Dhrupad — The Art of Contemplative Sound

All are welcome to join us at CIIS in Namaste Hall on Saturday, April 27th for an evening of contemplative conversation with leading Dhrupad vocalist, Maestro Pandit Uday Bhawalkar, accompanied by Pakhawaj (two-headed drum) player & percussionist, Sri Sukhad Munde.

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Maestro Pandit Uday Bhawalkar is a pre-eminent vocalist of the ancient spiritual form of Indian singing, Dhrupad. He trained under legendary maestros, Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar and Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar. His rendering of the ragas brings both entranced devotion (bhakti) and emotional saturation (rasa) to the precise intonation and pronunciation characteristic of the Dhrupad art form. Pandit Bhawalkar believes that when immersed in the sound of the raga, the self disappears, and music takes on its own existence, the principle of 'darshan' in Indian philosophy. He is the recipient of the highest honors for music in India, including the prestigious Sangeet Natak Academy Award from the President of India.

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Sri Sukhad Munde was born in a musical family of Great Pakhawaj Maestro Pt. Manik Munde. He receives his inspiration and blessings from the great Gurus like Bhakt Ganesh Anna Choudhary, Pt. Satishchandra Choudhary, and Prof. Govindrao Deshmukh. Sukhad started Pakhawaj training at the age of 6 under Guru-Shishya Parampara from his father and Guru, Pt. Manik Munde, a well-known Pakhawaj Player. He has performed with many great Dhrupad vocalists, instrumentalists and Katthak dancers. Sukhad plays Jugalbandi and Tal-vadya Kacheri with different instruments in addition to solo performances. 

This event is offered by the East-West Psychology Department's Asian Contemplative and Transcultural Studies Program - a two-year, online master's program that teaches and researches the contemplative traditions, practices and experiences of South and East Asia as agents for change in the modern world.