintroduce the young people of India once again with true Indian Music. We hope we will be able to at least make a small change with this initiative of ours.”